Few could have predicted that a penniless immigrant with a thick accent from Thal, Austria would become an international bodybuilding triumph, a widely famous Hollywood actor, and, eventually, governor of California. However, Arnold Schwarzenegger has accomplished this eclectic group of accomplishments, among many others.
Thursday evening at 8 p.m., Schwarzenegger will speak as the Undergraduate Student Choice Speaker in the UB Distinguished Speaker Series in Alumni Arena. While the topic of the lecture is still unknown, his achievements are sure to provide plenty of material for an interesting speech.
At the age of 20, Schwarzenegger became the youngest Mr. Universe, a title he went on to win four more times. The "Austrian Oak" then sought to expand his repertoire to acting, and, as such, debuted in his first film as "Arnold Strong" in Hercules in New York (1969). He won the Golden Globe Award for "Best Acting in a Debut Picture" for his second film, Stay Hungry (1976).
In 1979, he earned his B.A. in business from the University of Wisconsin. Five years later, in 1984, he became a U.S. citizen.
Schwarzenegger continued acting, gaining worldwide recognition for his performance in The Terminator (1984), a role for which he actually wasn't originally cast. The Terminator became one of the most profitable film franchises in history. His line, "I'll be back," crossed borders and became part of popular culture for years to come.
The sequel, Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991), has been called the epitome of his acting career. He was voted "International Star of the Decade" by the National Association of Theatre Owners.
The actor decided to run for office in 2003, announcing his goal to become Governor of California on Jay Leno's The Tonight Show on Aug. 3. Later that year, he was sworn in as governor after Gray Davis was recalled.
Schwarzenegger is currently known as a famous actor, political figure, philanthropist, and humanitarian. He has won the Simon Wiesenthal Center "Humanity Prize" twice for his efforts to increase Holocaust awareness, and in 2002, he won the esteemed Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Award.
The Alumni Arena box office will be distributing tickets from 7-8 p.m. on Thursday night for those students with a valid UB ID. First come first serve.
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