John Hollywood, a former Marine who grew up in New York, shared his journey from military service to a career in entertainment. Hollywood initially aimed to join the Navy but was unable to do so due to an injury. “I chose the Navy and when I chose the Navy, I was so excited that I passed the test and was going to go into the Navy, the adrenaline was just a rush and I hurt my hand, I punched through a glass,” he said.
After recovering, Hollywood joined the Marines, where he was stationed at Camp Lejeune before being transferred to Camp Geiger. “My orders were to go to Camp Lejeune and then when I got there, they transferred me to Camp Geiger and that’s where I spent my three years,” he explained.
Hollywood described the daily challenges of being a Marine, noting the rigorous training required. “Being a marine is a challenge every day. There’s special training that marines have to do because we’re the first in line,” he said. He also reflected on the evolving nature of military training and weaponry. “Our main thing at that particular time was to stop enemy tanks and trucks, things like that. And I’m quite sure today that the weapons are even better,” he added.
After his military service, Hollywood transitioned to a career in radio and dance, working with notable figures in the entertainment industry. “I worked with Usher when he was about 14 years old,” he recalled.