He’s the Incredible Hulk, but where did he get that bulk? Pumping Iron, a documentary starring Lou Ferrigno, captured him at six-foot-five, 285 pounds, the biggest professional bodybuilder in the world. Ferrigno also held the Mr. Universe crown and was playing professional football for a Canadian team at the time. In that film, the producers of The Incredible Hulk TV show found their perfect lead.
Today, at 67, you can find him on Twitter. His tagline says, “I’m not just The Incredible Hulk or Mr. Universe. I’m also a husband, a father, and a pug lover.” We remember him best with ripping green muscles tearing through shirts.
Avril Lavigne
No, as her 2002 hit song may have suggested it, Avril Lavigne was not in the skate-boarding world before she shot into pop-rock fame. The Canadian music artist was actually an up-and-coming ice hockey player before she was topping charts. The singer was on the ice soon after she learned to walk, and by age 10, she was playing in the boys' hockey league in her hometown in Ontario.
Lavigne could have embarked on a pretty successful hockey career, but by 17, she had a record deal and a hit album"Let Go," which sold 16 million copies. C'est la vie.
Vinnie Jones
This guy is pretty hardcore. As a footballer for several teams in the English Football League, he won the 1988 Cup Final with Wimbledon, where he played six years and scored 14 goals as a feisty midfielder. His scrapping style of play was infamously captured when he was caught on camera grabbing the gonads of Newcastle United’s Paul Gascoigne.
After retiring from the sport, Jones dove into an acting career on Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels playing the gnarly mobster Big Chris. He played Bullet-Tooth Tony in Snatch, Sphinx in Gone in 60 Seconds, and a merciless henchman in Swordfish. Jones is barred from Virgin Airlines for instigating an inflight scuffle, so don’t mess with him.
Mark Harmon
Not only was Mark Harmon a star quarterback for the UCLA Bruins and, later, voted “Sexiest Man Alive,” but he graduated from the university cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in communications as a Second Team Academic All-American. Turning down an NFL career so he could use his brains instead of his brawn, his original career goals focused on advertising or law. But now we know him as Gibbs in NCIS and agent Simon Donovan in The West Wing.
His break-out role as Dr. Caldwell on St. Elsewhere led to People magazine’s assessment of his manliness. His love of sports also found him part-owner of the minor league baseball team, the San Bernardino Spirit. Harmon is also a carpenter by hobby and worked as one prior to his acting career success.
Fred Dryer
The All-Pro player historically picked up two safeties in one game. Not only that, but the incredible football player interestingly almost nabbed one of the most iconic roles in sitcom history as Sam Malone in "Cheers."
While the role ultimately went to full-time actor Ted Danson, Dryer got his spotlight in the '80s cop drama "Hunter." We can totally see how he almost became Sam, though. In fact, a recasting might be in order. Oh well, too late now.