Top 10 Athletes Gone Hollywood
There are certain things that just go together.
Ham and cheese or peanut butter and jelly come to mind, as does an ESPN original movie and bad acting.
In keeping with that train of thought, it’s generally fair to say that athletes and acting cameos also fall into that category. Think Dan Marino in Ace Ventura or Terrell Owens in a painfully bad sitcom called “Under One Roof,” and you’ll immediately understand what I’m talking about.
There’s also the creative attempt to turn athlete into broadcaster as a second career, which is really a hit-or-miss proposition that typically has us on the losing end.
Now, something that’s not as common is the transition from athlete to mediocre Hollywood star. More often than not, these wanna-be actors are prone to bit parts, such as Lawrence Taylor in “Any Given Sunday” or “Shaft” or “The Waterboy.”
However, this isn’t to say some athletes haven’t successfully made the career switch.
TOP 10 ATHLETES GONE HOLLYWOOD
10. Reggie Theus
Does anyone remember what a great job Theus did as coach of the Deering Tornadoes? Come on, you remember the coed high school team out of Indiana, don’t you? If not, allow me to refresh your memory. Theus played the role of coach Bill Fuller on the teen sitcom “Hang Time,” from 1995-1998. After that, he led the New Mexico State Aggies back to the NCAA Tournament and is now head coach of the Sacramento Kings. Wow, talk about a strange climb up the coaching ladder.
9. Jim Brown
He’s one of the greatest players in NFL history, and while the spotlight tends to dim on most superstars after retirement, this hasn’t been the case for Mr. Brown. While not the main event of any movie or television show, Brown’s been a Hollywood mainstay since 1964, when he played Sgt. Franklyn in “Rio Conchos.” He’s often remembered for his role in the hit movie “the Dirty Dozen,” but rest assured, he’s been active on both the big and little screen since that time.
8. Bubba Smith
Although he’s been acting since 1978, there’s no doubt he’ll forever be remembered as Cadet Moses Hightower of “Police Academy” fame. Fans of the classic sitcom “Married with Children” might remember his one episode performance as Spare Tire Dixon, where he and Al shared photos of their mothers in law to determine which one was more gruesome. Smith’s stayed busy over the years, and we can only hope for a Hightower reprisal when “Police Academy” inevitably returns to the big screen.
7. O.J. Simpson
First off, let’s remember the topic and ignore anything else anyone believes to be factual when it comes to ‘The Juice.’ Now, most of us found his recurring role as Nordberg in “The Naked Gun” series to be pretty damn funny. Beyond that, Simpson did a lot of acting from the late ‘70s on through to the early ‘90s. His roles ranged from a badly acted Kadi Touray in “Roots” to the better portrayed T.D. Parker in “1st & Ten.”
6. Vincent ‘Vinnie’ Jones
Simply put, he’s a former captain of the Wales national football team and was a member of the ‘Crazy Gang’ that led Wimbledon to a FA Cup back in 1988. That said, he’s also “the Juggernaut bi**h.” Although he’s remembered as a tough ex-footballer across the pond, Americans typically see him as Big Chris from “Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels,” or Bullet Tooth Tony from “Snatch.” And not to be left out was his memorable performance as coach Dinklage in the ‘tween comedy “She’s the Man.”
5. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Joey: “I think you’re the greatest, but my dad says you don’t work hard enough on defense. And he says that lots of times, you don’t even run down court. And that you don’t really try… except during the playoffs.”
Roger Murdock: “The hell I don’t! Listen kid, I’ve been hearing that crap ever since I was at UCLA. I’m out there busting my buns every night. Tell your old man to drag Walton and Lanier up and down the court for 48 minutes.”
It’s easily one of the most memorable exchanges from a film that’s full of classic quotes. As Roger Murdoch, Kareem was the perfect co-pilot and proved that his abilities weren’t totally exclusive to the hardwood. Before that role, he was quite impressive in “Game of Death,” where he actually went kick-for-kick with the man, the myth and the legend, Bruce Lee. Even though his Hollywood resume isn’t as extensive as other members of the list, it’s impossible to deny how classic both of these roles really were. Also not to be forgotten was his cameo in “Full House.”
4. Fred ‘The Hammer’ Williamson
As a star defensive back, Williamson was renowned for using his forearm to deliver blows to the heads of opposing wide receivers. His rise to fame as an actor started back in the ‘70s, when he starred in films ranging from “The Legend of Ni**er Charley,” “The Soul of Ni**er Charley,” “Hammer” and “Black Caesar.” If you don’t remember the ‘70s, looking up the term ‘blaxploitation’ might help in understanding the titles of set films. I’d be remiss to leave out the fact he’s continued acting in the decades after that film era, which says quite a bit for his longevity as an actor.
3. Bernie Casey
Similar to Williamson, Casey started acting during the ‘70s, with roles in films such as “Cleopatra Jones” and “Dr. Black, Mr. Hyde.” Since then, he’s made a name for himself on the large and small screen, with roles in popular shows such as “L.A. Law,” to memorable performances in cult classics such as “Revenge of the Nerds” and even “Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure.” I know those aren’t exactly Oscar or Emmy worthy titles, but it’s not too shabby for a former Pro Bowler, is it?
2. Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson
I don’t want to hear anything about wrestling not being a sport. Those athletes go at it every single week, and unlike boxers or mixed martial arts competitors, there aren’t a few months of rest in between fights. And let us not forget that Johnson did play football at “The U!” With that out of the way, there’s not much explaining to do with this selection. Credit is owed to the man for not falling into the ‘macho actor’ trap, a la Jean-Claude Van Damme or Steven Seagal. I’m not saying he’ll be winning an Oscar or anything anytime soon, but he’s come a long way from his days as Mathayus the Scorpion King, has he not?
1. Arnold Schwarzenegger
Wait, what? I understand that younger readers might only know him as the actor that became a governor, which is fine. However, long before any of that took place, he was a kid that went AWOL during basic training with the Austrian army to pursue a dream of becoming Mr. Universe. He eventually traveled to America, became Mr. Olympia in 1970 with the help of ‘Superstar’ Billy Graham and also came to be known as the “World’s Strongest Man’ during this time. After that, he started acting and hit it big with a little role you may have heard of: “Conan the Barbarian.” The rest, as they say, is history. Or if you prefer, is something that could only happen in America.
HONORABLE MENTION
Bob Golic: He doesn’t have an extensive Hollywood resume like the rest of the list, but his role as Michael Rogers in “Saved by the Bell: The College Years” wasn’t all that bad and is good enough to get a little shout out.
Shaquille O’Neal: Shaq Fu is mentioned whenever this topic comes about, and that’s pretty much the only reason I’ve bothered to bring him up. Aside from “Blue Chips,” there’s nothing else in his film repertoire that merits mentioning in any list except for those that should never have seen the light of day, such as “Kazaam” or “Steel.”
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