10 People Who Exemplify the American Dream
9. Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger
Born in a small Austrian village on July 30, 1947, Schwarzenegger had a difficult childhood, claiming physical abuse by his father. He would become a competitive bodybuilder and set a goal to move to America. In 1968, he would succeed in doing so, achieving success as a muscled poser, leading to endorsement deals, books, and being featured in an influential documentary about sport.
His success was followed by a big break coming in the lead role of 1982’s Conan the Barbarian and later, the 1994 release of The Terminator. Schwarzenegger would become a successful actor, director, activist, businessman, investor, writer, philanthropist, and eventually the Governor of California. He would even marry a Kennedy.
Forbes estimates of his net worth to be $300 million today.
