1

Elvis Presley

Image: Clem Onojeghuo

Yes, the King of Rock 'n' Roll, who revolutionized music with hits like "Hound Dog," was drafted into the U.S. Army. Presley was offered to serve in the Special Services entertaining troops but chose to serve as a regular soldier.

The most well-known name in entertainment at the time, he was stationed in Germany and earned the rank of Sergeant. There, he met his future wife , Priscilla Beaulieu.

2

Morgan Freeman

Image: Harald Müller

Morgan Freeman, the legendary actor revered for his deep, resonant voice and commanding presence, served as a radar technician in the U.S. Air Force before his acting career took off.

There, he harbored dreams of becoming a fighter pilot. Eventually, though, his time in the cockpit revealed that flying was not his true passion.

3

Humphrey Bogart

Image: Tomas Martinez

The iconic star of Casablanca served in the U.S. Navy during World War I. He worked as a coxswain aboard the USS Leviathan , transporting troops to Europe.

Some versions attribute his signature lip scar —and, by extension, his unique speech—to an injury during his service, though some claim it was from a brawl or childhood incident.

4

Jimi Hendrix

Image: Aditya Wardhana

Jimi Hendrix is widely regarded as one of the greatest guitarists in history. What’s less known about him is that he served as a paratrooper with the 101st Airborne Division back in the 60s.

Even less known is that he enlisted in the Army at age 19 as part of a deal to avoid jail time after being caught joyriding stolen cars. He completed 26 parachute jumps before being honorably discharged a year later due to injuries.

5

Bea Arthur

Image: Ajeet Mestry

Yes, Bea Arthur, one of the beloved Golden Girls , was also a trailblazer as one of the first women to serve in the U.S. Marine Corps during WWII.

Her sharp wit and memorable roles like Dorothy Zbornak earned her multiple awards and the hearts of many Americans. But before acting, she had worked as a typist and truck driver for the Marine Corps, eventually reaching the rank of Staff Sergeant.

6

Bob Ross

Image: https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1662796246357-36ffa59acbca?

Can you believe that the cherished, gentle-voiced host of The Joy of Painting served in the U.S. Air Force for 20 years?

Bob Ross, the soothing icon of creativity and positivity who taught millions how to paint in the famous PBS series, was once a Master Sergeant. He worked as a medical records technician stationed in Alaska. It is said that he once vowed never to yell again after retiring.

7

Mr. T

Image: Skitterphoto

Mr. T, born Laurence Tureaud, is recognized for his role in Rocky III and the hit television series The A-Team. Before his rise to fame, though, he was a military police officer in the 1970s.

There, he stood out in basic training, so much so that he was named the top trainee out of 6,000 recruits. An anecdote retells that he was ordered by his sergeant to chop trees down as a punishment. After one hour, he had chopped down 70 trees and was told to stop.

8

Adam Driver

Image: Venti Views

Actor Adam Driver is known for his roles in films like Marriage Story and the Star Wars trilogy . Few know that he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps after 2001 and served for nearly three years before being discharged for a mountain biking injury.

Driver served as a mortar in the 1st Battalion, 1st Marines. After being discharged, he co-founded Arts in the Armed Forces , a nonprofit that brought art programs to military personnel and families.

9

Chuck Norris

Image: Andrea De Santis

Chuck Norris, the action star legend, was once an Air Policeman in the U.S. Air Force. It was there, in fact, where he first began his training in martial arts.

A pop culture icon for his tough-guy image and humorously exaggerated abilities, he was deployed to an air base in South Korea in the late 50s. There, he earned black belts for multiple disciplines in martial arts , including Tang Soo Do and Taekwondo.

10

Johnny Cash

Image: Markus Spiske

Here's another musician who had a career in the military. Johnny Cash, the legendary country singer, was a radio operator in the U.S. Air Force.

The "Man in Black" was a Morse Code listener intercepting Soviet transmissions in West Germany during the Korean War. Allegedly, it was during this time that he bought his first guitar and began writing songs.

11

Paul Newman

Image: Keanu K

The blue-eyed actor from Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid also served as a radioman and gunner during World War II. He trained as a pilot but was reassigned as an operator and rear gunner due to colorblindness.

In fact, he avoided flying in the Okinawa campaign due to an ear infection his pilot had. This saved both their lives, and Newman lived on to become a Hollywood legend and philanthropist.

12

Clint Eastwood

Image: Brice Cooper

Clint Eastwood, the iconic actor and filmmaker, was drafted into the U.S. Army during the Korean War. He worked as a swimming instructor for the 35th Infantry Regiment.

He even survived the crash landing of a Navy torpedo bomber with engine problems. He and his pilot had to swim two miles to shore near Point Reyes, California.

13

James Earl Jones

Image: Piotr Makowski

Before lending his iconic voice to Darth Vader and Mufasa, James Earl Jones trained as an Army Ranger and served as a second lieutenant in the Korean War.

After graduating from college in the 50s, he was assigned to the Army's 2nd Infantry Division in Korea. He received an honorable discharge as a first lieutenant in 1955 and went on to pursue the same career his father had: acting.

1

Thomas Jefferson’s mockingbird

Image: Library of Congress

Did you know that one of the first animals to live at the White House was a bird? Dick was Thomas Jefferson's mockingbird and the president loved him so much that he let him roam freely in his office. Dick would sing in the Oval, perch on Jefferson's shoulder, sit on his desk, and even take food directly from the president’s lips.

But Dick wasn’t the only curious animal to inhabit the White House in the early 19th century. In fact, Thomas Jefferson had more than thirty pets, including two grizzly bear cubs. These cubs were a gift from the Lewis and Clark expedition, delivered by explorer Zebulon Pike. However, the bears didn’t stay at the White House for long, as Jefferson decided it was best to send them to a museum in Philadelphia.

2

John Quincy Adams’ alligator

Image: Library of Congress

Jefferson wasn't the only president to own fairly unusual pets during his presidency. According to lore, John Quincy Adams kept a pet alligator in the East Room of the White House. Although there’s no way to prove it, the story goes that the alligator would slither around and even chase visitors.

While the tale of the alligator may be a myth, one thing is certain: President Adams' wife, Louisa, kept silkworms. The worms lived in mulberry trees on the White House grounds, and Louisa used to harvest their silk to feed her sewing hobby.

3

Abraham Lincoln’s goats

Image: Mathew Benjamin Brady, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The Lincolns had a variety of animals, including a couple of dogs, a rabbit, a horse, and a turkey. However, perhaps the most curious pets that lived in the White House during Abraham Lincoln’s presidency (1861–1865) were two goats named Nanny and Nanko .

Lincoln let their sons, Willie and Tad, keep their pet goats in their rooms, granting the animals total freedom to roam the Executive Mansion . The Lincoln family was so fond of Nanny and Nanko that the president would even send updates on the goats’ wellbeing when his wife and children were away. In one letter, he wrote: "Tell Tad the goats and father are very well—especially the goats."

4

Rutherford B. Hayes’ Siamese cat

Image: Mathew Benjamin Brady, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Like the Jefferson family, the Hayes family also received some First Pets as gifts from well-wishers, friends, and foreign officials. It was publicly known that First Lady Lucy Hayes loved animals, so the U.S. Ambassador to Siam (now Thailand) gifted her a kitten. This cat became the pet of First Daughter Fanny Hayes and holds the distinction of being the first Siamese cat to live in the United States.

Another Siamese cat, named Miss Pussy, later joined the family, becoming part of a diverse collection of animals. This included two hunting dogs, Juno and Shep; Otis, the miniature schnauzer; Dot, the cocker spaniel; a goat; a mockingbird; pedigreed Jersey cows; four canaries; and several carriage horses.

5

Teddy Roosevelt’s hyena

Image: National Portrait Gallery, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Teddy Roosevelt's brood brought a proper zoo to the White House at the dawn of the 20th century. His large, young family and their pets often captured substantial public attention, frequently appearing in periodicals and newspapers of the time.

The Roosevelts cared for an eclectic collection of animals, including badgers, mice, raccoons, pigs, parrots, dogs, cats, baby bears, snakes, a one-legged rooster, a kangaroo rat, a macaw, and a Shetland pony named Algonquin—who once had the pleasure of riding the White House elevator. But the top prize goes to a spotted hyena named Bill. A gift from the emperor of Ethiopia, Bill was taught tricks by Roosevelt and was even allowed to beg for scraps at the dinner table.

6

Woodrow Wilson’s sheep

Image: National Portrait Gallery, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Some animals that spent time at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue had a greater purpose than just being pets. For example, some presidents kept pets for a cause or to set an example. During World War I, President Woodrow Wilson allowed a flock of 48 sheep to live on the White House grounds. The sheep not only kept the lawn trimmed, reducing maintenance costs but their wool was also sold to benefit the Red Cross .

In addition to the sheep, Wilson had a cat named Puffins, chickens, a bull terrier named Bruce, a songbird, and a ram named Old Ike, who was known for his unusual habit of chewing tobacco.

7

Calvin Coolidge’s raccoon

Image: National Photo Company Collection, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

President Calvin Coolidge, who served from 1923 to 1929, kept several non-traditional pets at the White House . The Coolidges had a variety of animals, including dogs, canaries, Ebenezer the donkey, and Smoky the bobcat. Even more exotic animals were gifted to them by foreign dignitaries, such as Billy the pygmy hippo, two lion cubs named Tax Reduction and Budget Bureau, a wallaby, a small antelope, and a black bear.

However, First Lady Grace's most renowned pet was a raccoon. The raccoon was initially given to the Coolidges as a contribution to their Thanksgiving meal, but Grace managed to save it. She named it Rebecca and had a special tree house built for her.

8

Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Scottish terrier

Image: Franklin D. Roosevelt Library, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Perhaps one of the most famous pets to live in the White House was President Franklin D. Roosevelt's Scottish terrier, Fala. Roosevelt's presidency came during a very difficult time in history—World War II. For this reason, Fala became a faithful companion not only to the president but also to all the American people.

Fala’s original name was Big Boy, but Roosevelt renamed him "Murray the Outlaw of Falahill" after a Scottish ancestor. In the early 1940s, Fala participated in a campaign by donating his toys to promote scrap rubber collections for the war effort. He also starred in an MGM short-subject film about the war.

9

Warren G. Harding’s Airedale terrier

Image: National Photo Company Collection, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Pets have played a significant role in humanizing presidents and shaping public perceptions, as seen with Franklin Roosevelt and his loyal Fala. The same holds true for Warren G. Harding’s presidency. Harding and his wife, Florence, were avid animal lovers, and during their time in the White House, they kept several canaries, dogs, and even a squirrel named Pete.

But the spotlight went to Laddie Boy, a photogenic Airedale terrier that was perceived by the public as an extension of Harding's campaign slogan, "Return to Normalcy." Laddie Boy had his own cabinet chair, attended meetings, greeted official delegations, and even participated in press conferences and news briefings. He also "hosted" the 1923 Easter Egg Roll while the Hardings were away, further endearing himself to the public.

10

George H. W. Bush’s English springer spaniel

Image: National Archives and Records Administration, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

As we have seen, some presidential pets were as famous as the leaders they accompanied during their time at the Executive Mansion. When George H. W. Bush was elected president in 1988, a springer spaniel named Millie became the new First Pet. The following year, Millie had six puppies and quickly won the hearts of Americans across the country.

Millie's popularity was so great that First Lady Barbara Bush appeared on the cover of Life magazine with the dog and her puppies. Barbara later published Millie's Book , a bestseller that narrates a day in the White House from Millie’s perspective. The book was a huge success, selling thousands of copies.

1

Richard Nixon (1969–1974)

Image: History in HD

One of the most controversial presidents in US history, Richard Nixon, led the country from 1969 to 1974. Although it's true that Nixon was indeed popular for his foreign policy achievements before the Watergate scandal, his involvement in that unforgettable episode forced him to resign, making him the first and only US president to step down from office.

2

Herbert Hoover (1929–1933)

Image: Tomasz Zielonka

Judging a president goes beyond assessing their decisions: a lack of empathy for the people they serve can be just as damaging. Herbert Hoover was president when the Great Depression began, following the stock market crash of October 1929. He maintained a largely hands-off approach that was harshly criticized as inadequate and led many to see the president as out of touch with the suffering of Americans.

3

Ulysses S. Grant (1869–1877)

Image: Library of Congress

Ulysses S. Grant, the 18th US President, was a polarizing figure. As a Union general, he played a crucial role in securing victory during the Civil War. However, during his presidency, there were several scandals related to corruption that affected his image negatively, both during his time in office and for many years afterward.

4

Andrew Johnson (1865-1869)

Image: Library of Congress

After Abraham Lincoln's assassination, Andrew Johnson served as the US president from 1865 to 1869, just six weeks after becoming Lincoln's vice president. It was a critical period in American history, and he is remembered for opposing many Reconstruction efforts . He even vetoed several key congressional initiatives, including the Civil Rights Act of 1866, though Congress overrode many of his vetoes. In 1868, Johnson became the first US president to be impeached.

5

James Buchanan (1857-1861)

Image: Library of Congress

Often ranked among the least popular presidents, James Buchanan led the nation during a period of deep internal division, just before Abraham Lincoln took office. Despite the growing tensions, he chose to stay out of the conflict. He's most often criticized for his inaction as Southern states began seceding from the Union and making only minimal efforts to prevent the Civil War.

6

Chester A. Arthur (1881–1885)

Image: Library of Congress

Some presidents aren't necessarily considered unpopular because of any specific scandal or failure, but rather they simply went unnoticed. One such figure is Chester A. Arthur, who served as president from 1881 to 1885 after the assassination of James A. Garfield. Although many historians view him as a capable and reform-minded leader, Arthur remains one of the most overlooked presidents in US history.

7

Warren G. Harding (1921–1923)

Image: Library of Congress

Warren G. Harding, the 29th President of the United States, is often regarded by historians as an ineffective leader. Although Harding himself wasn't directly involved, corruption scandals implicating members of his administration – along with his inaction in response to them–did the most damage to his reputation and legacy.

8

Millard Fillmore (1850–1853)

Image: Pixabay

Millard Fillmore, who served as US president from 1850 to 1853, is widely criticized for decisions that deepened national divisions , most notably his signing of the Fugitive Slave Act. The law inflamed tensions in an already fractured nation, pushing the country even closer to civil conflict.

9

John Tyler (1841–1845)

Image: Joanna Kosinska

In 1841, John Tyler became the first vice president to assume the presidency following the death of a sitting president. His assumption of office was unexpected – even for himself–and his frequent clashes with Whig Party leaders didn't help his image among voters. In fact, he was expelled from the party while still in office. To make matters worse, years after his presidency, Tyler sided with the Confederacy during the Civil War.

10

Zachary Taylor (1849–1850)

Image: Library of Congress

Zachary Taylor became the 12th President of the United States in 1849, but his sudden death in July 1850 meant his time in office lasted only 16 months. While he isn't necessarily disliked, he's less remembered, partly because of his short time in office.