The Top 3 Sports Stars Who Became Great Actors

The presumption that great athletes have the tenacity to become great actors may be a far fetched stretch of the imagination. In truth, there are not that many athletes who have made a lasting impact on the silver screen, but the few athletes who have made this transition have become household names who have made a permanent impact on the world of cinema.

O.J. Simpson and Arnold Schwarzenegger were hand picked for certain roles which led to their successful acting careers. Many of the scripts that were tailored made to accompany their make-up as a great character actor; on the other hand, Bruce Lee did not walk in the path of mainstream conventionalism that would have type cast him in stereotypical Asian roles. The series of articles will include athletes who have had long standing careers in the cinema, and others who have only a handful of films to their credit, but none the less - the top three sports stars in this first article have made a lasting impression how we view their personification as an athlete and an actor.

#1. Bruce Lee: Many movie fans may not realize - but Bruce Lee was one of the first mixed martial artists who incorporated Kung-Fu with many other forms of hand to hand combat. Bruce Lee quickly rose from the ranks of an amateur martial artist to become one of the most feared Kung-Fu Professional Boxers of all time. When Bruce Lee turned professional in the early sixties he was virtually unknown to American fans, it was not until the later part of the sixties that Lee began to be type cast as a typical Chinese actor. When Bruce Lee accepted the role to play Kato in the Green Hornet series it would be a stepping stone that would lead him into becoming one of the most successful Asian actors of all time. Unfortunately, the Green Hornet series only lasted for one season. Bruce Lee indoctrination into the world of acting came at an early age; Lee acted in 20 films total as a childhood actor. Bruce Lee became an automatic superstar in Hong Kong as his first movie "Fist of Fury" would become a worldwide phenomenon.

Bruce Lee martial arts talents and training would lead him to produce one of his most memorable films of all time; "The Chinese Connection" would prove to be an outstanding work of art pertaining to martial arts filmmaking, especially during a time when Karate and Kung-Fu movies were becoming overwhelmingly popular during the height of the early and late-seventies. The directorial talents of Bruce Lee would set new standards concerning martial arts filmmaking as "Enter the Dragon and Game of Death" would become instant masterpieces - even though Lee had a body double in the Game of Death due to his untimely death in 1973 which took the world by surprise.

#2. O.J. Simpson: Besides O.J. Simpson being one of the most dominating running backs in the mid-seventies, and his natural acting ability landed him many spots on prime time commercials that would lead him into a prolific acting career. Unfortunately his accomplishment as a talented actor has been overshadowed by the "Nicole Simpson Trial" that has placed a negative light on the movies Simpson has starred in. O.J. Simpson most memorable films include the "Roots Miniseries, Capricorn One, The Cassandra Crossing and The Klansman," these movies became instant classics - especially among the African-American community. O.J. Simpson was a pure natural actor who could have won an Oscar if he had not been sidetracked with riches, fame, and the untimely death of his wife Nicole Simpson.

#3. Arnold Schwarzenegger: If there has been any sports star that has simply changed the face and the way action films are viewed - it has to be the off-beat acting style of action star Arnold Schwarzenegger. The "Seven Time Mr. Olympia" was a natural to be type cast in films that are now the staple of how Hollywood produces action and Sci-Fi movies. Arnold Schwarzenegger most popular and all time favorite movies include "The Terminator, Predator, Conan the Barbarian, Commando, and Kindergarten Cop." There are a few sports purist who may not presume that body building is not a true professional sport, but there are sports critics that will defend that body building as a legitimate professional sport. Arnold Schwarzenegger made the sport of professional body building more popular when he help promote the movie Pumping Iron, which in turn led to the beginning of his acting career.

Informational Resources: www.wikipedia.com