Our infrastructure has relied on plumbers since the ages of Greeks and Romans. However, a number of people who started out as plumbers were lured away from the profession by fame, fortune or other career pursuits. Here are five plumbers who you may have heard from in another career:
Sir Tom Finney
Sir Tom Finney, who played for both Preston North-End and England, worked as a plumber to supplement his meager income. This helped earn him the nickname “the Preston Plumber.” Even though Finney was one of Preston’s strongest players, scoring 243 goals and playing 473 times, he was paid just £12 a week. Whilst his salary remained small, Finney did grow in fame, and was named Footballer of the Year in both 1954 and 1957. Finney also played for England 76 times, where he scored over 30 goals. By the time Finney retired from football in 1960, he was still only making £20. After retirement, he returned to the plumbing trade.
Michael Caine
Today, Michael Caine has one of the most impressive filmographies in the movie world. He has appeared in three Batman films, blockbusters like Inception, and the critically acclaimed movie Children of Men. After the time he spent as a soldier during the Korean war, Caine trained as a plumber. However, he chose to step away from the profession after he was offered the opportunity to work as a stage manager at a Sussex theater. Shortly after, he was offered a minor part in the play, and a great career began.
Bob Hoskins
Although Bob Hoskins eventually became a well-known actor, receiving an Academy Award nomination for his performance in the movie Mona Lisa, he started off his career as a plumber. Hoskins, who passed away in 2014, frequently appeared as roguish characters. Hoskins also played a plumber on-screen, in the video game-inspired film Super Mario Bros. However, Hoskins was unhappy with the final film, and once referred to it as “dreadful.”
The Mario Bros.
Video game superstars Mario and Luigi may spend their time fighting monsters and rescuing princesses, but these Italian Americans are also qualified plumbers. The two made their debut in a game for the NES, and have appeared in all kinds of games and media since. They hit the silver screen in the film Super Mario Bros., which incidentally starred Bob Hoskins.
Thomas Crapper
Although Thomas Crapper wasn’t technically a plumber, he had a significant impact on the plumbing world. Crapper was a notable toilet salesman who is frequently credited with the invention of the toilet. While the toilet was actually invented by John Harrington in 1596, Thomas was responsible for the term “crapper.” When he brought toilets to soldiers during World War I, they described using the toilet as “going to the crapper.”
