LOS ANGELES -- Movie tough guy Arnold Schwarzenegger on Saturday formally joined the unique race to become California's next governor, joining an eclectic and wacky cast of candidates that includes the state's number-two and smut peddler Larry Flynt.

The Republican actor-turned-politician braved a circus of screaming fans and jostling reporters to put his name on the ballot for the increasingly bizarre October 7 vote to decide the fate of Democratic Governor Gray Davis.

"I am running for governor and I promise you that I will be the people's governor," he said to chants of "Arnold, Arnold" after filing his papers ahead of the 5:00 P.M. (0000 GMT Sunday) deadline. "When I came here in 1968 as an immigrant from Austria, it was the last thing that I thought of that 35 years later I would be standing here and filing the papers to run as the governor of the great state of California."

The former Mr. Universe body-building champion was flanked by his Democratic wife, network television news anchor Maria Shriver, a member of the Kennedy clan, who appeared in with him for the first time since he launched his campaign. "I think he is a serious, compassionate, smart, calm man and I think that he will represent Democrats, independents and Republicans all across this state," she said. "He is a born leader, he has inspired people for 30 years."

Nearly 500 people -- including the muscle-bound action hero, Flynt, an X-rated movie actress and a pink-haired billboard goddess -- have said they will run for governor.

Among them was Hustler magazine publisher Flynt, 61, who Friday submitted his check for 3,500 dollars and a list of 65 supporters in order to qualify for the vote, officials said.

"I honestly think that Californians wouldn't mind having a smut peddler who cares as governor," the outspoken wheelchair-bound free speech advocate and subject of the movie "The People v. Larry Flynt" said this week.

Millionaire Republican businessman Bill Simon and independent candidate Arianna Huffington also registered in Los Angeles for the vote along with a host of wackier hopefuls.

But it is the "Terminator" who has become the star candidate to defeat the unpopular Davis. He has transformed an already unprecedented state election into a political carnival watched by the world.

For his latest role, Schwarzenegger has cast himself as a superhero poised to rescue the crisis-stricken western US state from its financial and political morass through what he says is his decisive leadership style.

But the neophyte politician is already coming under intense pressure to spell out exactly how he plans to tackle the state's record 38-billion-dollar budget deficit and other woes, something he has so far avoided doing.

Analysts however said the "True Lies" star stood a good chance of romping to victory on his celebrity power alone in a state that is the home to the movie industry and image manipulation.

"He may well get away without having any real detailed plans for anything," said University of Southern California political pundit Sherry Bebitch Jeffe.

A CNN/Time poll showed voters would remove Davis from office and replace him with Arnold Schwarzenegger by a 19 percentage-point margin if the election were held now.

If he wins, the star would be the second actor-turned-politican to lead the Golden State, after ex-president Ronald Reagan, who served as governor from 1967 to 1975.

He leads his closest competitor, Democratic lieutenant governor Cruz Bustamante -- who opposes the recall but is seeking to replace Davis if voters oust him -- by 25 percent to 15 percent.

The poll also indicated Flynt would win just four percent of the vote along with Huffington, while Simon, who lost a gubernatorial bid to Davis last year, would garner seven percent.

The poll of 508 registered voters conducted Friday had a margin of error of 4.3 percent.

But serious candidates were virtually overlooked by the media frenzy surrounding Schwarzenegger as a host of more colorful candidates signed up.

They included porn actress Mary Carey, who wants to swap guns for sex films to reduce violence, and Angelyne, a billboard queen who wants to improve roads to avoid damage to her pink sports car.

State officials said the list of candidates who filed by Saturday's deadline would be available next week.