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Getbig Main Boards => Gossip & Opinions => Topic started by: Matt C on October 12, 2010, 02:37:59 PM

Title: Bertil Fox - Death and the Bodybuilder.
Post by: Matt C on October 12, 2010, 02:37:59 PM
Some people were asking me about this so I decided to upload it [sorry about the volume it's the best I could get]:





I think Bertil was kind of like the Johnnie O. Jackson of his era when you compare the powerful physiques they had.  Some people called Bertil "narrow" but I disagree.  Although from the back I think it became obvious why Samir beat him in 1983.

Notice in part 2/4 starting at 1:50 what the IFBB judge Ivan Dunbar said?  He's basically saying that bodybuilders should suck up to the judges to get better placings.  When I talked to Samir, he said he felt Bertil deserved to be in the top three in 1983.

The first picture attached is from the 1983 Mr. Olympia contest.  Looks like quite the turnout!
Title: Re: Bertil Fox - Death and the Bodybuilder.
Post by: 240 is Back on October 12, 2010, 02:39:15 PM
mouthy..........
Title: Re: Bertil Fox - Death and the Bodybuilder.
Post by: tendonitis on October 12, 2010, 02:41:05 PM
dude had a killer physique back in the day
Title: Re: Bertil Fox - Death and the Bodybuilder.
Post by: NarcissisticDeity on October 12, 2010, 02:41:16 PM
Some people were asking me about this so I decided to upload it [sorry about the volume it's the best I could get]:





I think Bertil was kind of like the Johnnie O. Jackson of his era when you compare the powerful physiques they had.  Some people called Bertil "narrow" but I disagree.  Although from the back I think it became obvious why Samir beat him in 1983.

Notice in part 2/4 starting at 1:50 what the IFBB judge Ivan Dunbar said?  He's basically saying that bodybuilders should suck up to the judges to get better placings.  When I talked to Samir, he said he felt Bertil deserved to be in the top three in 1983.

The first picture attached is from the 1983 Mr. Olympia contest.  Looks like quite the turnout!

Bertil was narrow , he had awesome pecs , delts , arms and traps but not much more when dieted down he wasn't as much as a force
Title: Re: Bertil Fox - Death and the Bodybuilder.
Post by: Matt C on October 12, 2010, 02:52:55 PM
Bertil was narrow , he had awesome pecs , delts , arms and traps but not much more when dieted down he wasn't as much as a force

ND, it was in fact your posts that helped me to see the light regarding Samir's win at the 1983 Mr. Olympia.  It really wasn't close when Samir and Bertil turned around.  Samir's back made Bertil's look like it belonged to an amateur.  Kind of surprising given that his upper body was the most developed on the stage that day.  Still, I would subscribe to Samir's notion that Bertil deserved to be in the top three.  I would have probably placed him 2nd myself.  I just don't understand 5th place and I can understand why such a placing would have been devastating to him.
Title: Re: Bertil Fox - Death and the Bodybuilder.
Post by: Army of One on October 12, 2010, 02:58:54 PM
Bertil was narrow , he had awesome pecs , delts , arms and traps but not much more when dieted down he wasn't as much as a force

I dont know, some guys would kill to have that physique.
Title: Re: Bertil Fox - Death and the Bodybuilder.
Post by: noworries on October 12, 2010, 03:01:18 PM
Man I remember the first day Bertil came to the gym.  Kal was loving it.  Him benching at 12:10 brought back memories
Title: Re: Bertil Fox - Death and the Bodybuilder.
Post by: Chick on October 12, 2010, 03:03:05 PM
ND, it was in fact your posts that helped me to see the light regarding Samir's win at the 1983 Mr. Olympia.  It really wasn't close when Samir and Bertil turned around.  Samir's back made Bertil's look like it belonged to an amateur.  Kind of surprising given that his upper body was the most developed on the stage that day.  Still, I would subscribe to Samir's notion that Bertil deserved to be in the top three.  I would have probably placed him 2nd myself.  I just don't understand 5th place and I can understand why such a placing would have been devastating to him.

Easily understood...Makkaway, Haney and Zane were all better than Bertil....more seperated, better posers, better conditioned. I'm not sure Bertil EVER placed ahead of any of them at any point in his career.
Title: Re: Bertil Fox - Death and the Bodybuilder.
Post by: NarcissisticDeity on October 12, 2010, 03:03:22 PM
I dont know, some guys would kill to have that physique.

absolutely however that doesn't have much to do with competition , he was strong as an ox to boot as well , he was like a smaller earlier version of Ronnie
Title: Re: Bertil Fox - Death and the Bodybuilder.
Post by: MAXX on October 12, 2010, 03:54:40 PM
nvm
Title: Re: Bertil Fox - Death and the Bodybuilder.
Post by: Jizzacked on October 12, 2010, 04:04:09 PM
thanks for uploading the vid.. I just finished watching it.  pretty interesting stuff getting to hear the in depth story of it all.  I was hoping they would have some interview footage with him behind bars but still good.

I admit though I had to smile when at the end his buddy said that bertil having to see himself as 160lbs was probably way worse than execution could have ever been  ;D
Title: Re: Bertil Fox - Death and the Bodybuilder.
Post by: Matt C on October 12, 2010, 10:02:47 PM
Easily understood...Makkaway, Haney and Zane were all better than Bertil....more seperated, better posers, better conditioned. I'm not sure Bertil EVER placed ahead of any of them at any point in his career.

I guess if posing and conditioning trumped the mass Bertil brought to the table.  I didn't think he was particularly far off that year.  Frankly, I think he had a deadly physique.
Title: Re: Bertil Fox - Death and the Bodybuilder.
Post by: g101 on October 12, 2010, 11:06:42 PM
very sad
Title: Re: Bertil Fox - Death and the Bodybuilder.
Post by: Croatch on October 12, 2010, 11:17:16 PM
"Bertil hated white people."
hahah

Apparently, he wasn't hip the ol' man schmoeing Weider corporation?  You had a lot to learn about bbing Bertil, a lot. ;D
Title: Re: Bertil Fox - Death and the Bodybuilder.
Post by: Matt C on October 12, 2010, 11:18:24 PM
I admit though I had to smile when at the end his buddy said that bertil having to see himself as 160lbs was probably way worse than execution could have ever been  ;D

LOL!!!!!!!  Man that's probably true too.  Bertil was the kind of bodybuilder who considered himself small even when he was huge.  I can't imagine how he feels now at almost 60 and maybe 160 pounds as Rick Wayne suggested.
Title: Re: Bertil Fox - Death and the Bodybuilder.
Post by: keanu on October 13, 2010, 01:39:40 AM
Today he is in a cell with 13 other guys like a caged rat, and deservedly so. When he first became popular Bob Kennedy from musclemag proclaimed he was the best in the world. Many writers saw him as the second coming of Sergio Oliva.
Title: Re: Bertil Fox - Death and the Bodybuilder.
Post by: Matt C on October 13, 2010, 01:42:26 AM
Today he is in a cell with 13 other guys like a caged rat, and deservedly so.

That's true, what he did was pretty brutal.

On a positive note, amazing scene from the Olympia:

(http://www.getbig.com/boards/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=351709.0;attach=386987;image)
Title: Re: Bertil Fox - Death and the Bodybuilder.
Post by: keanu on October 13, 2010, 01:47:14 AM
On a positive note, amazing scene from the Olympia:

(http://www.getbig.com/boards/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=351709.0;attach=386987;image)

1983 was the last year before the size at all costs took over, and the fans loved it. Back then hardcore bodybuilding was MUCH more popular then today. Haney took it to a new size level. Yates brought in the huge GH guts, and Ronnie brought in the 7 months pregnant look in the early 2000's. Now we have a guy that looks like a refrigerator with veins as the top guy.
Title: Re: Bertil Fox - Death and the Bodybuilder.
Post by: Matt C on October 13, 2010, 02:08:44 AM
1983 was the last year before the size at all costs took over, and the fans loved it. Back then bodybuilding was MUCH more popular then today. Haney to it to a new size level. Yates brought in the huge GH guts, and Ronnie brought in the 7 months pregnant look in the early 2000's. Now we have a guy that looks like a refrigerator with veins as the top guy.

Good assessment.  I know people talk about what it would take for bodybuilding to go mainstream on here but honestly I don't think that will ever happen.  Bodybuilding is not like hockey or UFC or something that is exciting to watch.  It's more like a male beauty pageant which I think will always sort of be niche/fringe.  But I was quite shocked with how many empty seats there were at the Olympia this year.  I would expect that at the very least, the Olympia would be a sold out show but apparently not.  Looking at the images from the 1983 Mr. Olympia it seemed to be a lot more popular.
Title: Re: Bertil Fox - Death and the Bodybuilder.
Post by: Figo on October 13, 2010, 02:23:26 AM
1983 was the last year before the size at all costs took over, and the fans loved it. Back then bodybuilding was MUCH more popular then today. Haney to it to a new size level. Yates brought in the huge GH guts, and Ronnie brought in the 7 months pregnant look in the early 2000's. Now we have a guy that looks like a refrigerator with veins as the top guy.


till then the physiques seemed attainnable and were appealing with each guy possessing unique attributes,

they didnt look inhuman, and just a blob of striated, veiny mass with a head & limbs.

Mike Christian was a mass monster of his day... now, he'd be told to up the dosage...
Title: Re: Bertil Fox - Death and the Bodybuilder.
Post by: Immortal_Technique on October 13, 2010, 02:35:30 AM
In a funny sort of way if only he'd trained his back as hard as everything else he might have got better than 5th in 83 and not become as frustrated and violent.
Title: Re: Bertil Fox - Death and the Bodybuilder.
Post by: Parker on October 13, 2010, 02:40:11 AM
Good assessment.  I know people talk about what it would take for bodybuilding to go mainstream on here but honestly I don't think that will ever happen.  Bodybuilding is not like hockey or UFC or something that is exciting to watch.  It's more like a male beauty pageant which I think will always sort of be niche/fringe.  But I was quite shocked with how many empty seats there were at the Olympia this year.  I would expect that at the very least, the Olympia would be a sold out show but apparently not.  Looking at the images from the 1983 Mr. Olympia it seemed to be a lot more popular.
Imagine Phil Heath doing a Jordan Brand commercial, during the Superbowl... arms crossed, then fading to him dunking a basketball, then highlighting training arms, legs, then hitting a BDB, and him talking about hardwork...then you here a piano riff, fading out you see him playing...
Or a alternate commerical where he is talking about how he is a "hater". He "hates" quiters. then you see him military pressing...He "hates" people who don't put their all into something, then you see him training arms. He "hates" those people who are not willing to go the distance for what they want, you see him doing a BDB...He "hates" who are not multifaceted, you see him dunking and playing the piano...then fade to him crosing his arms with his signature stare...and his name goes up on the screen, underneath the Nike and Jordan Brand...

Now that would get bbing into the mainstream, at least get people talking about it...  
Title: Re: Bertil Fox - Death and the Bodybuilder.
Post by: Swedish Viking on October 13, 2010, 03:07:49 AM
Is he still alive or did he actually get executed now?
Title: Re: Bertil Fox - Death and the Bodybuilder.
Post by: Parker on October 13, 2010, 03:34:17 AM
Is he still alive or did he actually get executed now?
He is still alive, otherwie the title of this thread would have been, "Bertil Fox and Bodybuilding--Till Death Do Us Part"
Title: Re: Bertil Fox - Death and the Bodybuilder.
Post by: willl on October 13, 2010, 03:49:27 AM
all knows
Title: Re: Bertil Fox - Death and the Bodybuilder.
Post by: mass243 on October 13, 2010, 04:21:03 AM
Nice house he had / has.
Would Bertil sell it to me in bargain....

BTW; Not once heard narrator in documentary stating anything about professional bodybuilding... Bertil was pro and placing 5th in the big O is more impressive than the amateur achievements. So makers of this documentary didn't bother to get their facts straight. Sure there was scene from Olympia but to general public it didn't come clear that there is Professional League in bb which is separate from amateurs. Should have also stressed more that as a pro you don't drive underground to make your living if you're as good as Bertil was...   

Otherwise interesting so thanks for uploading!
Title: Re: Bertil Fox - Death and the Bodybuilder.
Post by: ~UN_$ung~ on October 13, 2010, 04:25:34 AM
i was under the impression this all happened as he was rising up in bodybuilding, and he basically missed out on his career

 i didnt know what he had retired already............so whether this happened, or not, he never would have been mr olympia




this guy was a true fucking mutant though..........
Title: Re: Bertil Fox - Death and the Bodybuilder.
Post by: Bossa on October 13, 2010, 08:57:23 AM
"Beef it beetyil!"
Title: Re: Bertil Fox - Death and the Bodybuilder.
Post by: dr.chimps on October 13, 2010, 09:04:52 AM
Where's Rehtaf Ruo?
Title: Re: Bertil Fox - Death and the Bodybuilder.
Post by: The_Punisher on October 13, 2010, 09:30:48 AM
Brutal Fox is still alive.......that loser had to kill two people because of his low self esteem.......last picture I saw of him from jail, that bastard looked like he weighed a Buck fifty......I hope he stayed in jail for the remainder of his sorry ass life.......
Title: Re: Bertil Fox - Death and the Bodybuilder.
Post by: Team Diver on October 13, 2010, 10:21:01 AM
Denzel was big back in the day:

(http://www.getbig.com/boards/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=310445.0;attach=350741;image)

Badassest video:

Title: Re: Bertil Fox - Death and the Bodybuilder.
Post by: closeline on October 13, 2010, 10:32:48 AM
Easily understood...Makkaway, Haney and Zane were all better than Bertil....more seperated, better posers, better conditioned. I'm not sure Bertil EVER placed ahead of any of them at any point in his career.

you cant compare zane and bertil

it s like comparing cars with jets
Title: Re: Bertil Fox - Death and the Bodybuilder.
Post by: Nails on October 13, 2010, 10:36:02 AM


On a positive note, amazing scene from the Olympia:

(http://www.getbig.com/boards/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=351709.0;attach=386987;image)

NOT one Female in sight
Title: Re: Bertil Fox - Death and the Bodybuilder.
Post by: Voice of Doom on October 13, 2010, 11:47:08 AM
"Sometimes, you just gotta choke a bitch........and her mother :-X" - Bertil Fox
Title: Re: Bertil Fox - Death and the Bodybuilder.
Post by: Joe Roark on October 13, 2010, 12:00:48 PM
Easily understood...Makkaway, Haney and Zane were all better than Bertil....more seperated, better posers, better conditioned. I'm not sure Bertil EVER placed ahead of any of them at any point in his career.

On at least two occasions, Bertil placed higher than Makkawy- 1981 Belgium GP and 1982 Night of Champions.
Title: Re: Bertil Fox - Death and the Bodybuilder.
Post by: Schmoe Buster on October 13, 2010, 12:04:04 PM
On at least two occasions, Bertil placed higher than Makkawy- 1981 Belgium GP and 1982 Night of Champions.

Bertil also placed higher than Haney at i think the Swiss GP in 83
Title: Re: Bertil Fox - Death and the Bodybuilder.
Post by: Joe Roark on October 13, 2010, 12:32:21 PM
Bertil also placed higher than Haney at i think the Swiss GP in 83

Yes, Fox 2nd, Haney 3rd.

The next day though Sep 26, Haney 2nd Fox 4th in Sweden
Title: Re: Bertil Fox - Death and the Bodybuilder.
Post by: Master Blaster on October 13, 2010, 12:38:37 PM
So how many bitches did he kill?
Title: Re: Bertil Fox - Death and the Bodybuilder.
Post by: Parker on October 13, 2010, 12:42:53 PM
Brutal Fox is still alive.......that loser had to kill two people because of his low self esteem.......last picture I saw of him from jail, that bastard looked like he weighed a Buck fifty......I hope he stayed in jail for the remainder of his sorry ass life.......
Ironic that in the St. Kitts jail he has lost weight, where dudes here, gain weight.
Title: Re: Bertil Fox - Death and the Bodybuilder.
Post by: NarcissisticDeity on October 13, 2010, 12:49:05 PM
Ironic that in the St. Kitts jail he has lost weight, where dudes here, gain weight.

The convicts in this country get fed very nicely and there's always a black market inside and this always get in
Title: Re: Bertil Fox - Death and the Bodybuilder.
Post by: Immortal_Technique on October 13, 2010, 01:54:45 PM
He is still alive, otherwie the title of this thread would have been, "Bertil Fox and Bodybuilding--Till Death Do Us Part"

Well in the course of the programme he get's shacked up wih his dream woman, then murders her, so that would actually be a fitting title.
Title: Re: Bertil Fox - Death and the Bodybuilder.
Post by: Master Blaster on October 13, 2010, 02:16:29 PM
Well in the course of the programme he get's shacked up wih his dream woman, then murders her, so that would actually be a fitting title.

I heard that he killed the woman that he was living with, any truth to those rumors?

They could've called it "Beauty and the beast...OF DEATH"   ::)
Title: Re: Bertil Fox - Death and the Bodybuilder.
Post by: Matt C on October 13, 2010, 02:38:33 PM
i didnt know what he had retired already............so whether this happened, or not, he never would have been mr olympia

According to Rehtaf Ruo, he will be back in 2011 to win the Mr. Olympia just before his 60th birthday.  ;D

NOT one Female in sight

 ;D  ;D  ;D

On at least two occasions, Bertil placed higher than Makkawy- 1981 Belgium GP and 1982 Night of Champions.

One day I hope to have the same level of knowledge of bodybuilding history as you, Joe.
Title: Re: Bertil Fox - Death and the Bodybuilder.
Post by: FREAKgeek on October 13, 2010, 02:40:55 PM
Brutal Fox is still alive.......that loser had to kill two people because of his low self esteem.......last picture I saw of him from jail, that bastard looked like he weighed a Buck fifty......I hope he stayed in jail for the remainder of his sorry ass life.......

Post it up if you find it.
Title: Re: Bertil Fox - Death and the Bodybuilder.
Post by: Mr Nobody on October 13, 2010, 03:23:12 PM
We should have ron visit the prison to perform an excsorsim on bert. 
X2 then come back and work on Titus.
Title: Re: Bertil Fox - Death and the Bodybuilder.
Post by: HugeAl on October 13, 2010, 04:32:08 PM
He put up with extreme racism in his youth. Back then the Uk like the US had much more overt racism and discrimination. He did the right thing getting away from the white oppressors when he was in a financially strong enough position to do so, but totally the wrong thing by taking up with the kind of woman he got involved with.

Still, I have much sympathy for him. A tremendous physique and given a very raw deal all ways up.
Title: Re: Bertil Fox - Death and the Bodybuilder.
Post by: ronrico on October 13, 2010, 05:52:16 PM
You people talk a lot of shit for never having known him or trained during that era. And yes I know him and trained with him. Judge not lest yee be judged. Let the first one amongst you who has not sinned cast the first stone. I'm not saying what might have happened was right, but if you read the Bible you know that it is not ours to judge.
Title: Re: Bertil Fox - Death and the Bodybuilder.
Post by: ronrico on October 13, 2010, 06:13:18 PM
OH, and by the way I am white, as was any one else that I knew that trained with Bertil during the 80's and early 90's.
Title: Re: Bertil Fox - Death and the Bodybuilder.
Post by: HTexan on October 13, 2010, 06:44:11 PM
Denzel was big back in the day:

(http://www.getbig.com/boards/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=310445.0;attach=350741;image)

Badassest video:


Lol Fox was not a bad looking dude. ( no homo)
Title: Re: Bertil Fox - Death and the Bodybuilder.
Post by: ronrico on October 13, 2010, 07:03:56 PM
Not bad looking, just trained hard and was very strong.
Title: Re: Bertil Fox - Death and the Bodybuilder.
Post by: ~UN_$ung~ on October 13, 2010, 08:24:19 PM
Ironic that in the St. Kitts jail he has lost weight, where dudes here, gain weight.


you cant compare a bodybuilder pumped full of steroids to any other prisoner


ANY bodybuilder is gonna lose weight in any jail


my brother went to the fed at 290 came out at a fat 235
Title: Re: Bertil Fox - Death and the Bodybuilder.
Post by: #1 Klaus fan on October 13, 2010, 08:41:59 PM
"Sometimes, you just gotta choke a bitch........and her mother :-X" - Bertil Fox

That's good static training for the upper body.
Title: Re: Bertil Fox - Death and the Bodybuilder.
Post by: HTexan on October 14, 2010, 05:37:28 PM
Some people were asking me about this so I decided to upload it [sorry about the volume it's the best I could get]:





I think Bertil was kind of like the Johnnie O. Jackson of his era when you compare the powerful physiques they had.  Some people called Bertil "narrow" but I disagree.  Although from the back I think it became obvious why Samir beat him in 1983.

Notice in part 2/4 starting at 1:50 what the IFBB judge Ivan Dunbar said?  He's basically saying that bodybuilders should suck up to the judges to get better placings.  When I talked to Samir, he said he felt Bertil deserved to be in the top three in 1983.

The first picture attached is from the 1983 Mr. Olympia contest.  Looks like quite the turnout!
Volume normalize.
Title: Re: Bertil Fox - Death and the Bodybuilder.
Post by: Disgusted on October 14, 2010, 06:14:55 PM
You people talk a lot of shit for never having known him or trained during that era. And yes I know him and trained with him. Judge not lest yee be judged. Let the first one amongst you who has not sinned cast the first stone. I'm not saying what might have happened was right, but if you read the Bible you know that it is not ours to judge.

I didn't know Bertil peronally, but I have heard that he liked to smack his women around. Bertil stayed at the house of one of my friends back in the day during a show and Bertil was smacking his girl around in my buddies house. He pretty much told Bertil to either quit or leave.
Title: Re: Bertil Fox - Death and the Bodybuilder.
Post by: Parker on October 15, 2010, 12:06:00 AM

you cant compare a bodybuilder pumped full of steroids to any other prisoner


ANY bodybuilder is gonna lose weight in any jail


my brother went to the fed at 290 came out at a fat 235
WTF, he didn't go lift...I've personally seen dudes who come out BIGGER than they were before...3 meals a day, the weight room or isometrics, looking better than most gym goers. 
Title: Re: Bertil Fox - Death and the Bodybuilder.
Post by: BIG AL MCKECHNIE on October 15, 2010, 04:22:57 PM
I didn't know Bertil peronally, but I have heard that he liked to smack his women around. Bertil stayed at the house of one of my friends back in the day during a show and Bertil was smacking his girl around in my buddies house. He pretty much told Bertil to either quit or leave.

Yes he was an angry little brown tit. He was 5 ft 7  and only weighed 210 on average. At the 82 NOC he was 194.
I enjoyed the story that Jimmy Thomson wrote a couple of years ago when he met Fox at a gym before the NABBA Universe and Fox was mouthing off and telling Jimmy to hurry up with a bench or something. He changed his attitude when Jimmy threatened to smash his thick Caribbean skull with a dumbell. That was probably the day he decided it was safer to pick on women.  ;D