Gene Hackman – US Marines

Before starring in The French Connection and Unforgiven, Gene Hackman first served in the Marines. The cool thing was, Gene was only 16 at the time and had just run away from home. He then lied about his age to get himself enlisted in the United States Marine Corps as a radio operator for four and a half years.

He was stationed in China and was then assigned to Hawaii and Japan, respectively. He was discharged in 1951. This (once) young man sure had a lot of courage and determination, two qualities that brought him huge earnings later in his life.