Why didn’t Lou Ferrigno become a big action star like Arnold?

[Riv86672]

They came up in the same era, had incredible physiques, and were known outside the bodybuilding industry.

Was it—

—Lack of talent?
This thread came about after I watched him on several eps of King of Queens w. Lou, who had a recurring role playing a fictionalized version of himself.
His acting was just fine, and he showed good comedic timing, going line for line w. Kevin James, Patton Oswalt, and most impressively Jerry Stiller.

—His speech impediment?
Lou lost 75% of his hearing as a child (it was being bullied over his hearing aid that led him to start lifting weights), hence his distinctive manner of speaking.
But still, he’s perfectly understandable. Going back to Arnold, his accent is famously ignored in movies, and was so bad his voice was dubbed in 1970s Hercules In New York.

—His time on TV?
Lou was The Hulk for five seasons and a few TV movies yeah, but that’s hardly something that would have stopped him getting into movies after. Heck Clint Eastwood was on Rawhide for six seasons went to movies and never looked back.
Not saying Lou would have had a Clint level career but, he def. could have had one.

—Lack of interest?
I’ve never read anything on the subject but maybe he just had other interests outside full time acting? Not everyone wants to go Hollywood.

—Other?
Is there something out there I just don’t know about? That’s where you come in.

[kingaliencracker]

I think Pumping Iron and Ferigno being tied up with The Incredible Hulk were the likely catalysts. It's hard to say if there was anything else behind the scenes since we're obviously not privy to any of that.

[Malvolio]

I don't like saying this because I know how unfair it would be if true, but I think there may have been a prejudice against Lou's disability. It was the 1970s and there weren't as many accommodations for the hearing impaired as there are today. Again, I don't like saying it, but it might be the case.

[j9ac9k]

Maybe I had't seen enough of him, but I never got the sense he had the same screen presence. Of course that's subjective, but that's my experience.

[thwhtGuardian]

Maybe I had't seen enough of him, but I never got the sense he had the same screen presence. Of course that's subjective, but that's my experience.

Yeah, I love Lou but Arnold just seemed to naturally exude charisma and he does even to this day.

[Vakanai]

Not as big an action star? The dude was the Incredible Hulk! He had already peaked, there's no topping that. Arnold had to keep taking on all these other roles just cause he never got anything that big and amazing, clearly.

[HollowSage]

Not as big an action star? The dude was the Incredible Hulk! He had already peaked, there's no topping that. Arnold had to keep taking on all these other roles just cause he never got anything that big and amazing, clearly.

For a second you almost got me.

[Powerboy]

Yeah, I love Lou but Arnold just seemed to naturally exude charisma and he does even to this day.

Yeah, it's exactly that, a great screen presence. Mind you, as usual, it took several years to become an overnight success. His performance in "The Villain" was cringe-worthy. But, once he got comfortable in front of the camera playing a character, he started to shine.

I do think Ferrigno's speech impediment worked against him but so did Arnold's accent. I also think it helped Arnold that he was willing to do raunchier stuff. Sybil Danning talked about Lou's qualms about stuff like that and his insecurities.

[achilles]

Yeah, I love Lou but Arnold just seemed to naturally exude charisma and he does even to this day.

Yeah, this, pretty much. Arnold just always had that elusive "it" factor that very few others have, including Lou, no matter how much I like him he just doesn't have it.

[Riv86672]

Not as big an action star? The dude was the Incredible Hulk! He had already peaked, there's no topping that. Arnold had to keep taking on all these other roles just cause he never got anything that big and amazing, clearly.

For a second you almost got me.

^^^Same!

Thanks for all the feedback, guys!

[XandertheWise]

Lou Ferrigno did star in other stuff besides the Incredible Hulk show

Lou did star in movies such as the early 1980s Hercules movies. and he was in that bodybuilder documentary movie back then if you even paid attention.

and Lou was also in other stuff besides Incredible Hulk

[DrNewGod]

Yeah, I love Lou but Arnold just seemed to naturally exude charisma and he does even to this day.

Agreed. Arnold also seemed to have a burning thirst to become a big time celebrity. Not saying Lou was without ambition, but Arnold seemed on a whole other level.

[krazijoe]

Charisma. He had that it factor that Lou didn't seem to have.

[Gray Lensman]

Agreed. Arnold also seemed to have a burning thirst to become a big time celebrity. Not saying Lou was without ambition, but Arnold seemed on a whole other level.

Arnold also has the lucky break of being cast in Terminator. That's where his iconic "I'll be back" was first spoken and it lead to the string of action films later. Plus Arnie has been willing to stretch his acting muscles into other roles, but safely, first by essentially being the action star in a comedy film he did for a few movies. Lou really never had that big hit movie that enabled him to break out.

So a difference in luck also plays a role - although there is also what one does with that luck.

[Jared]

Arnold's charisma and his personal drive to succeed were as superhuman as his physique. Plenty of other body builders have gone to Hollywood, including other friends of Arnold, but nobody got near his level. If somebody could have been another Arnold, somebody would have been another Arnold.

(I love Lou's cameo in I Love You, Man.)