Schwarzenegger at 30

So what was the next governor of California doing at age 30? Studiously persuing a law degree? Making his first tentative foray into local politics? Selflessly dedicating himself to community service?

Nah. Age 30, saw Arnold in the bodybuilding documentary Pumping Iron ("see how these muscle positive and brain negative chumps got that way" —random IMDb user) and a guest spot on "The San Pedro Beach Bums" in the episode "Lifting is My Life." Though he had been in a few movies (most notably in Hercules Goes Bananas, credited as "Arnold Strong") he wouldn't make a splash on the big screen until his mid 30s, with Conan The Barbarian, Conan the Destroyer, and The Terminator.

According to today's NY Times, this was all part of a plot formulated when he was 21.

"At a pancake restaurant in Santa Monica, Calif., Mr. Schwarzenegger disclosed to his friends what he called his 'master plan': become a movie star, make millions of dollars, marry a glamorous wife and hold political power over people."

For Schwarzenegger, the Last Piece of a Master Plan [NYTimes]
Arnold Schwarzenekkid! [radosh]