Arnold Schwarzenegger took advantage of the 1971 earthquake that caused $500 million in property losses to launch his first successful business in the United States.

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Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Hollywood success story is inspiring. From earning a name as a bodybuilding champion to turning to Hollywood at the age of 21, Schwarzenegger has dominated the entertainment scene for over 5 decades by starring in several blockbusters that have stood the test of time. The Terminator star also proved he had enough to enter politics with his successful stint as governor of California.

Arnold Schwarzenegger in Terminator 2

While Schwarzenegger is known as a famous muscle man and one of the biggest action stars in Hollywood, few realize that he’s dabbled in show business as well. The True Lies actor made the most of a natural disaster in the 70’s to establish himself as a savvy businessman at a very young age.

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Arnold Schwarzenegger was a bricklayer

Popular action star Arnold Schwarzenegger’s rise to fame in Hollywood is well documented. But a little known fact about the actor includes a business collaboration with a fellow bodybuilder during their early years in the entertainment business. Schwarzenegger and his friend Franco Colombo, who was one of the few to dethrone him as Mr. Olympia, started a construction business shortly after they moved to Hollywood.

Arnold Schwarzenegger and fellow bodybuilder Franco Colombo have started a successful business.

At the age of 21, Schwarzenegger took the risk of multitasking as an aspiring actor and entrepreneur. But the star managed to make the project thrive mainly because of the devastating Los Angeles earthquake in 1971 where many people lost their homes. Recalling how he got the job, Schwarzenegger said,

“We had the big earthquake in L.A. Chimneys fell off apartment homes and all that stuff. Franco and I had been busy for two years rebuilding chimneys and fireplaces and patios and walls,”

Initially, Schwarzenegger and Columbo provided services at very low cost. Realizing that jobs were hard to come by, the Austrian star rebranded itself as a European-style bricklayer, engaged more workers, and began charging European prices. At this time, Earthquake took his business to the next level.

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Arnold Schwarzenegger is a Golden Globe winner

Arnold Schwarzenegger’s many talents include being a fearless businessman, a multiple-time Mr. Olympia, and a naturally talented action star. While the star is not known for his acting chops, a little known bit of trivia from his life is his surprising win of the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor in one of his first roles in Hollywood.

Arnold Schwarzenegger with Jeff Bridges in Stay Hungry

The diminutive actor played bodybuilder Joe Santo on Jeff Bridges’ Star Stay Hungry in the 1970s. Although the part was right up Schwarzenegger’s alley, the Hercules star didn’t take his bodybuilding background for granted, and completely immersed himself in the film and his performance by putting his athletic career at risk for the sake of an authentic portrayal. His intensity and commitment on screen was rewarded with a well-deserved Golden Globe Award.

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Source: Collider

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