The son of a one-time Nazi police chief, Schwarzenegger was born in the Austrian town of Graz on July 30, 1947, in an ancient house that had no plumbing, no telephone, no carpets, and just a few lights.
His father Gustav, who was a strict disciplinarian, wanted him to be a soccer player. In a bid to fulfil his father's dream, Schwarzenegger began intensive strength training in a local gymnasium.
He entered his first bodybuilding competition as a 17 year-old. By the time he turned 20, he had won Mr Europe and Mr Universe -- the first of 13 major bodybuilding titles.
Here, Schwarzenegger and wife Maria Shriver, who is from the Kennedy clan, wave to supporters at the Century Plaza Hotel on Wednesday following his victory in the California recall election.
Photo: Mario Tama/Getty Images