Competitive BodyBuilders (male)
A list of male Competitive BodyBuilders in IMDb
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- Chris "The Real Deal" Cormier is an IFBB professional bodybuilder from Palm Springs, California. He ranks among the best professional bodybuilders of all time. Growing up, Chris excelled at sports but was very shy when he wasn't competing. He was heavily involved with his school weight lifting club and competed against lifters from others schools- coming 4th in his first contest. As he developed his weight lifting knowledge and understanding of nutrition, his physique improved massively. He took his pro card in 1993 and would compete at 70 professional competitions; taking the overall title in eleven and placing in the top 5 52 times. Fast forward to today, and Chris has dedicated himself to the sport for life. He loves helping other people reach their fitness goals while working on his own physique. Chris was born in Palm Springs, California in 1967. He loved playing sports during school and joined his high school weightlifting team as soon as he could. He would go on to compete in interscholastic tournaments against the best young lifters in the state. Chris says that many people don't know how shy he is. He remembers that he was going to compete in his first bodybuilding competition when he was 15, but "chickened out" because he was scared of the posing. Up until the end of his career, every competition was terrifying, but he hid it well every time. For Chris, 1993 would be a huge year. He was invited to return to the same competition and prepared eagerly with the anticipation of doing better than his 4th place. His cutting preparation was the best he had done yet and the judges noticed. He managed to take an incredible first place trophy at this event. This gave him his fist major win, as well as his Pro Card, which would allow him to compete at IFBB competitions nationwide and internationally. Chris began competing right away. In 1994, he posed at 5 competitions. He managed to place in the top ten in all of them, taking a 2nd at the 1994 Ironman Pro Invitational which allowed him to qualify for the Mr Olympia - a dream come true. The Mr Olympia is perhaps the most prestigious tournament of all time and Chris stood alongside the best in the sport. He ultimately came in 6th place, but managed to beat the likes of Nasser El Sonbaty and Ronnie Coleman. Some of the highlights of his 30 year bodybuilding career was a 4 year 1st place run at the Ironman Pro invitational. He also won the Australian Grand Prix consecutively and stood on the Mr Olympia stage 10 times.
- Dexter "The Blade" Jackson is an American IFBB professional bodybuilder. He is the 2008 Mr. Olympia bodybuilding champion. Dexter Jackson has won more professional bodybuilding titles than any Bodybuilder in history. He is from Jacksonville, Florida. Dexter first competed professionally in the 1999 Arnold Classic, Night of Champions, and Mr. Olympia contests, placing 7th, 3rd, and 9th, respectively. At the 2007 Mr. Olympia, Dexter Jackson placed 3rd and many critics said he would not likely place any higher. But on September 27, 2008, he defeated the reigning two-time Mr. Olympia, Jay Cutler to become the 12th sportsman to win the title, and only the second to have won it and the Arnold Classic title in the same year. Jackson has won the Mr. Olympia title once, sharing this distinction with Chris Dickerson (1982) and Samir Bannout (1983). 2008 was a great year for Dexter, as he won the Arnold Classic, Australian Pro Grand Prix VIII, New Zealand Grand Prix, Russian Grand Prix and the Mr. Olympia. Jackson placed 3rd in the 2009 Mr. Olympia contest. In 2012, Jackson placed 4th in the Mr. Olympia, then surprised everyone by winning that year's Masters Olympia at the age of 43 and then won his fourth Arnold Classic title in 2013. In 2015, Jackson showed he was still a force to be reckoned with at the age of 45 when he placed 2nd at the Mr. Olympia; his highest placing since winning the Mr. Olympia in 2008. Jackson has been featured in many fitness and bodybuilding articles, including being pictured on the cover of Muscular Development and Flex magazine. He shot his new documentary DVD titled "Dexter Jackson: Unbreakable" with filmmaker Alex Ardenti of Ardenti Films in Florida and California which was released in 2009.
- Dennis Newman is a former professional bodybuilder.
He began to get involved in sports at a fairly early age, already at the age of 15 Dennis began to practice his first weight training. Like many beginners, at first the future bodybuilder did not pay due attention to pumping his legs, completely concentrating on building big arms. After some time, the imbalance in the development of the body made itself felt. Then Dennis revised his training process, focusing on leg training. Having corrected the imbalances, Dennis began to think about the competitive podium and already in 1989 he fought at the 'Teen USA Championships' tournaments and 'California Championships', each of which won the title of vice-champion. In 1991, Dennis Newman explored the Musclemania amateur championship scene, where he took the highest place in the Heavyweight category. After 2 years, in 1993, he performed at the Nationals competition, where he stopped one step away from victory, taking 2nd place in the final protocol. In July 1994, Dennis Newman entered the U.S. Championship arena in excellent form, thanks to which he took the lead in the Heavyweight category and became the undisputed champion, which earned him the right to issue an IFBB professional card. - Sonbaty was born in Stuttgart, Germany. His father was Egyptian and his mother was from Yugoslavia (now Serbia), the city of Novi Pazar. He was a graduate of the University of Augsburg with a degree in history, political science, and sociology. He had two sisters and two brothers. Nasser began practicing bodybuilding in 1983. His first competition was a Junior State Championship in Germany in 1985, where he placed 6th. His first appearance in the Mr. Olympia competition was in 1994, where he placed 7th. In total, Nasser competed in 13 amateur shows and 53 IFBB Pro shows. He qualified for 10 consecutive Mr. Olympia contests and entered nine Mr. Olympia competitions. His best placing in the Mr. Olympia competition was in 1997, where he placed 2nd. Nasser was also known for being the bodybuilder who poses at guest posing and bodybuilders wearing spectacles, for having the ability to speak several languages, they may have also been the basis for his nickname "The Professor". Despite weighing over 300 pounds in the off-season, he could still show his full abdominal muscles. He has been featured in many international fitness and bodybuilding magazines articles as well as being pictured on over 60 covers.
He resided in San Diego and Costa Mesa. He died in his sleep during a visit in Egypt, on March 20, 2013. - Kenneth Flex Wheeler was born on 23 August 1965 in Fresno, California.
Flex Wheeler, began his career training when he was a teenager initially with martial arts in mind. However, his natural development persuaded him to pursue bodybuilding. Despite this, he is on record as regarding himself as a "martial artist first, a bodybuilder second." It also accounts for his remarkable flexibility in a physique so large. Even so he has been described by Arnold Schwarzenegger as one of the greatest bodybuilder he ever saw.
After a short career as a police officer, Wheeler focused full time on becoming a professional bodybuilder, taking the nickname 'Flex'. He competed for the first time in 1983 but it was not until 1989 that he secured a first place trophy at the NPC Mr. California Championships. Since then, he has placed second at the 1993 Mr. Olympia, narrowly missing a win (something he was to repeat in 1998 and 1999).
Flex has the best IFBB pro debut in the history of the sport of bodybuilding in 1993 with 4 wins Pro Ironman, Arnold Classic, German Grand Prix, French Grand Prix and 2nd in his first Mr. Olympia.
In 1994 he was involved in a neat fatal car accident that could have left him with lifelong paralysis. He started from scratch again, returning with remarkable speed to the top ranks of the sport.
In 1999 Wheeler discovered that he had Focal Glomerulosclerosis, a form of kidney disease. Despite press speculation as to the cause of the failure, Wheeler pointed out that the condition is hereditary, not self-inflicted. Wheeler announced his retirement from competitive bodybuilding in 2000, but continued to compete until 2002. He received a kidney transplant in 2003.
Since retirement Wheeler has focused again on martial arts, his specialism being Kemp-Kwon-Do, a variant of Kempo and Tae Kwon Do. He participated in a championship match at the 2005 Arnold Classic.
In 2007, Flex was interviewed by freelance journalist Rod Labbe for Ironman Magazine's Legends of bodybuilding series entitled "Yesterday and Today," which covers his extensive career and reveals how a Legend can conquer adversity and triumph against incredible odd.
Flex is a partner and serves in an executive position as Vice President/Director of Media and Public Relations for the Sports Nutrition Company MEX. Flex has his own product line with MEX called "Flex Wheeler Pro line." Additionally, he manages their sponsored athletes and can be seen in numerous advertisements for his company. - Dennis Wolf is professional bodybuilder. He was born in Tokmak, USSR. When the Soviet Union began to disintegrate in 1990, Dennis's mother saw an opportunity to return to her historic homeland in Germany. According to Dennis, she dreamed about this for many years. When 1992 came, the Wolf family was given the opportunity to return to their homeland and, at the request of the mother, the boy's family left Russia. At this stage, he was expected a lot of difficulties. To begin with, it was necessary to learn German, and it was not easy for a fourteen-year-old. At that time there were no Russian-speaking classes in Germany where children could learn German. After graduation, he began to make a living by hard manual labor - painting houses, installing windows. He had to support himself and help his big family. When the boy was 16 years old, now in his native city Marl, he went to the gym. Before the start of his first competition, which took place in 1999, Dennis Wolf became seriously interested in bodybuilding. He attended all the seminars where professionals gathered, listened to the advice of knowledgeable comrades and celebrities, and also studied a lot of literature on the topic of interest. As a result, at the age of 21, he took 4th place in his first competition. In 2003, the athlete managed to become the champion of Germany, and this event prompted him to devote himself entirely to bodybuilding. For two years, Dennis Wolf was exhaustingly engaged and he even had his own training philosophy. Since 2012 he lives in Las Vegas.
- Dorian Yates was born 19 April 1962 in Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands, England. He is an English professional bodybuilder. He won the Mr. Olympia title six consecutive times from 1992 to 1997. He is widely considered one of the top athletes in modern bodybuilding history. He was raised in Hurley, in rural Staffordshire. When he was a teenager, his family moved to Birmingham. He started working out in 1983. Yates' professional record consists of 15 major contest wins and two second-place finishes.
Yates' career ended in large part due to chronic acute injuries, including torn biceps and triceps, the latter just three weeks prior to his final contest, the 1997 Mr. Olympia contest, which he won in spite of the injury.
Yates espoused a style of training known as HIT "High Intensity Training", which states that maximum muscle stimulation can be reached through short, high-intensity workout sessions rather than long duration workouts. The training style was originally popularized by Mike Mentzer.
Yates earned the nickname of "The Shadow" for his tendency to unexpectedly appear at major bodybuilding contests and win, despite having remained out of the public eye for long periods beforehand. He was reported to have turned down several large supplement endorsement contracts and avoided interviews and other television publicity in order to maintain privacy.
In 1987, Yates purchased Temple Gym, located on Temple Street in Birmingham. In 2006, he franchised four additional Temple Gym locations, three of which are in the UK.
Yates formed the California-based company Heavy Duty Incorporated in 1994 with Mike Mentzer and Ray Mentzer. The company marketed athletic apparel and bodybuilding-related books.
In 1998, Yates partnered with Kerry Kayes to form the bodybuilding supplement company CNP Professional, which marketed a Dorian Yates Approved product line in the United States. He left the company in 2006 to form his own company, Dorian Yates Ultimate Formulas, which offers a line of protein and weight-gain supplements. He started a second company in 2010, EU Peptides, which sells pep-tide hormones and other pro-hormone supplements. In 2011, he founded a third company, DY Nutrition, which specializes in preworkout formulas and has released several training DVDs. He left EU Peptides in 2012. In recent years, he has conducted several seminar tours internationally to discuss nutrition and his experiences in bodybuilding. He offers training videos and written commentary on his official website. In 2015 he produced the documentary All I Know is Pain. - Actor
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Bob Cicherillo was born on 1 December 1965. He is an actor and writer, known for I Love You, Man (2009), Demons at the Door (2004) and The Girlfriend from Outer Space (1989). He has been married to Tasha Gascon since 1 October 2006. They have one child.- Ronnie Coleman held the Mr. Olympia title 8 times; tied for the most of all time. He claimed victory in the IFBB 26 times; the most of any bodybuilder, ever. Many consider him the Michael Jordan of bodybuilding. When Ronnie Coleman stepped offstage for the last time in the fall of 2007 at the Olympia, it was the end of an era of dominance that we may never see equaled again. But like the end of many great athletes' runs, many have speculated whether Ronnie will come back. Each year since his 4th place finish at the '07 Olympia, there have been rumors that he was coming back. The King would return to claim his throne. It's understandable, because even though he has not competed since, Ronnie has been as close to the sport as ever.
- Rich Gaspari is an American professional bodybuilder of IFBB - International Federation of Bodybuilders, winner of numerous awards in the world of bodybuilding, inscribed in the IFBB Hall of Fame. At the age of 15 Rich Gaspari began to engage in bodybuilding, at 16 he first took part in competitions in bodybuilding, took the sixth place. Being still an unknown teenager, Gaspari squatted with a barbell at 306 kg, and 26 years later, after finishing his sports career, the 48-year-old CEO of Gaspari Nutrition squeezed out dumbbells by 48 kg. During his career he managed to take part in more than 30 competitions in 12 of which he won. In 1989 Rich Gaspari won his most significant career victory. He became the first at the prestigious competition "Arnold Classic 1989". Three consecutive years from 1986 to 1988, "Silver Rich" took 2nd place at the "Mr. Olympia". Having completed his career as an athlete, Rich received the certificate of the National Academy of Sports Medicine and developed the methodology of Gaspari Nutrition.
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Born July 12th in Brooklyn, NY, Kai Greene grew up as an orphan and as a ward of the state of New York into struggle that has followed him through his entire life. After discovering a career in bodybuilding at an early age, he transformed his life and his body to take true command of his destiny and inspire millions in his wake. He took refuge in professional bodybuilding, later transforming it as an art form, much like a sculpture, bringing that visual element into everything he does, including live performances, paintings, inking comics, and creating Films/TV.
Over the course of the last decade, Kai Greene has been more than just an icon in the professional sport of bodybuilding worldwide. He's more than the people's champ. He's an artist with a very human story. One that bleeds through his athletic career, through the muscle, and permeates the air around him. Kai's essence extends in all directions and truly comes to life in every flexing muscle, every glance, and every personal story told. Deep inside of his soul, Kai has had a burning desire to be a visual artist. His passion and success within bodybuilding continues to spread out to other forms of artistic expression, specifically through film and the arts. Using the various experiences of his past and his willpower earned through over a decade of pro bodybuilding-Kai Greene has become a raw, emotional, powerhouse of a personality.- Actor
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Bob Paris is a writer, actor, public speaker, social activist and former professional bodybuilder. He was born Robert Clark Paris on December 14th, 1959 and grew up in both Brown County and Columbus, Indiana.
Starting as a boy, Paris was an enthusiastic outdoorsman - hiking and backpacking through the wooded hills of southern Indiana, riding his bike on the area's scenic back-roads and canoeing its rivers. He was also an artist and writer who won National Scholastic Awards for his drawing and painting, and wrote short-stories in his spare time.
His interest in acting and the theater began early and by the time he was in high school he had performed in - among others - the musicals, Pajama Game and How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. He was a member of the International Thespian Society and a successful member of his school's debate team.
He was also a well-regarded high school football player and was active in both track and field and golf. When he was a sophomore in high school he discovered a relatively unused, dusty weight-machine in a backroom of the basketball gym. He began experimenting with weight training and very quickly built both size and strength - to such a degree that he began to lose interest in team sports and dedicated both his athletic and artistic efforts toward the -- then highly misunderstood -- sport of bodybuilding.
After high school graduation and a summer spent in U.S. Marine Corps boot camp at Parris Island, SC, Paris started college at Indiana State University, later transferring to Indiana University in Bloomington. He soon had the itch to see the world and set out for southern California to pursue his dream of becoming both an elite-level bodybuilder and a working actor, with an eye toward later becoming a successful writer.
When first in California, Paris had no contacts or friends in the area and survived a time of hand-to-mouth existence, often living out of his car. However, within a short time, his efforts in bodybuilding caught fire. Two years of arriving in LA, he had won the Mr. Los Angeles and Mr. Southern California. In 1983 he won both the NPC National Championships (Mr. America) and the IFBB World Championships (Mr. Universe). Paris went on to become one of the greatest professional bodybuilders in the sport's history. He was highly outspoken regarding the rights of athletes and in the quest to bring legitimate drug testing to the sport. In 2006, the official publication of the IFBB, Flex Magazine, named Paris the most aesthetic athlete in the history of bodybuilding. He retired twice from competition. The first retirement was in 1985 and lasted only two years. He made his final retirement from the sport in 1991.
Maintaining that early interest in acting and the theater, Paris spent his initial competitive retirement enrolled full-time in the advanced theater program at the famed Stella Adler Conservatory; he has also studied with other highly regarded acting coaches, including LA's Vincent Chase and Arthur Mendoza. Over the years he has performed to strong notices in a number of regional theater productions. In 1997, he made his New York stage debut in the Herbert Ross-directed production of the Cole Porter-Moss Hart musical Jubilee. He has recently returned to acting, having been cast in the recurring role of Bertram Rep on the Fox Television (2009) series, Defying Gravity.
As a writer, Paris is the author of seven books. His fitness books include, Beyond Built, Flawless, Natural Fitness and Prime, and are considered to be among the most authoritative, expertly written and user-friendly fitness books ever published. He has also written three critically acclaimed works of personal memoir. His novelistic memoir, Gorilla Suit, has been called the greatest book ever written about coming of age in the world of bodybuilding. Bob is presently finishing the literary novel, The Preservationist. He is also writing a one hour TV drama, Grow.
As a fitness and fashion model, Paris has been photographed by some of the world's leading photographers, including Herb Ritts and Bruce Weber.
In July 1989, Bob Paris came-out as a gay man in an interview with Ironman Magazine. Although, Paris initially believed he would do this interview and then seamlessly return to his career, events of the day led him into several years of intense social activism. In addition to scores of media appearances, Paris built upon his already developed skills as a public speaker and began touring the world to lecture on civil rights and self-esteem issues, eventually being nominated Lecturer of the Year on the US University circuit.
Today, Bob Paris lives with his spouse of nearly thirteen years, Brian. on an island near Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.- The future Italian epic star was registered as Roy Park in 1928, but little Reg was soon re-named after his father Reginald Park Snr., a well-known gymnasium proprietor in Leeds and owner of the Reg Park Barbell Company. Reg Jnr. played reserve team football for Leeds United before turning to body-building in 1946. He finished Mr Universe runner-up to future film rival Steve Reeves in 1950, then won the title outright in 1951, 1958 and 1965. After marrying South African-born Mareon Isaacs in Johannesburg in 1952, the Parks moved permanently to South Africa where Reg ran a chain of fitness studios. In December 1960 he was invited to Rome to star in two back-to-back Hercules movies, Hercules and the Captive Women (1961) followed immediately by Hercules in the Haunted World (1961). Since these were directed by intellectually acclaimed veterans Vittorio Cottafavi and Mario Bava, Reg Park himself became something of a cult personality in the Italian epic genre. His friend and protege Arnold Schwarzenegger considered Park to be the best of the "peplum" heroes.
Three more sword-and-sandals followed, including Maciste in King Solomon's Mines (1964) which, handily for Park, was filmed on location in South Africa. - Shawn Ray is a former professional bodybuilder and author. Signing his first professional bodybuilding sponsor contract in 1988, Ray has been featured in six video documentaries; Lifestyles of the Fit & Famous (Biopic), Final Countdown (Contest Prep for Olympia 1998), Inside & Out- Behind the Muscle, a look at his daily life on the Pro Circuit, To The Extreme (Training Video), Best of Shawn Ray (History of Shawn Ray). "Fitness After 40" which is a biographical and documentary in style, showcases Shawn's life after the competitive stage being married with his first child while getting back on the Horse and getting in shape.
Ray also wrote a book about how to become a bodybuilder, named The Shawn Ray Way. He has also featured in many fitness and bodybuilding magazines worldwide. Shawn was a co-host on Flex Magazine Workout on ESPN for 5 years as well as hosting bodybuilding competitions for ESPN as a commentator for 8 years.
Shawn was the Co-Master of Ceremonies for the 2006 and 2007 Mr. Olympia Competitions held in Las Vegas, Nevada. Shawn is the creator of the only charity fundraiser for professional bodybuilding, Vyo Tech Nutritionals presents: Shawn Ray's CHOC Hospital Golf Invitational. Over the last ten years with the help of other pro fitness, figure and bodybuilding champions, as well as supplement companies and magazines, Shawn has helped raise and donate over $55,000.00 to the Children's Hospital of Orange County by hosting this event annually at Black Gold Golf Club in Yorba Linda, CA.
Ray retired from competitive bodybuilding in 2001. He promoted the Shawn Ray Colorado Pro/Am Classic Contest-Expo, held in Denver, Colorado in 2006 and 2007. Shawn also produced a DVD titled 'Fitness after 40' in which he tries to get back into shape. Shawn is now a Feature Writer for Muscular Development Magazine and the Host of MD Radio and MDTV as an Interviewer. He is also making a video documentary called "Evolution of Bodybuilding". - Actor
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Kevin Mark Levrone (born July 16, 1964) is an American IFBB professional bodybuilder, IFBB Hall of Famer, blogger, musician and actor. Despite injuries and a long absence from the professional bodybuilding stage, Kevin has announced his return to Mr. Olympia in 2016. Born to an Italian American father and an African American mother, he lost both parents to cancer at a young age. Kevin began his professional IFBB career in 1991 after finishing first in the NPC Finals. After the 1992 Olympia in February 1993, Kevin completely tore his major and minor pectorals while bench pressing 600 pounds, and he needed surgery to reattach them. At that time everyone thought that Kevin's career was over. He had two surgeries, the first one lasted 8 hours. While he was healing from his first surgery he got an infection and he needed a second surgery.
Kevin has been in more than 12 Mr. Olympia competitions. Despite placing a number of times, Kevin never took first place in a Mr. Olympia competition earning him the nickname, "The Uncrowned King of Mr. Olympia".
Kevin was initially inspired to become a bodybuilder from seeing his cousin, after he came home from serving in the military. After seeing the size and condition of his cousin, Kevin says that is what made him more serious about working out and bodybuilding in general Kevin did not officially announce his retirement, he explained this as he never thought about retirement, he decided to do something different, find other challenges.Since ending his competition career, Levrone enjoys playing other sports like tennis and golf. Levrone's first film as an actor was Backlash. His later films were Redline and Burning Hollywood(TV Series).
Kevin frequently blogs and interacts with his social media following, streaming live Q and A sessions on Facebook with his followers.
Additionally, Kevin released an online training platform in early 2016 naming it TeamLevrone.com and in 2015 released a supplement line called, "Kevin Levrone Signature Series". Kevin's supplement line is available in a number of European countries, but has not yet been released in the United States.
In May 2016 after 13 years of not competing Kevin officially announced he will be coming out of retirement to compete in Mr. Olympia 2016 by special invite. Kevin made it official by signing the Mr. Olympia 2016 invite on a video on his website, the LevroneReport.com- Actor
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With an almost unpronounceable surname and a thick Austrian accent, who would have ever believed that a brash, quick talking bodybuilder from a small European village would become one of Hollywood's biggest stars, marry into the prestigious Kennedy family, amass a fortune via shrewd investments and one day be the Governor of California!?
The amazing story of megastar Arnold Schwarzenegger is a true "rags to riches" tale of a penniless immigrant making it in the land of opportunity, the United States of America. Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger was born July 30, 1947, in the town of Thal, Styria, Austria, to Aurelia Schwarzenegger (born Jadrny) and Gustav Schwarzenegger, the local police chief. From a young age, he took a keen interest in physical fitness and bodybuilding, going on to compete in several minor contests in Europe. However, it was when he emigrated to the United States in 1968 at the tender age of 21 that his star began to rise.
Up until the early 1970s, bodybuilding had been viewed as a rather oddball sport, or even a mis-understood "freak show" by the general public, however two entrepreneurial Canadian brothers Ben Weider and Joe Weider set about broadening the appeal of "pumping iron" and getting the sport respect, and what better poster boy could they have to lead the charge, then the incredible "Austrian Oak", Arnold Schwarzenegger. Over roughly the next decade, beginning in 1970, Schwarzenegger dominated the sport of competitive bodybuilding winning five Mr. Universe titles and seven Mr. Olympia titles and, with it, he made himself a major sports icon, he generated a new international audience for bodybuilding, gym memberships worldwide swelled by the tens of thousands and the Weider sports business empire flourished beyond belief and reached out to all corners of the globe. However, Schwarzenegger's horizons were bigger than just the landscape of bodybuilding and he debuted on screen as "Arnold Strong" in the low budget Hercules in New York (1970), then director Bob Rafelson cast Arnold in Stay Hungry (1976) alongside Jeff Bridges and Sally Field, for which Arnold won a Golden Globe Award for "Best Acting Debut in a Motion Picture". The mesmerizing Pumping Iron (1977) covering the 1975 Mr Olympia contest in South Africa has since gone on to become one of the key sports documentaries of the 20th century, plus Arnold landed other acting roles in the comedy The Villain (1979) opposite Kirk Douglas, and he portrayed Mickey Hargitay in the well- received TV movie The Jayne Mansfield Story (1980).
What Arnold really needed was a super hero / warrior style role in a lavish production that utilized his chiseled physique, and gave him room to show off his growing acting talents and quirky humor. Conan the Barbarian (1982) was just that role. Inspired by the Robert E. Howard short stories of the "Hyborean Age" and directed by gung ho director John Milius, and with a largely unknown cast, save Max von Sydow and James Earl Jones, "Conan" was a smash hit worldwide and an inferior, although still enjoyable sequel titled Conan the Destroyer (1984) quickly followed. If "Conan" was the kick start to Arnold's movie career, then his next role was to put the pedal to the floor and accelerate his star status into overdrive. Director James Cameron had until that time only previously directed one earlier feature film titled Piranha II: The Spawning (1982), which stank of rotten fish from start to finish. However, Cameron had penned a fast paced, science fiction themed film script that called for an actor to play an unstoppable, ruthless predator - The Terminator (1984). Made on a relatively modest budget, the high voltage action / science fiction thriller The Terminator (1984) was incredibly successful worldwide, and began one of the most profitable film franchises in history. The dead pan phrase "I'll be back" quickly became part of popular culture across the globe. Schwarzenegger was in vogue with action movie fans, and the next few years were to see Arnold reap box office gold in roles portraying tough, no-nonsense individuals who used their fists, guns and witty one-liners to get the job done. The testosterone laden Commando (1985), Raw Deal (1986), Predator (1987), The Running Man (1987) and Red Heat (1988) were all box office hits and Arnold could seemingly could no wrong when it came to picking winning scripts. The tongue-in-cheek comedy Twins (1988) with co-star Danny DeVito was a smash and won Arnold new fans who saw a more comedic side to the muscle- bound actor once described by Australian author / TV host Clive James as "a condom stuffed with walnuts". The spectacular Total Recall (1990) and "feel good" Kindergarten Cop (1990) were both solid box office performers for Arnold, plus he was about to return to familiar territory with director James Cameron in Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991). The second time around for the futuristic robot, the production budget had grown from the initial film's $6.5 million to an alleged $100 million for the sequel, and it clearly showed as the stunning sequel bristled with amazing special effects, bone-crunching chases & stunt sequences, plus state of the art computer-generated imagery. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) was arguably the zenith of Arnold's film career to date and he was voted "International Star of the Decade" by the National Association of Theatre Owners.
Remarkably, his next film Last Action Hero (1993) brought Arnold back to Earth with a hard thud as the self-satirizing, but confusing plot line of a young boy entering into a mythical Hollywood action film confused movie fans even more and they stayed away in droves making the film an initial financial disaster. Arnold turned back to good friend, director James Cameron and the chemistry was definitely still there as the "James Bond" style spy thriller True Lies (1994) co-starring Jamie Lee Curtis and Tom Arnold was the surprise hit of 1994! Following the broad audience appeal of True Lies (1994), Schwarzenegger decided to lean towards more family-themed entertainment with Junior (1994) and Jingle All the Way (1996), but he still found time to satisfy his hard-core fan base with Eraser (1996), as the chilling "Mr. Freeze" in Batman & Robin (1997) and battling dark forces in the supernatural action of End of Days (1999). The science fiction / conspiracy tale The 6th Day (2000) played to only mediocre fan interest, and Collateral Damage (2002) had its theatrical release held over for nearly a year after the tragic events of Sept 11th 2001, but it still only received a lukewarm reception.
It was time again to resurrect Arnold's most successful franchise and, in 2003, Schwarzenegger pulled on the biker leathers for the third time for Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003). Unfortunately, directorial duties passed from James Cameron to Jonathan Mostow and the deletion of the character of "Sarah Connor" aka Linda Hamilton and a change in the actor playing "John Connor" - Nick Stahl took over from Edward Furlong - making the third entry in the "Terminator" series the weakest to date.
Schwarzenegger married TV journalist Maria Shriver in April, 1986 and the couple have four children.
In October of 2003 Schwarzenegger, running as a Republican, was elected Governor of California in a special recall election of then governor Gray Davis. The "Governator," as Schwarzenegger came to be called, held the office until 2011. Upon leaving the Governor's mansion it was revealed that he had fathered a child with the family's live-in maid and Shriver filed for divorce.
Schwarzenegger contributed cameo roles to The Rundown (2003), Around the World in 80 Days (2004) and The Kid & I (2005). Recently, he starred in The Expendables 2 (2012), The Last Stand (2013), Escape Plan (2013), The Expendables 3 (2014), and Terminator Genisys (2015).- Actor
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An internationally famous and well respected bodybuilder / actor, Lou Ferrigno first appeared on TV screens in 1977 as the musclebound title character of The Incredible Hulk (1978), the alter ego of meek scientist David Banner. Ferrigno was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1951 and as a child suffered from an ear infection that resulted in permanent partial hearing loss. Undeterred by what some may have perceived as a disadvantage, Lou threw himself into athletics (predominantly weightlifting and body building) and at the age of 21 won his first Mr. Universe title. For good measure, he came back and won it again the following year!
He also played professional football in the Canadian Football League, before coming to the attention of producer Kenneth Johnson, who was seeking just the right person to portray on screen the comic book superhero, The Incredible Hulk. With his 6'5", 285 lbs. frame, Lou was the biggest professional bodybuilder of the time, and had recently starred in the documentary Pumping Iron (1977), about the 1975 Mr. Olympia contest in South Africa. He successfully auditioned for the part of the green-skinned Goliath, and that is the role with which he is most closely identified.
"The Hulk" was a huge ratings success and spawned several telemovies after the initial TV series completed its run. Lou continued to remain busy in films and TV with appearances often centered around his remarkable physique. His films included Hercules (1983), Sinbad of the Seven Seas (1989) and Frogtown II (1992). Lou has additionally guest-starred on several TV shows including The Fall Guy (1981) and The New Mike Hammer (1984) and had a recurring role on The King of Queens (1998). In 1997 he was featured in the dynamic documentary about his sensational return to professional bodybuilding at age 43, Stand Tall (1997). The film detailed how he returned to compete in the Masters category of the Mr. Olympia contest against several familiar bodybuilding foes. In more recent years, he has appeared in several films, including The Misery Brothers (1995), Ping! (2000), From Heaven to Hell (2002) and a cameo as a security guard in the big-budget remake of Hulk (2003).
Big Lou is also a successful author with two books detailing his bodybuilding knowledge, and his life behind the scenes playing the Incredible Hulk on TV in the 1970s, plus he has a popular website frequented by his many fans worldwide.- Director
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Jay Cutler has always known the value of hard work. He started working as a construction worker at the age of 11, began training in the gym at 18, going on to win numerous competitions as a pro. Jay left the sport as a legend of the sport in 2013, after winning the prestigious Mr. Olympia 4 times. He's one of the greatest bodybuilders ever - but he wanted to become a corrections officer for a maximum security prison in his youth. Born and raised in Massachusetts, America, Jay Cutler grew up in a large family, as the youngest of seven siblings. He began working with his brother in the construction business at the age of 11, naturally developing a muscular physique. Although Jay had been lugging concrete blocks around throughout his youth, it wasn't until he was 18 that he entered the gym to start lifting weights. However, at this point, Jay hadn't considered a career as a bodybuilder. During his time in College, Jay fell in love with the gym after training almost every day. He made serious progress to his physique and began being noticed around his local area for his strong build. After encouragement from a personal trainer at his gym, he entered his first competition as a bodybuilder in 1993, at the age of 20 - the NPC Iron Bodies Invitational show. Impressively, Jay walked away from the show after winning both the teenage and men's heavyweight divisions. He realized his potential to succeed in the industry and decided to pursue a career in fitness. In 1996, he returned to the stage with an incredible package for his biggest show yet - the 1996 NPC Nationals. Jay continued his winning streak by placing 1st, but he'd won more than just a trophy. At the age of 23, Jay had achieved what some athletes spend 10 years trying to do - he'd earned his Pro Card, becoming a professional bodybuilder. The young athlete was on the road to becoming a legend. Over the course of the next 10 years, Jay entered a massive 23 competitions - winning 11 of them and placing in the top 3 numerous times. During this time, he became one of the greatest bodybuilders in the world. Many even believed that he should have beaten Ronnie Coleman at the 2001 Mr. Olympia. However, it was in 2006, at the age of 33, when Jay really reached the peak of his career. Between 2006-2010, Jay battled against the likes of Ronnie Coleman and Phil Heath in the most prestigious competition in bodybuilding - the Mr. Olympia. He won every year during this period, except for in 2008, taking home 4 Sandows in total. Jay continued competing for a further 3 years, appearing in as many shows. However, he stepped on stage as a competitor for the last time at the 2013 Mr. Olympia. Although he didn't win, Jay had done enough to cement his place among the legends of the sport. He left the sport as a bodybuilding icon.- Lee Haney is an American bodybuilder, eight-time holder of the title "Mr. Olympia." Lee started training in school, and won his first big tournament "Mr. America" among teenagers in 1979, at age 19. Not stopping at the achieved, Lee wins his first "Mr. Olympia" in 1984. His last, eighth title "Mr. Olympia", Haney wins in 1991. Ronnie Coleman managed to achieve the same success fourteen years later, in 2005. Lee has not participated in bodybuilding tournaments for a long time, but continues to deal with bodybuilding. He owns two gyms in Atlanta. Lee Haney is an instructor and coach, he works with many world athletes. He was also a member of the International Federation of Bodybuilders (IFBB).
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Greg Kovacs is known for O Christmas Tree (2015), Tasha and Friends (2013) and O Come All Ye Zombies (2014).- Craig Titus was born on 15 January 1967 in Wyandotte, Michigan, USA. He was previously married to Kelly Ryan.
- Mike Mentzer was born on 15 November 1951 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. He was a director, known for The Comeback (1980), Mike Mentzer's HIT Exercise Video (2008) and Schwarzenegger: Total Rebuild (1988). He died on 20 June 2001 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
- Richard DuBois was born on 4 March 1933 in The Bronx, New York, USA. He was an actor, known for Athena (1954), Ford Star Jubilee (1955) and The Mike Douglas Show (1961). He was married to Gladys DuBois. He died on 26 September 2007 in Santa Monica, California, USA.
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Handsome bodybuilder Steve Reeves certainly had an enviable Herculean physique, and made plenty good use of it in Europe during the late 1950s and early 1960s portraying some of filmdom's most famous bronzed gods. Reeves was originally a Montana boy born on a cattle ranch in 1926. His destiny was revealed early in the game when, at the age of six months, he won his first fitness title as "Healthiest Baby of Valley County." His father Lester died in a farming accident when Steve was just a boy, and his family moved to Oakland (California). He first developed an interest in bodybuilding while in high school.
Steve joined the Army in his late teens where his job was loading boxcars and trucks. He also worked out loyally at the gym during his free time and the combination helped develop his body quite rapidly. Following Army service (he served for a time in the Pacific), he decided to pursue bodybuilding professionally. In 1946, at the age of 20, he won "Mr. Pacific Coast" in Oregon, which led to his titles of "Mr. Western America" (1947), Mr. America" (1947), "Mr. World" (1948) and, ultimately, "Mr. Universe" (1950).
With all the body-worshiping publicity he garnered, he decided to travel to New York to study and pursue acting. He subsequently returned to California...and Hollywood. There were not huge opportunities for a muscleman in Tinseltown other than providing pectoral background. Steve was, however, considered for the lead role in Cecil B. DeMille's biblical costumer Samson and Delilah (1949), but refused when told by the legendary director he would have to lose some of his musculature (about 15 lbs.). The part instead went to Victor Mature. Steve did manage to snag the role of a detective in infamous director Edward D. Wood Jr.'s Jail Bait (1954). Small parts on TV also came his way, but they too were mostly posing bits or walk-ons. To the Hollywood power players, Steve was just a body. Whether he could act or not was not a concern or selling point. Fans just wanted to see him take his shirt off.
Down on his luck, Steve's fortunes change when Italian film director Pietro Francisci saw him play Jane Powell's boyfriend in the feature film Athena (1954) and persuaded him to go overseas to star in Hercules (1958) (US title: "Hercules"). Though critics dismissed the film as "muddled mythology" while denigrating its cheapjack production values (including a poorly-dubbed sound track), the public went crazy over the sword-and-sandal epic and, in particular, Steve's marvelous beefcake heroics. He became an "overnight" star. Sequels followed, none any better or worse, with him going through the paces as a number absurdly-muscled biblical and mythological figures. An able horseman, he also performed many of his own stunts. Moreover, he paved the way for other pumped-up acting hopefuls (Ed Fury, Mark Forest, Reg Park) to seek their fame and fortune in Italy as a feature-length Samson, Ursus or Colossus. Nobody, however, came close to topping Steve in popularity.
A shoulder injury forced Steve's retirement, spending the remainder of his life promoting steroid-free bodybuilding while living on a ranch and breeding horses. The more recent bodybuilders of fame such as Arnold Schwarzenegger and Lou Ferrigno, both Hercules impersonators of yore, have given Steve significant credit for their respective acting successes. Married twice, Steve died in Southern California of lymphoma on May 1, 2000, at age 74.- Kip Behar was born on 12 April 1936 in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA. He is an actor, known for Beauty and the Body (1963).
- Ed Fury was born on 6 June 1928 in Long Island, New York, USA. He was an actor, known for Valley of the Lions (1961), Ursus in the Land of Fire (1963) and Ursus (1961). He was married to Marceline Yvette Dubois. He died on 24 February 2023 in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA.
- Joe Gold was born on 10 March 1922 in Los Angeles, California, USA. He was an actor, known for I Spy (1965) and You Bet Your Life (1950). He died on 11 July 2004 in Marina Del Rey, California, USA.
- Larry Scott was born on 12 October 1938 in Blackfoot, Idaho, USA. He was an actor, known for Muscle Beach Party (1964) and Evolution of Bodybuilding (2012). He was married to Rachel Ichikawa. He died on 8 March 2014 in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.
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Peter Lupus was born on 17 June 1932 in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for Mission: Impossible (1966), Challenge of the Gladiator (1965) and Goliath at the Conquest of Damascus (1965). He has been married to Sharon M. Hildebrand since 27 November 1960. They have one child.- Francois Papillon was born on 9 December 1958 in Paris, France. He is an actor.
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Frank Zane was born on 28 June 1942 in Kingston, Pennsylvania, USA. He is a writer and actor, known for Hart to Hart (1979), See Arnold Run (2005) and Frank Zane Defined.- Samir Bannout is a Lebanese bodybuilder and actor, holder of the title "Mr. Olympia" (1983). Samir began to engage in early bodybuilding - the first training began at 14. Rapid growth of muscles and almost perfect proportions were noticeable from the first months of training, which quickly developed Bannout's interest in bodybuilding. The first training gym he equipped directly on the roof of his own house. After six months of training, Bannout won the Lebanese Junior Championship, which further fueled his enthusiasm. Soon Samir moved from Lebanon to the United States. A professional IFBB card was awarded in 1979 after winning the Amateur World Championships in Montreal. In 1983, he was bowed to the main bodybuilding title - Mr. Olympia. However, after such a brilliant triumph, Samir's career approached its sunset. In 1984, Samir was suspended for 3 years by the IFBB from competitions held by the federation due to a conflict with one of its functionaries. In the future, he failed to win serious victories. Bannout left professional bodybuilding in 1996. Thus, his sports career lasted 17 years. In 2002, Bannout took a deserved place in the IFBB Hall of Fame.
- Lee Labrada is an American bodybuilder, professional bodybuilder of IFBB - International Federation of Bodybuilders, creator and CEO of Labrada Nutrition; winner of numerous awards in the world of bodybuilding, inscribed in the IFBB Hall of Fame. To train with weights little Lee was inspired by his own father, who trained with a 50 kg barbell. Lee Labrada's debut as a bodybuilder took place in 1982 at the Texas Collegiate Championships, organized by the National Committee for Physical Culture (NPC), where he won first place. The professional debut of Labrada took place in 1985 in the contest Mr. Universe, 1st prize. In 1986 he won the Night of Champions. Since 1987, he has been a seven-time participant of Mr. Olympia, but he did not win any of these competitions. He used an athletic style, the main thing of which was the creation of a slender, athletic body. Lee Labrada finished his sports career in 1995.
- Upon a quick glance, you might believe in Calum von Moger's a re-embodiment of Arnold Schwarzenegger himself.
Calum was raised in a small town in central Victoria, Australia with 5 siblings on a small farm. Calum's parents kept several small farm animals and grew most of the family's fruits and vegetables. The environment where Calum grew up undoubtedly helped shape his mindset on discipline and he learned to place a high value on food and nutrition. At age 14, he and his brother started training at an old warehouse with rusty iron dumbbells and barbells. It was at this time when Calum learned about the body and how to build muscle.
Fast forward to 2018 and Calum has become one of the most popular fitness pros to emerge from the new generation of young competitors. Now a 3 time Mr Universe winner, Calum is amongst the most sought after athletes in the world. Utilizing social media to bring attention to his on screen presence, Calum has grown to over 3.1 million followers on Instagram. He has built a brand, reputation and has managed to crossover to the entertainment industry. He first starred in the film, 'Generation Iron 2' (Netflix), Directed by Vlad Yudin in 2017. He later journeyed into Film by co-starring as a young Arnold in the new movie, "Bigger," Directed by George Gallo and co-starring Tyler Hoechlin and Julianne Hough in 2018.
In May of 2019, Generation Iron released Calum's documentary on his life story via Netflix, titled, "Calum von Moger Unbroken." He recently was featured in the Gucci Pre-Fall 2019 Campaign. Calum resides in Los Angeles, CA and is managed by Edwin Mejia Jr at The Vladar Company. - Writer
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Richard Piana was an American bodybuilder who won the Mr. California title along with competitions in Los Angeles in 2003 and Sacramento in 2009. His admission in 2016 that he used steroids as part of his regimen was controversial. Piana often appeared in commercials and television series such as Scrubs and Ripley's Believe It or Not. He was a stuntman in the film Planet of the Apes and was the owner of 5% Nutrition. In 1998 he was named Mr California having won the Mr Teen California aged 18, nine years earlier. He was a controversial figure having openly admitted using steroids for more than 30 years and was thrust into the spotlight in 2016 when he openly admitted he uses the drug to gain muscle mass. Rich no longer took part in bodybuilding competitions in his final years, spending his time catering to his massive online following and promoting his business. In a YouTube video he posted in 2016, Piana said he took steroids on-and-off over the course of 27 years, and advised his followers against the same unhealthy routine, while ultimately backing up his decision. Adding 'If you have the choice to do steroids or stay natural, stay natural. There's no reason to do steroids, you're only hurting your body and hurting yourself'. He died at August 25 morning after spending more than two weeks in an induced coma.- Actor
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- Sandow was already a great admirer of Greek and Roman statues of gladiators and mythical heroes when his father took him to Italy as a boy. By the time he was 19, he was already performing strongman stunts in side shows. The legendary Florenz Ziegfeld saw the young strongman and hired him for his carnival show. He soon found that the audience was far more fascinated by Sandows' bulging muscles than by the amount of weight he was lifting, so Ziegfeld had Sandow perform poses which he dubbed "muscle display performances." The legendary strongman added these displays in addition to performing his feats of strength with barbells. He also added chain-around-the-chest breaking and other colorful displays to Sandows routine. Sandow quickly became a sensation and Ziegfeld's first star.
Sandow's resemblance to the physiques found on classic Greek and Roman sculpture was no accident. He actually measured the marble artworks in museums and helped to develope "The Grecian Ideal" as a formula for the perfect physique. He built his physique to those exact proportions. Because of this, he is considered to be the father of modern bodybuilding, having been one of the first athletes to intentionally develope his musculature to pre-determined dimensions.
Sandow performed all over Europe and came to America to perform at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. He could be seen in a black velvet-lined box with his body covered in white powder to appear even more like a marble statue come to life. His popularity grew since he was cultured, highly intelligent, and well-mannered. He also dressed very well and had a charming European accent, coupled with deep blue eyes and hearty laugh. He wrote several books on bodybuilding, nutrition and encouraged a healthy lifestyle as being as important as having a sound mind.
He was married to Blanche Brooks Sandow, had 2 daughters, but was probably unfaithful to her, since he was constantly in the company of women who paid money to feel his flexed muscles back stage after his stage performances. He also had a close relationship to a male musician he hired to accompany him during his shows. The man was Martinus Sieveking, a handsome pupil of Sandow. The degree of their relationship has never been determined, but they lived together in New York for a time.
Sandow knew many famous people in his lifetime... among his friends were Arthur Conan Doyle; Thomas Edison, who made early motion pictures of Sandow; the King of England; Isabella Gardner of Boston and many other celebrities of the day. Sandow invented many bodybuilding exercises, some still used today, and equipment such as a lightweight dumbbell-shaped hand exerciser that was spring-loaded. He was quite generous with his time and money -- out of his own pocket, he paid the housing costs of foreign athletes at the Olympic Games held in London. Sandow was the promoter and judge at the first bodybuilding contest ever held, in New York on September 14, 1901. Sandow also made a world tour in 1903. He died prematurely in 1925 at age 58 of a stroke shortly after pushing his car out of the mud.
Sandow was a charming, intelligent and industrious man who worked very hard for what he earned. He also inspired countless men to look at their bodies as something at least as important as their minds, since for several decades in the 19th century, more men were working in offices as clerks, bankers and other jobs which turned many bodies pale and weak. He changed countless attitudes about health and fitness, and we continue to feel its effects today. - Lee Priest was born on 6 July 1972. He is an actor, known for Addiction: A 60's Love Story (2015), Darradong Local Council (2023) and Dumb Criminals: The Movie (2015).
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Gunter Schlierkamp was born on 2 February 1970 in Olfen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. He is an actor, known for Beerfest (2006), Hulk (2003) and Never Surrender (2009). He has been married to Kim Lyons since March 2007.- Spyros Bournazos is known for Gynaikes dilitirio (1993), O Drakoulas ton Exarheion (1983) and Oi adistaktoi (1988).
- Kostas Bournazos is known for O Drakoulas ton Exarheion (1983).
- Dimitris Papadogiorgakis is known for Raky No 0, to noumero (1985), Roky-0 No 2 (1987) and O fotografos kai ta manoulia tou (1986).
- Danny Padilla was born on 3 April 1951. He is an actor, known for Super Troopers (2001), The Comeback (1980) and Pumping Iron (1977).
- Phillip Jerrod "Phil" Heath (born December 18, 1979) is an American IFBB professional bodybuilder. He is a six-time Mr. Olympia winner, having placed 1st in the competition every year from 2011 to 2016. His 2016 Mr. Olympia win tied him with Dorian Yates for the fourth all-time number of wins behind Lee Haney (8), Ronnie Coleman (8), and Arnold Schwarzenegger (7).
- Boyer Coe was born on 18 August 1946.
- Troy Zuccolotto was born on 9 July 1961 in Riverside, California, USA. He is an actor, known for Killpoint (1984), Full House (1987) and Doogie Howser, M.D. (1989).
- Robbie Robinson became a Professional Bodybuilder in 1975. He retired in 2001 after more than 300 international and successful contests. First winner of Night of the Champions 1979 and the Master Mr. Olympia 1994 (where he beat the famous "Hulk" Lou Ferrigno). Now lives in Venice CA. Probably the BB Competitor with the longest career. His fight against steroids and corruption in the BB Business makes him an outsider and for the big business leaders of muscles a "Bad Boy of Bodybuilding". Because he started in a lighter class he never had competition against Arnold Schwarzenegger (until 1979 there were two classes, lightweight and heavyweight).
- Joe Weider was a Canadian bodybuilder and entrepreneur who co-founded the International Federation of BodyBuilders (IFBB) alongside his brother Ben Weider. He was also the creator of the Mr. Olympia bodybuilding contest. Joe Weider was the publisher of several bodybuilding and fitness-related magazines, most notably Muscle & Fitness, Flex, Men's Fitness and Shape, and the manufacturer of a line of fitness equipment and fitness supplements. Weider was born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. His parents were Louis and Anna Weider, Polish Jewish emigrants from the town of Kurów, Poland. Joe published the first issue of Your Physique magazine in 1940, and built a set of barbells out of car wheels and axles the same year out of the family garage on Coloniale Street in Montreal. He designed numerous training courses beginning in the 1950s, including the Weider System of Bodybuilding. Arnold Schwarzenegger credited Weider with inspiring him to enter bodybuilding and to come to the United States. Weider died of heart failure on March 23, 2013 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California at the age of 93.
- Tom Platz is professional actor and bodybuilder. Known as Golden Eagle. Tacitly considered uncrowned Mr. Olympia 1981. In 1965, Thomas was 10 years old when he began to train, his parents bought him Joe Weider's guide in training along with full equipment. According to the athlete, when he first felt the bar in his hands, his life changed. The boy followed every word of the manual, devoting all his free time to training. Soon he caught the eye of a magazine with photographs of Dave Draper, and Tom firmly decided to devote his life to bodybuilding. Moving to California, Tom accidentally settled near Draper and often practiced with the idol of his childhood. Thomas managed to be Arnold Schwarzenegger's student, he learned to plan his actions from him. Debuting on the amateur world championship in 1978, which took place in Acapulco, Mexico Platz took 1st place in the middle weight category and won the "Absolute category". In the following 1979, participated in the tournament Mr. Olympia, he took 8th place. At the "World Championship Pro" in 1980, Platz took second place, letting forward Jusup Wilkosz. The best result of Tom in the competitive career was 3rd place on Mr. Olympia in 1981. Tom Platz finished his sport's career in 1987. After the completion of his career, the sportsman began to act in films. Was a bodybuilding coach, in addition, in the "International Association of Sports Science" Tom Platz took the chair of the head of the bodybuilding department.
- Dennis Tinerino was born on 23 December 1945 in Manhattan, New York, USA. He was an actor, known for Hercules in New York (1970), Americathon (1979) and The Comeback (1980). He was married to Anita Conti. He died on 7 May 2010 in Northridge, California, USA.
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Peter Paul and his twin brother David, were born in Hartford, Connecticut, in the U.S. They are both professional body builders and have been known as "The Barbarian Brothers". He and David are both actors and producers, known for Twin Sitters (1994), The Barbarians (1987), Think Big (1989) and Natural Born Killers (1994).- Actor
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David Paul, first discovered with his twin brother for their muscular physiques and good looks, starred in films such as The Barbarian Brothers and evolved with excellent comedic timing to star in Twin Sitters, babysitting a couple of evil rich kids. Aside from acting, David has had many celebrated shows of his photography all around the US and developed his cinematographic abilities to create and shoot original films such as Faith Street Corner Tavern, which was spotlighted in International Film Festivals. David Paul excels before and behind the camera.