Arnold Schwarzenegger

(October 1997) Ranked #20 in Empire magazines "The Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time" list.

Children with Maria Shriver : Katherine Schwarzenegger (b. December 13, 1989), Christina Maria Aurelia Schwarzenegger (b. July 23, 1991), Patrick Schwarzenegger (b. September 18, 1993) and Christopher Sargent Shriver Schwarzenegger (b. September 27, 1997). He is also the father of Joseph Baena (b. October 2, 1997) with Mildred Patricia Baena who was housekeeper in the family until 2011.

(April 1997) Underwent heart surgery to correct a congenital heart valve condition.

Called by the Guinness Book of World Records, "the most perfectly developed man in the history of the world."

Noted fan of cigar smoking.

His voice in Hercules in New York was dubbed.

Was part-owner of Planet Hollywood and Schatzi restaurants.

Advocate for the Republican party.

He reprised his Terminator character for the theme park attraction T2 3-D: Battle Across Time , a short film which uses an enhanced 3-D process that makes the film really appear to jump out at the audience.

His production company is Oak Productions.

1983: Became a US citizen.

His wife Maria Shriver is a niece of the late President John F. Kennedy and Senators Robert F. Kennedy and Ted Kennedy.

Graduated from University of Wisconsin-Superior with a major in international marketing of fitness and business administration.

Sold off his Planet Hollywood stock and is no longer a part owner of the chain.

The soccer stadium in Graz, Austria (his home town) is named after him.

Was considered for the title role in the 1970s TV series "The Incredible Hulk" , but was reportedly deemed not tall enough. His former bodybuilding competitor, Lou Ferrigno , ultimately won the part.

After leaving Austria for the first time, he came to England to work, earning under 30 a week.

Received an Honorary Doctorate from his alma mater, the University of Wisconsin-Superior, in recognition of his charitable works.

Son-in-law of Sargent Shriver and Eunice Kennedy Shriver.

At his bodybuilding peak his chest was 57", waist 34", biceps 22", thighs 28", calves 20", and his competition weight was 235 lbs (260 lbs off-season).

(September 2001) He and Warner Bros. agreed to postpone the release of Collateral Damage indefinitely in the wake of the September 11th terrorist attacks on America. The plot centers around a firefighter who lost his family in a terrorist bomb attack.

9/7/01: Sues International Game Technology for the unauthorized use of his voice and likeness in slot machine games. His lawyer told the press he was seeking $20 million in damages, which is the amount he believes he would have received had he approved the use.

Childhood friends stated that he often said his goals in life were to move to America, become an actor, and marry a Kennedy. He accomplished all three.

Underwent a genioplasty -- a procedure in which his jaw has been moved back so that it no longer juts out.

Was the first private citizen in the U.S. to own a Humvee (High Mobility Multi-Purpose Wheeled Vehicle).

(May 2002) Lobbied to promote anti-juvenile delinquency initiative on California ballot that would commit the state to allocate $400 million for extracurricular activities and tutoring for students, kindergarten through ninth grade.

(June 2002) Received an honorary doctorate from Chapman University in Orange, CA.

Franco Columbu was best man at Arnolds wedding.

1/29/03: Underwent surgery for a torn rotator cuff as a result of an injury on the set of Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines . Was in a sling for three to four weeks, but it was not expected to delay the completion of the movie.

Ranked #9 in Star TVs Top 10 Box Office Stars of the 1990s.

The character Rainier Wolfecastle in "The Simpsons" is based on him.

Won Mr. Olympia title seven times (1970-1975, 1980).

James Cameron originally wanted him for the role of Kyle Reese in The Terminator , but after reading the script, Arnold asked Cameron to let him play the part of the Machine. Cameron replied "No, no! Reese is the star! Hes the big hero! And the Terminator hardly has any lines!" but Arnold asked him to "trust me".

8/6/03: Announced his candidacy for the Governorship of California on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" .

Suffered a back injury (among other various assorted injuries) while filming Conan the Barbarian when the dogs who were chasing him jumped him from behind and he fell down the rock he was climbing to escape them.

In Demolition Man , Sandra Bullock s character Lenina Huxley is telling Sylvester Stallone s character John Spartan about the Arnold Schwarzenegger Presidential Library, explaining that, based on the sheer popularity of Schwarzeneggers movies, a Constitutional amendment was passed in order for Schwarzenegger to run for President, which, according to Huxley, he did. In 2003, ten years after this films release, Schwarzenegger ran for the office of Governor of California, and won the election on 7 October 2003. While Schwarzenegger is not eligible to run for the presidency by present laws (as a naturalized citizen, not a native-born citizen as required by the Constitution), most past presidents have been governors of their respective home states. Some members of Congress are currently considering an amendment to the Constitution to allow foreign-born US citizens to be allowed to run for the Presidency, specifically with Schwarzenegger in mind, although other members of Congress are strongly opposed to the idea.

Had one elder brother, Meinhard (1946-1971).

His mother was Aurelia Schwarzenegger (born Jadrny) (2 July 1922 - 2 August 1998) and his father was Gustav Schwarzenegger (Graz, 17 August 1907 - 1 December 1972), married in Murzsteg, 20 October 1945. His mothers surname is Czech.

10/7/03: Was elected Governor of California as a Republican.

Turned down the role of John McClane in Die Hard . The role went to Bruce Willis instead. Ironically, Willis has a line in the film where he says that the terrorists "have enough explosives to orbit Arnold Schwarzenegger".

TV Guide selected Arnold Schwarzeneggers announcement on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" to run for Governor of California as the greatest TV moment of 2003.

Said that filming the climatic fight at the end of Predator was made difficult by the fact that the late Kevin Peter Hall , who played the Predator, couldnt see through his mask.

Has the record for winning the most major bodybuilding events in history, 13 (1 Mr. Junior Western Europe, 7 Mr. Olympias, and 5 Mr. Universes).

After he had started lifting weights as a teenager, he noticed that his body was becoming disproportionate. His arms, shoulders and chest were developing nicely, but his calves and lower legs werent coming along as he wanted. To motivate himself to work harder on his calves, he cut off all of his pants (trousers) at the knee. Walking around like that, people would look at (and maybe even laugh at) the big man with chicken legs. It worked.

His father, Gustav Schwarzenegger, nicknamed him "Cinderella" as a child and his older brother, Meinhard, constantly picked on him growing up. Both men were killed while driving under the influence.

Only the second governor in Californias history to be born in a foreign country. John Downey, the 7th Governor of California, was born in Ireland and served from 1860-1862.

Has his look-alike puppet in the French show "Les guignols de linfo" .

Went AWOL from the Austrian army to enter his first bodybuilding contest.

Stumped for President George W. Bush the weekend before his re-election in Ohio, as Schwarzenegger has always had a strong relationship with Ohio.

He was voted the 53rd Greatest Movie Star of all time by Entertainment Weekly.

Has played a character who died in only five of his films: The Terminator , Terminator 2: Judgment Day , End of Days Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines and Terminator: Genisys (the original T-800 whos chip was used to time travel to 2018. Arnolds primary T800 character, however, survived, being "upgraded" to T1000 status).

Was considered for the role of the gentle giant Fezzik in the 1970s when William Goldman s book "The Princess Bride" was first proposed to be made into a film ( The Princess Bride ).

Had his first romantic scene in a movie with actress Sandahl Bergman , in Conan the Barbarian .

Is good friends with fellow bodybuilder Sven-Ole Thorsen who, ironically, portrayed "Thorgrim," one of his leading foes, in Conan the Barbarian .

Turned down a request to reprise his Conan character in Kull the Conqueror (originally titled "Conan the Conqueror"). Also, he was supposed to play Conan in Red Sonja , though ultimately, a new character was created who was essentially Conan in everything but name.

Is the only person to receive Razzie nominations for Worst Actor, Worst Supporting Actor and Worst Screen Couple (with himself cloned) in the same year. All for the same movie, The 6th Day .

His life strangely mirrors the life of Conan from Conan the Barbarian . Conan was born in a small village and grew up to be a physically powerful man, due to years of slavery. After winning great fame as a gladiator, he is given to wine and women, but later rejects this hedonistic lifestyle and goes on to perform great heroic feats and eventually is crowned king. Arnold was born in a small Austrian town and took up weightlifting as he got older. After achieving success as a bodybuilder, he indulged in drug abuse and womanizing, but he later rejected this and went on to become a vocal supporter of social causes, and was eventually elected governor of California.

Performed many of his own stunts in his films, owing largely to the fact that it was hard to find stunt doubles who matched his size. Billy D. Lucas , Joel Kramer and Peter Kent eventually became his personal stunt doubles and close friends.

His famous line "Ill be back", which originated from The Terminator , was originally written as "Ill come back".

Initially refused to star in Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines because James Cameron , who created the character and directed the first two films, would not be directing the third installment. Arnold tried to persuade Cameron to do the third film but Cameron declined and, feeling that the Terminator character was as much Arnolds as it was his own, Cameron advised Arnold to just do the third film and ask for a lot of money.

While filming the behind the scenes documentary for the special edition DVD of Conan the Barbarian , the microphone hit him in the head at the end of the interview, to which he immediately joked "You see, I cant even do an interview about Conan without getting hurt".

Addressed the Republican National Convention.

The etymology for Arnold is "Eagle Power."

Grew up in a house that had no phone, no fridge and no toilet.

Was the spokesperson for Japanese DirecTV, a competitor to Quentin Tarantino s endorsed local satellite TV operator SkyperfecTV.

Was considered for the title role in Flash Gordon . The part eventually went to Sam J. Jones instead, because producer Dino De Laurentiis felt Schwarzeneggers German accent was ill-suited for this role. DeLaurentiis (in his heavy Italian accent) told Schwarzenegger, "You have an accent! I cannot use you for Flash Gordon! No! Flash Gordon has no accent! I cannot use you! No!" Ironically, Jones had to temporarily get rid of his own Texas accent for said role.

While filming Predator he became close friends with co- star Jesse Ventura , who was also later elected a state governor (Minnesota).

John Milius originally intended him to do the narration of Conan the Barbarian but the studio didnt trust his accent, so the narration was performed by Mako instead, who played the wizard.

Withdrew from the city of Graz the right to use his name in association with its soccer stadium and returned his "Ehrenring" (ring of honor) after some politicians in the town had started a campaign against Schwarzenegger due to his refusal to stop the execution of convicted killer Stanley Tookie Williams (20 December 2005).

The Green Party of Austria has resolved to strip Schwarzenegger of his Austrian citizenship due to his support for the death penalty.

12/12/05: As governor, he refused to grant clemency to convicted quadruple murderer and former gang leader Stanley Tookie Williams , who had been on Death Row for 24 years.

(November 2005) He was soundly defeated on all four propositions of his "special election", which cost the state of California an estimated $45 million. Schwarzenegger accepted personal responsibility for the defeat, and appointed a Democrat as his new Chief of Staff.

Second actor to be elected Governor of California. The first was Ronald Reagan.

(December 2001) Broke six ribs in a motorcycle crash.

(February 2005) He and his 11-year-old son Patrick were injured in a traffic accident when a car ran into Arnolds motorcycle. Patrick was in a sidecar. Arnold received 15 stitches.

He has been nominated for a Razzie Award as Worst Actor eight times during his career, and in 2004 received a special award for being the "Worst Razzie Loser of Our First 25 Years."

His performance as The Terminator in the "Terminator" films is ranked #40 on Premiere Magazines 100 Greatest Movie Characters of All Time.

Was asked to reprise his "Dutch" character from the first Predator film for the sequel, but he declined because he didnt like the script. He chose to do Terminator 2: Judgment Day instead.

Children - Katherine Eunice (born December 13, 1989), Christina Maria Aurelia (born July 23, 1991), Patrick Arnold (born September 18, 1993) and Christopher Sargent Shriver (September 27, 1997).

Was asked to appear in a sequel to his 1985 film Commando but declined.

He keeps the sword he used in Conan the Barbarian in the Governors office in California.

Is a huge fan of professional wrestling.

11/7/06: Easily re-elected as Governor of California.

He is the first member of the Kennedy family to become a state Governor.

12/23/06: Broke his right femur while skiing in Sun Valley, ID.

Although German is his native language, all his movies have been dubbed into German by Thomas Danneberg for the German-speaking market because his strong Austrian accent doesnt fit with the type of roles he plays.

He joined President George Bush in New Hampshire and asked voters to "send a message to Pat Buchanan : Hasta la vista, baby".

Related to actor George Wyner , who is also a close friend.

Early in his career he appeared as a contestant on "The Dating Game" .

Was considered for the role of Judge Dredd in Judge Dredd in the early development stages. The part went to fellow Planet Hollywood founder Sylvester Stallone.

In his childhood considered John Wayne his idol and role model. As Governor of California, he issued a proclamation making 26 May 2007 "John Wayne Day" in the state.

Producer Joel Silver wanted Schwarzenegger to play "Doctor Manhattan" in a film adaptation of Alan Moore s graphic novel Watchmen at one point.

Acted with another future governor, Jesse Ventura , of Minnesota, in Predator , The Running Man , and Batman and Robin.

Had stitches in his hand from the taking-off-airplane-to-tarmac stunt he performed for Commando .

Late October 2007: Personally flew to Malibu, CA, to survey the damage done by wildfires before any other politician, including the President.

Was attached to do another film adaptation of the pulp hero Doc Savage (after the failed 1975 film) in the late 1990s, but the project never got off the ground.

Publicly endorsed his close friend Senator John McCain s bid to win the Republican nomination for the 2008 presidential election.

He ended his association with Planet Hollywood early in 2000, saying the investment had not had the level of success he had expected.

He saved a mans life while on vacation in Hawaii in 2004 by swimming into the sea to rescue him from drowning.

Considered for the role of "Robert Neville" in I Am Legend back in 1996, with Ridley Scott as the director.

As an environmentally conscious politician, always uses carbon credits when flying between his governors office in Sacramento to his house in L.A., California.

Turned down the role of Animal Mother in Full Metal Jacket and opted to do The Running Man instead.

Considered for the main role in Strange Days but the job went to Ralph Fiennes instead.

Was the original choice to play the title character in RoboCop .

Attended the funeral of Ronald Reagan in 2004, whom he considered a great hero.

Due to the dismal failure of Conan the Destroyer , Schwarzenegger rarely ever did sequels to his own movies. Hes turned down sequels to Commando , Predator , Total Recall and True Lies , as well as the third "Conan" film which became Kull the Conqueror . The only exceptions that he has made are Terminator 2: Judgment Day , Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines , The Expendables 2 , The Expendables 3 and Terminator Genisys .

Honored by the Congressional Award in Washington, DC on June 25, 2002 with the Horizon Award. The Horizon Award is a special recognition from the Joint Leadership of the United States Congress and the Congressional Award Board of Directors. The Horizon Award is presented to individuals from the private sectors who have contributed to expanding opportunities for all Americans through their own personal contributions, and who have set exceptional examples for young people through their successes in life.

Was good friends with WWE Hall of Famer Andr the Giant.

Other than Around the World in 80 Days , in which he only appeared in a supporting role, has starred in three movies with the word "Day" in the title, and all three make a biblical reference: Terminator 2: Judgment Day , End of Days and The 6th Day .

Has been crucified in two movies: Conan the Barbarian and End of Days , where he was tied to a cross.

Was seriously considered for the role of "Dr. Manhattan/Jon Osterman" in one of the many failed attempts at adapting Alan Moore s "Watchmen" into film. Ultimately, director Zack Snyder cast Billy Crudup for the 2009 adaptation.

The character "Arnold the Pitbull", featured on "Tiny Toon Adventures" , voiced by Rob Paulsen , was a parody of him.

Was considered for the role of Harry Stamper in Armageddon .

Was considered for the role of President James Mitchell in Air Force One .

Lives in Los Angeles, California and Ketchum, Idaho.

Before he became a household name, Schwarzenegger appeared with bodybuilding buddies Franco Columbu and Frank Zane on the sleeve of Grand Funk Railroad s 1974 album "All the Girls in the World Beware!!!" Band member faces were cleverly superimposed on their muscle-bound bodies.

Appeared on the cover of GQ magazine three times: July 86, May 90 and June 93.

Trophies won as athlete: 1965 Mr. Europe Jr.. Held in Germany. 1966 Best Builed Man of Europe/Mr. Europe/International Powerlifting-Championship/. All 3 events held in Germany. 1967 NABBA Mr. Universe Amateurs. Held in London. 1968 NABBA Mr. Universe Proffesional. Held in London. 1968 National Championship Weightlifting. Held in Germany. 1968 IFBB Mr. International. Held in Mexico. 1969 IFBB Mr. Universe Amateurs. Held in New York. 1969/1970 NABBA Mr. Universe Proffesional. Both times held in London. 1970 Mr. World. Held in Columbus, Ohio. 1970-1975 5 times in a row IFBB Mr. Olympia. Held in New York 1970/1973/1974, Paris 1971, Essen 1972, Pretoria 1975. 1980 For the 6th time IFBB Mr. Olympia. Held in Sydney, Australia.

In his body building days, he once bench pressed as much as 450 pounds.

While in office as governor, a Burger King promotion poster for the triple whopper stated "its so big and beefy it just might run for governor".

Parents feared he was gay when he was a teenager because he worshipped bodybuilders. His mother Aurelia phoned a doctor because she thought her son was turning south due to all the pictures of oiled up males on his bedroom walls.

In 1968 Joe Weider brought Schwarzenegger to Los Angeles and gave him $100 a week to write articles for his magazines that endorsed Weider products. Weider died at age 93 in March 2013.

Inducted into the National Fitness Hall of Fame in 2005 (inaugural class).

(October 2003) Is now the Republican Governor-elect of California

(October 2011) Sofia, Bulgaria: Filming The Expendables 2 .

(around Christmas) Broke his leg when skiing with his family in Sun Valley, Idaho, USA.

(December 2003) Refused to take the salary for Governor of California. Uses private jet at his own expense.

(October 2012) Copenhagen, Denmark: Giving out the Sustainia Award, which recognizes outstanding performance within the area of sustainability. Also attended a book signing for his new autobiography.

(November 2003) (17 November 2003) Sworn in as Governor of California.

(November 2006) Reelected as Governor of California

(August 2003) Running for Governor of California on the Republican ticket.

Release of the book, "Fantastic: The Life of Arnold Schwarzenegger" by Laurence Leamer.

First introduced to wife-to-be Maria Shriver by NBCs Tom Brokaw at a charity tennis tournament in 1977.

He passed on lead roles in The Rock , The Saint Face/Off and The Count of Monte Cristo . He later stated he regretted passing on the former role.

As of the release of The Last Stand , he will have a total on-screen kill count of 509.

WWE Hall of Famer.

Personal favorite of his own films is Kindergarten Cop .

Friend and Predator co-star Jesse Ventura each went on to become, coincidentally, the 38th Governors of California and Minnesota.

It was revealed in 2011 that he fathered an illegitimate son with the Schwarzenegger/Shriver familys housekeeper Mildred Patricia Baena. Schwarzenegger didnt know he fathered Baenas child until the child was a toddler and looked more and more like him. Joseph Baena was born only five days after Maria Shriver gave birth to her fourth child by Schwarzenegger, Christopher, therefore the children basically grew up alongside each other in the same home. Schwarzenegger revealed his illegitimate child to his wife during a marriage counseling sessions. The issue led to the couples separation but as of 2016 they have yet to divorce.

Was considered to play Doctor Octopus in James Cameron s canceled Spider-Man movie.

Unlike George Clooney and Chris ODonnell , he does not regret taking the part of Mr. Freeze in Batman & Robin . Joel Schumacher threatened not to direct the movie, if he did not play Mr. Freeze.

(July 30, 2011) In his honor, the "Arnold Schwarzeneggers Birth House Museum" was officially opened in his hometown of Thal (Austria) in the actual house that had been home to him and his family. Some of the mementos on display include his childhood bed, motorcycle, replica of the desk he used as Governor of California, etc.

Induced into the International Sports Hall of Fame in 2012 (inaugural class).

When Schwarzenegger appeared on "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson" in 1979, he had long hair. He was growing it out to prepare for his role in Conan the Barbarian .

Former family friend Sondra Locke branded Schwarzenegger and his wife Maria Shriver as cowards for refusing to publicly side with her during litigious matters with Clint Eastwood.

Was mentioned in the song "Jump Around" by House of Payne.

Quit Celebrity Apprentice after one season.

Has worked with worked with the Simon Wiesenthal Center, an anti-hate organization for decades.[August 2017].

Donated $100,000 to an anti-hate charity after violent clashes between white supremacists and anti-racism groups in Charlottesville, Virginia.[August 2017].

Friends with Tom Arnold.

I was always interested in proportion and perfection. When I was 15 I,took off my clothes and looked in the mirror. When I stared at myself,naked, I realized that to be perfectly proportioned I would need,20-inch arms to match the rest of me.

I know that if you leave dishes in the sink, they get sticky and hard to,wash the next day.

I would rather be Governor of California than own Austria.

[during his campaign for California governor, about his history of,"misbehavior"] Where I did make mistakes, or maybe go overboard,sometimes . . . I regret that. This is a different Arnold.

[on his decision to run for governor of California] It was the most,difficult decision in my life - except the one in 1978 when I decided,to get a bikini wax.

[responding to criticism during a televised debate] I just realized I,have the perfect part for you in "Terminator 4. ",[victory speech after having won election as Governor of California] I,will not fail, I will not disappoint you, I will not let you down.

The worst I can be is the same as everybody else. I hate that.

You have to remember something: Everybody pities the weak; jealousy you,have to earn.

I took more abuse in Predator (1987) than I did in,Conan the Barbarian (1982) . I fell down that waterfall [40 feet],and swam in this ice-cold water for days and for weeks was covered in,mud. It was freezing in the Mexican jungle. They had these heat lamps,on all the time, but they were no good. If you stayed in front of the,lamps, the mud dried. Then, you had to take it off and put new mud on,again. It was a no-win situation. The location was tough. Never on flat,ground. Always on a hill. We stood all day long on a hill, one leg,down, one leg up. It was terrible.

[About the dog accident while making Conan the Barbarian (1982) ],One of them hit me too soon. It caught me off guard and I went right,over the ledge. I fell ten feet and landed on my back. I was covered,with scratches and bruises. It was probably a pretty good beginning for,this movie, though. It set the tone for the whole time we were there.

This was going to be fun . . . but dangerous.

[After undergoing heart surgery in 1997] We made, actually, history,because it was the first time ever that doctors could prove that a,lifelong Republican has a heart.

These are the things that determine the success and how strong the,movie will be.

The meaning of life is not simply to exist, to survive, but to move,ahead, to go up, to achieve, to conquer.

(On the power of visualizing your goals) When I was very young, I,visualized myself being and having what it was that I wanted. The mind,is really so incredible. Before I won my first Mr. Universe, I walked,around the tournament like I owned it. The title was already mine. I,had won it so many times in my mind that there was no doubt I would win,it. Then, when I moved on to the movies, the same thing. I visualized,myself being a successful actor and earning big money. I could feel and,taste success. I just knew it would happen.

[on the passing of Elaine Kaufman] Elaine was an early supporter of my,acting career and would often call to let me know when an influential,writer or producer came in so I could stop and schmooze.

[on visiting Venice, California] This place is insane. You never have to,smoke a joint. You just go on a bicycle ride in the morning, inhale,and you live off everyone else.

[on Predator 2 (1990) ] A predator in a city is a bad idea.

[on his career as a bodybuilder] I had a very clear vision of where I,wanted to go. You realize you have to pay no attention to the,naysayers. When you learn those lessons in sports, you can apply those,lessons for the rest of your life.

You have to be daring.

[his father] A lot of sons would have been crippled by his demands, but,instead the discipline rubbed off on me. I turned it into drive.

When you grow up in a harsh environment, you never forget how to,withstand physical punishment, even long after the hard times end.

If you wanted a girl, you had to make an effort to have a conversation,not just drool like a horny dog.

I associate glasses with intellectuals.

After coming to California, I posed in the heights above Malibu.

Bodybuilders like this spot because the ridges in the distance seem,little and your muscles look bigger than the mountains.

The applause of a crowd made me stronger.

If you get muscles, you can go to the beach and pick up girls.

Americans love foreign names.

I wanted to be rich very quickly.

Monstrous, futuristic, what I envisioned America as all about.

Something that seems impossible at the start can be achieved.

I aimed to be a leader someday.

[on journalists] They see everything from the outside.

Staying on top of the hill is harder than climbing it.

Its great to have someone to go home to.

When you have a relationship in a foreign language, you have to be extra,careful not to miscommunicate.

Pronunciations were especially dangerous.

In bodybuilding I was king of the mountain, but in everyday LA I was,just another immigrant struggling to learn English and make a life. I,was glad to be away living my own life.

I always saw myself as a citizen of the world.

The more popular bodybuilding grew in prisons, the more guys would get,the message to behave.

[after his father had a stroke] It was painful and upsetting to see a,man who had been so smart and so strong lose his coordination and his,ability to think. He died not long after.

[his nephew Patrick] He became my pride and joy.

Real estate was the place to invest. The math of real estate really,spoke to me.

I like to always wander in like a puppy.

Bodybuilders look in the mirror as they train. You need to be your own,trainer.

If millions of people came to see my movies someday, it was important,that they know where the muscles came from.

[on bodybuilding] It needed fresh blood.

I find joy in the gym because every rep and every set gets me one step,closer to my goal.

I liked getting swept up into a cloud of celebs.

Having women in the gym made us train harder.

[personal motto] Presentation, presentation, presentation.

[endorsing bodybuilding publicly] It was a boost for bodybuilding in,America; suddenly the sport had a face and a personality.

In an entertainment interview, you could just make up stuff!,In bodybuilding, you try to suppress emotions and march forwards with,determination; in acting its the opposite.

Europe was always far less puritanical than the United States.

Sometimes its hard to explain to your toddler what you do at the office.

[during his open-heart surgery] Maria (Shriver) put a brave face on a,scary situation.

I was a self-made man.

I could go on for hours about what draws me to Maria (Shriver) but still,never fully explain the magic.

[on Conan the Barbarian] There was no stunt double because it would have,been difficult to find someone with a body like mine.

My character and his stolen Harley were a perfect combo of cyborg and,machine in Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) .

Total anonymity is almost impossible in Hollywood.

The outside world looked at our relationship (he and Maria Shriver) in a,simple-minded way, as a juicy success story. According to this way of,thinking, Maria becomes part of my trophy collection.

When you start out, its all about one to one contact.

For Maria (Shriver) to go out and be in front of the camera was a real,declaration of independence.

Writing something is different from saying it.

I was Conan, and millions of dollars were being spent to make me shine.

For the first time, I felt like the star.

An aspect of being a Kennedy cousin (Maria Shriver) was that you were,never completely free. Since there were so many cousins, the number of,command performances were high.

Every one of the killings in Conan (the Barbarian) was well shot and,extraordinary.

[on Conan the Barbarian (1982) ] A Star Wars (1977) set on,Earth.

Whenever it was spilled, Milius shot it against a light background to,get the full carnage.

I was really annoyed by the way that powerful studio executives kowtowed,to the members of the ratings board.

I saw myself as a businessman first.

[on Ronald Reagan] He was wonderful at painting ideas in ways that,everyone could understand.

If you want to fight prejudice you have to have tolerance centers,everywhere.

I was amazed to see how negative most of the people in Hollywood,remained toward Reagan during his presidency. He represented the values,that had brought me to America. The US was the greatest country with,the best opportunities and now that it was my home, I wanted to keep it,that way and make it even better. After the turmoil and gloom of the,1970s, Americans voted for Reagan because he reminded them of their,strength.

[the outrageous and conservative sides to his personality] I wanted to,feel comfortable in both worlds.

There has to be investment in the public good.

You do a movie or a book, you promote the hell out of it, you travel the,world as if its your marketplace, and in the meantime, you work out and,take care of business and explore even more.

When I learned about The Terminator (1984) , I loved the idea that,he was a machine that never had to sleep.

For me, the question was always how to fit in all the stuff I want to,do. I seldom saw my life as hectic, the thought rarely crossed my mind.

I never like to cut things from my life; I only add.

I never went to a competition to compete; I went to win.

When you promote a movie, you want to win over everybody. If you give,political speeches, you are bound to turn off somebody.

I considered the US my permanent home.

I kept quiet about politics whenever I visited Austria. I never wanted,to be perceived as some wise guy coming back and telling people what to,do.

I always believed in shooting for the top, and to become an American is,like becoming a member of the winning team.

[his first thought about The Terminator (1984) ] Strange name.

Poses are the snapshots, and the routine is the movie.

Bodybuilding is a lot like politics; you go from town to town, hoping,word will spread.

At the top of the ladder, there was always room for one more. The more,people who stay on the bottom, the more crowded it becomes.

If I can see it and believe it, then I can achieve it.

[on The Terminator (1984) ] No thinking, no blinking, no thought,just action.

[on restaurants] In Hollywood, the actor never pays.

I never left the house without $1000 in cash and a no-limit credit card.

The conventional wisdom in Hollywood is that playing a villain is career,suicide.

I think more like a businessman than like a typical actor.

Compared to Conan the Barbarian (1982) ,Conan the Destroyer (1984) was a trip to Club Med.

I always think the world of people who make a project their own and are,on it 24 hours a day.

[the Golden Raspberry Awards] A kind of Oscar in reverse for bad movies.

[on Jacqueline Kennedy] She had an amazing ability to ask questions that,would make you wonder "how did she know that"? She always made people,feel welcome.

When you make a movie, you can never really predict what will turn out,to be the most repeated line.

[on The Terminator] The American public accepted me as both a hero and a,villain.

You can over-think anything. There are always negatives. The more you,know, the less you tend to do something.

Have at least ten good laughs a day.

Actresses have more problems than the average housewife.

[on his wedding day] I loved watching Maria (Shriver) coming up the,aisle. She looked so regal but at the same time, she radiated warmth,and happiness.

I was riding the great wave of action movies. They became as important,to the 1980s as Westerns were in the 1950s.

Action movies are always more of an ordeal than a pleasure to make.

Early in my movie career, the hardest thing was giving up control. In,bodybuilding, everything had been up to me. In movies, you depend on,others right from the start.

[on the opening scene] You have one idea and then sit down and cook up,the rest.

Listening made me a more effective promoter. You have to cultivate your,audience and expand it with each new film. Nurturing a movie means,paying attention to the distributors. You do the things they feel are,important because they go all out in pushing the theatres.

Meeting comedians helped me to understand comedy. I really liked being,around people who are funny.

In acting you take criticism so much more personally. You get upset, but,every job has its downside.

I grew up in a culture where you respect the elders.

When I see a great performer, I always start to dream. Maybe its the Leo,in me, the perpetual performer who always wants to be the center of,attention.

Starting with something disarming and funny is a good way to stand out.

You become more likable, and people receive your information much,better. Whenever I watched a comedy, I always thought "I could have,done that!" But if I was going to branch into comedies, I would need,someone to be my cheerleader.

[on Total Recall (1990) ] For me, it connected with the sense I,had sometimes that my life was too good to be true.

A change in studio management can sink a movie.

Once you pick a director, you have to have total faith in him and go,with his judgment.

[on The Running Man (1987) ] It was totally screwed up by hiring a,first-time director and not giving him time to prepare.

Every director wants to pee on the script and make his mark.

Compared to an action hero, it was easier being a comic star.

I belonged to the NRA because I believed in the constitutional right to,bear arms.

Eisenhower and Kennedy championed fitness as a way for America to stand,strong against the Soviets.

Fitness is important for all Americans, not just athletes. A lot of,schools have great athletic programs but not great fitness programs.

I was on a crusade around the world to promote health and fitness to,young people.

I was addicted to public service.

Humour was what made me stand out from other action leads. It opened up,the (action) movie and made it appealing to more people.

[on The Terminator (1984) , Commando (1985) ,Predator (1987) and Total Recall (1990) ] They all focused,on the universal theme of good vs evil.

Fitness is fun. I felt very strongly that I had to carry to all 50,states the message that fitness was a national priority.

When in Austria, I often put on traditional clothes and do as the,Austrians do.

My friendship with the President (George Bush Sr) quickly became a very,big part of my life. It was warm from the time we first met during the,Reagan years.

[on the Gulfstream III jet] The perfect vehicle for visiting the States.

After being the fitness czar, running for Governor of California felt,like deja vu.

My talent is fitness and this is something I can give back.

Its embarrassing to fail at the box office.

When you feel embarrassed, you assume the whole world is focused on your,failure.

1991 was golden for me.

[on Planet Hollywood] A glitzy new moneymaking machine. It was not just,an event; it was the beginning of an empire.

If I heard an idea or saw a script that was exceptionally good and,triggered something in me, I wanted to make that movie.

I loved the idea of new challenges, along with new dangers of failure.

Clint (Eastwood) was one of the few Hollywood personalities who had his,head screwed on straight.

(Richard) Nixon was very good at paying attention to you. We need more,leaders like him.

America can be powerful only if you have a strong military.

I figured that the idea of eventually ending up in politics was not that,far fetched when someone like (Richard) Nixon suggested it.

I always like to be called up for a speech without any prior notice.

No-one expects you to blow people up in a comedy.

I thought I was the poster boy for the American dream. I came to the US,virtually broke, worked hard, kept focused on my goal, and made it.

This really was the land of opportunity. If a kid like me could do it,anybody could. I had a fire inside of me to succeed. Anything is,possible, but you have to do your end of the work. Making money was,never my only goal, but money opened the door to interesting,investments.

In the mid-1990s the Internet was just an odd new idea.

The most important thing was not how much you make, but how much you,invest, how much you keep. I never wanted to join the long list of,famous entertainers and athletes who wiped out financially. My goal was,to get rich and stay rich.

I never like business relationships that are purely work.

[his personal motto] Take one dollar and turn it into two.

I wanted big investments that were interesting, creative and different.

Singapore Airlines had the best reputation in the airline business. The,Boeing 747 was the ballsiest airliner.

The more you promote yourself as the ultimate action hero, the more,people form a larger than life perception of you.

[after heart surgery] I felt as vigorous as Hercules.

God is the one who made the science possible.

[on heart surgery] Big risk, big reward.

[after heart surgery] I got a second or third lease on life.

Holidays become more meaningful when you have a family.

Talking to kids in your second language is never easy to do.

After I came to America, I learned to think a bit more about my family,rather than just myself. With my mother I built a good relationship,where she and I really communicated. I loved doing things for my,mother. She deserved to be treated like a queen. She was buried next to,my father because they were so connected.

Promotion and merchandising were realms I truly understood.

America is my true home.

Big cats have always fascinated me.

I love shooting at night because I have a lot of energy at night and I,get lots of inspiration.

[on heart surgery] It gave me energy beyond belief. I feel like a,totally new person. And I no longer had to convince people that I still,had a pulse.

I was fiscally conservative, pro-business, against raising taxes,pro-choice, pro-gay, pro-lesbian, pro-environment, pro-reasonable gun,control, pro-reasonable social safety net.

We needed to avoid trying to win over the press and instead play to the,people. I was all about leadership and major projects and reforms that,could attract massive public support.

I pride myself on being able to juggle many tasks. I got a college,education while bodybuilding, married Maria (Shriver) in the middle of,filming Predator, and made Kindergarten Cop and Terminator 2 while,launching Planet Hollywood.

I would not go into a competition with a disadvantage.

I thought I would never die.

[winning the title of Mr Universe] It is my lifetime realized. I am very,happy to be Mr Universe. I say it again, it sounds so good. I am very,happy to be Mr Universe. My thanks to everyone in England who have,helped me. They have been very kind to me. Thank you all.

The reason I wanted to be healthy was that I never wanted to ask anyone,for money. It was so against my grain.

Raising cash from the set of a movie was a huge advantage.

I had a track record of organizing summits across fifty states. I loved,seeing wounded veterans and entertaining them and thanking them for,their great work.

I never argued with people who underestimated me. If the accent and the,muscles and the movies made people think I was stupid, it worked to my,advantage.

Our elected leaders will either act decisively, or we will act in their,place.

[governorship] I would give up my movie career for that.

Californians love their cars.

Spend no more than the state is taking in.

[California] It is the place in the world where everyone wants to go. It,was wrapped in problems, but it was also heaven.

There is a disconnect between the people of California and the,politicians of California. We the people are doing our job: work hard,pay taxes, raise our families. The politicians are not doing their job.

[Baghdad] The wild driving, the poverty, no money and a leadership,vacuum - like California right now.

As every spouse knows, you have to pick the right moment to bring up a,loaded subject.

When I came here, California was a beacon.

When I met Maria [Shriver], she was full of life, excitement, and hunger,for the world. She wanted to be a rebel, not have a job on Capitol,Hill.

Whatever she [Maria Shriver] wanted to do, I would help her get there.

One side of Maria [Shriver] was ballsy and brave and wanted to be a,strong partner.

Making a career decision had always been an incredible high. Making a,career decision as a husband and a father was a whole different deal.

Declaring a candidacy was so loaded.

Is firefighting a macho enough profession for an action hero? The real,life heroism at Ground Zero laid that question to rest.

Elected officials usually hate ballot initiatives because they reduce,their power and make the state harder to govern.

I took pride in my financial independence.

Leave no stone unturned.

I always paid close attention to focus groups and surveys and in,politics, opinion research plays an even bigger role.

[being governor of California] This was the best job I ever had.

California politics was this big centrifuge that forced voters, policies,and parties away from the center. I challenged Californians to stop,yielding to the far left and the far right and return to the center.

We are not waiting for politics, for our problems to get worse, or for,the federal government. Because the future does not wait. Not only can,we lead California into the future, we can show the nation and the,world how to get there.

All the great ideas come from local governments.

I am of the Reagan view that we should not go off the cliff with flags,flying.

The California Republican Party should be a right of center party that,occupies the broad middle of California.

President Bush (Jr) was always available to talk. If I raised only one,issue at a time, I would get a fair hearing.

Never bullshit.

The statistics in the wake of a disaster are always tragic.

When the federal government meddles in markets, the states pay the,price.

Simple.

[on his children] The drama of the presidential election interested them,more than my job.

I believe in sprinting through to the finish line.

All great movements in history start out on a grassroots level, not in,places like Washington or Paris or Moscow or Beijing.

Budget negotiations are no different than grueling five hour weight,lifting sessions in the gym. The joy of working out is that with each,painful rep you get a step closer to achieving your goal. I was deeply,frustrated with party leaders and the press for not making plain the,budget history.

Unlike regular politicians, I had nothing to lose.

Six years of ups and downs forged me as a governor. I had more forward,momentum than ever before. I felt more like a hungry eagle rather than,a lame duck.

The key to real permanent reform is being in sync with the hearts and,minds of the people. We had rattled so many cages on the left and the,right with our reforms.

Being governor was more complex and challenging than I had imagined.

Compared to making a movie, when you accomplish something in,government, the satisfaction is so much larger and long lasting. In a,movie, you are entertaining people for a few hours in a dark theatre.

In government, you are affecting entire lives; generations even.

Change takes big balls.

Fitness promotes health and enhances the quality of life.

I always stay hungry, never satisfied with current accomplishments.

I was also going to give a graduation speech in Arizona this weekend. But with my accent, I was afraid they would try to deport me.

For the hundreds of thousands of Californians in gay and lesbian households who are managing their day-to-day lives, this decision affirms the full legal protections and safeguards I believe everyone deserves.

Training was all I could think about. One Sunday when I found the stadium locked, I broke in and worked out in the freezing cold. Every painful set, every extra rep, was a step toward my goal of winning.

I think that gay marriage is something that should be between a man and a woman.

There are no shortcuts—everything is reps, reps, reps.

In weeks that followed, I refined this vision until it was very specific. I was going to go for the Mr. Universe title; I was going to break records in power lifting; I was going to Hollywood; I was going to be like Reg Park. The vision became so clear in my mind that I felt like it had to happen. There was no alternative; it was this or nothing. My mother noticed right away that something was different. I was coming home with a big smile. I told her that I was training, and she could see I found joy in becoming stronger.

You go back to the gym and you just do it again and again until you get it right.

Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender that is strength.

The success I have achieved in bodybuilding, motion pictures, and business would not have been possible without the generosity of the American people and the freedom here to pursue your dreams.

I knew I was a winner back in the late sixties. I knew I was destined for great things. People will say that kind of thinking is totally immodest. I agree. Modesty is not a word that applies to me in any way - I hope it never will.

My own dreams fortunately came true in this great state. I became Mr. Universe; I became a successful businessman. And even though some people say I still speak with a slight accent, I have reached the top of the acting profession.

Failure is not an option. Everyone has to succeed.

Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength.

The resistance that you fight physically in the gym and the resistance that you fight in life can only build a strong character.

I had this child, and it destroyed my family.

No matter the nationality, no matter the religion, no matter the ethnic background, America brings out the best in people.

Maria is the best reason to come home.

Bodybuilding is much like any other sport. To be successful, you must dedicate yourself 100% to your training, diet and mental approach.

Political courage is not political suicide.

I was striving to be the most muscular man, and it got me into the movies. It got me everything that I have.

I have a love interest in every one of my films: a gun.

I think Americans are very patriotic.

I think that gay marriage should be between a man and a woman.

To restore the trust of the people, we must reform the way the government operates.

When the people become involved in their government, government becomes more accountable, and our society is stronger, more compassionate, and better prepared for the challenges of the future.

For me life is continuously being hungry. The meaning of life is not simply to exist, to survive, but to move ahead, to go up, to achieve, to conquer.

I am a big believer in education, because when I grew up in Austria - when I grew up in Austria I had a great education. I had great teachers.

You know, nothing is more important than education, because nowhere are our stakes higher; our future depends on the quality of education of our children today.

Start wide, expand further, and never look back.

Help others and give something back. I guarantee you will discover that while public service improves the lives and the world around you, its greatest reward is the enrichment and new meaning it will bring your own life.

I have a private plane. But I fly commercial when I go to environmental conferences.

In our society, the women who break down barriers are those who ignore limits.

The future is green energy, sustainability, renewable energy.

I welcome and seek your ideas, but do not bring me small ideas; bring me big ideas to match our future. .