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Getbig Main Boards => Gossip & Opinions => Topic started by: funk51 on October 21, 2015, 07:14:10 AM

Title: Len Archambault - RIP
Post by: funk51 on October 21, 2015, 07:14:10 AM
 :'( :'( :'( :'(
Title: Re: len archambault rip
Post by: wes on October 21, 2015, 10:09:51 AM
Saw him many times when I was younger at Mt. Park Amusement Center..........Ed Jubinville ran a lot of contests there.........everything was free.


Len had a great physique.........very proportioned,not like the shitbags of today.


RIP   :(
Title: Re: len archambault rip
Post by: wes on October 21, 2015, 10:11:40 AM
Len Archambault

1975

Mr America - IFBB, Medium, 5th
Mr East Coast - IFBB, Medium, 1st
Mr East Coast - IFBB, Overall Winner
Mr USA - IFBB, Tall, 3rd

1976

Mr Florida - AAU, 5th

1977

Mr America - IFBB, MiddleWeight, 4th
Mr Florida - AAU, 3rd
Mr USA - IFBB, MiddleWeight, 4th

1978

Mr USA - IFBB, Medium, 1st

1979

Mr International - IFBB, MiddleWeight, 3rd

1980

Mr International - IFBB, MiddleWeight, 1st

1981

Grand Prix New England - IFBB, 13th
Mr International - IFBB, Light-HeavyWeight, 7th
Title: Re: len archambault rip
Post by: HarleyBreite on October 21, 2015, 10:17:17 AM
   I had never heard of him before but felt compelled to write that his physique is extremely good.  The reason some of you might
not like or appreciate it is because we have become numb with the overdose of what bodybuilding has become:  An unattractive, bloated and over-
exaggerated standard which produces nothing pleasing to the eye.
   I would kill to look like Len.
   
Title: Re: len archambault rip
Post by: Nether Animal on October 21, 2015, 10:21:13 AM
Saw him many times when I was younger at Mt. Park Amusement Center..........Ed Jubinville ran a lot of contests there.........everything was free.


Len had a great physique.........very proportioned,not like the shitbags of today.


RIP   :(

Mt. Park is.. this place?

(http://www.getbig.com/boards/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=36452.0;attach=52984;image)
Title: Re: len archambault rip
Post by: funk51 on October 21, 2015, 10:25:23 AM
Saw him many times when I was younger at Mt. Park Amusement Center..........Ed Jubinville ran a lot of contests there.........everything was free.


Len had a great physique.........very proportioned,not like the shitbags of today.


RIP   :(
jubinville was a equipment manufacture and muscle control artist...
Title: Re: len archambault rip
Post by: wes on October 21, 2015, 10:30:43 AM
Mt. Park is.. this place?

(http://www.getbig.com/boards/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=36452.0;attach=52984;image)
Yes it is....I saw Arnold there,as well as Katz,Colombu,Leon Brown,the Mentzer brothers,joe Ugolik,Warren Fredericks, my friend Dave Mastorakis,and a host of other great bodybuilders........all free,no admission,no entry fees,free trophies,if you placed of course.


I entered the Deadlift,chinup,and bench press contests held there before the bodybuilding event.

Also got myself in the movie Pumping Iron in 2 crowd scenes.......my claim to fame!!   :D

jubinville was a equipment manufacture and muscle control artist...
Yes,if you bought Eds equipment in the 70`s,chances are it is still holding up well........great stuff built to last.


Saw his muscle control act on many occasions............... ....totally unreal what this guy could do with his body.


He died in the gym training,doing what he loved best.


Great person who gave a shit about the sport over just making a buck.
Title: Re: len archambault rip
Post by: Nether Animal on October 21, 2015, 10:33:29 AM
Great stories wes.
Title: Re: len archambault rip
Post by: wes on October 21, 2015, 10:46:29 AM
Thanks bro!!


Here`s a weird tidbit.........Iwas always impressed by Leon Browns physique and he would win at Mt. Park a lot and take all the best bodyparts awards as well as Most Muscular...........he is the reason Lou Ferrigno backed out of a contest there as he knew he`d get smoked.


Anyway,flash forward about 20 years and I compreted with Leon at the NPC Masters Nationals one year...........we talked a lot about Mt. Park............he still looked great and trained with Arnold and the Golds Gym crew and even beat Franco for most muscular.


It is rare that you get to compete with one of your idols when you were a kid..........no homo of course.


Here`s a few pics of Leon:

(http://perlbal.hi-pi.com/blog-images/201226/gd/1230102541/Bodybuilders-70-s-Leon-Brown-vs-Ed-Corney.jpg%5B/img%5Bimg%5Dhttp://www.legendaryleonbrown.com/learnfromalegend_clip_image001.jpg)

(http://www.legendaryleonbrown.com/leonfancyfigures_clip_image001_0000.jpg)

^^^72` Mr. East Coast held at Mt. Park............the judges told Leon to just stay on stage as he won the overall contest,best arms,back,chest,abs,MM,poser,etc. etc.
Title: Re: len archambault rip
Post by: Nether Animal on October 21, 2015, 10:56:22 AM
Is that charlie fautz in the background of that first pic?
Title: Re: len archambault rip
Post by: wes on October 21, 2015, 10:59:38 AM
I also met Elliot Gilchrist at Mt. Park then years later competed with him in Ft. Lauderdales Southern States.


Great old guy who refused to fly so Canada paid his expenses............bus tickets and accomidations.

Look him up on Muscle Memory.............compe ted against the best in his prime.


I hope I`m not boring the folks here,but I miss those good old days when we thought bodybuilding might actually be achievable.   :(
Title: Re: len archambault rip
Post by: BIG AL MCKECHNIE on October 21, 2015, 11:00:35 AM
Sorry to hear about Len.
I remember a pic of him in a 1981 M&F report on the pro grand prix he entered and I thought he looked like Frank Zane. An excellent physique.
RIP
Title: Re: len archambault rip
Post by: wes on October 21, 2015, 11:01:13 AM
Is that charlie fautz in the background of that first pic?

Yup,that`s Chuck Fautz alright.
Title: Re: len archambault rip
Post by: wes on October 21, 2015, 11:02:32 AM
(http://cms.bbcomcdn.com/fun/images/2009/legendary_leon_brown_interview_p.jpg)

Name this crew with Leon Brown and win a set of encyclopedias!   :D
Title: Re: len archambault rip
Post by: wes on October 21, 2015, 11:04:48 AM
I can`t find anymore pics of Lenny which sux as that pic doesn`t do him full justice.
Title: Re: len archambault rip
Post by: wes on October 21, 2015, 11:13:49 AM
Since I`m on a roll as far as boring you if you`re this thread,there was a guy named Claude Rigon,some may remember him,he won a slew of Masters contests back in the 70`s.........he was from Jersey.


Anyway,I`m from Springfield Mass and am training with my twin cousins and I notice this guy who looks just like Claude,surer than shit it was him,visiting his son at Springfield College.............we shot the shit,very personable guy.


Flash forward once again,about 10-12 years later, and I`m standing behind him at the Southern States getting weighed in..........he was around 70,bronze than,hot chick,and still looked great.

Weirdly enough,he remembered our conversation in Springfield.


Small world,but I wouldn`t want to pain it!   LOL   :D
Title: Re: len archambault rip
Post by: Thespritz0 on October 21, 2015, 11:18:25 AM
I can`t find anymore pics of Lenny which sux as that pic doesn`t do him full justice.
^^
Here you go WES...
Title: Re: len archambault rip
Post by: wes on October 21, 2015, 11:21:36 AM
Thanks spritz,I knew there had to be a few more out there.

Appreciate it bud.


Great build for his day.......in fact I think he beat Mike Mentzer at Mt. Park...........have to check MuscleMemory to be sure.


Katz training partner Joe Ugolik from PI fame beat either Mike or Ray.......not an easy feat as those fuckers were huge.
Title: Re: len archambault rip
Post by: Thespritz0 on October 21, 2015, 11:25:16 AM
Mike would be VERY difficult to beat back then, he had a chest then!!
Title: Re: len archambault rip
Post by: funk51 on October 21, 2015, 11:26:40 AM
Since I`m on a roll as far as boring you if you`re this thread,there was a guy named Claude Rigon,some may remember him,he won a slew of Masters contests back in the 70`s.........he was from Jersey.


Anyway,I`m from Springfield Mass and am training with my twin cousins and I notice this guy who looks just like Claude,surer than shit it was him,visiting his son at Springfield College.............we shot the shit,very personable guy.


Flash forward once again and I`m standing behind him at the Southern States getting weighed in..........he was around 70,bronze than,hot chick,and still looked great.
wasn't claude rigon a french teacher???
Weirdly enough,he remembered our conversation in Springfield.


Small world,but I wouldn`t want to pain it!   LOL   :D
Title: Re: len archambault rip
Post by: funk51 on October 21, 2015, 11:28:41 AM
Thanks spritz,I knew there had to be a few more out there.

Appreciate it bud.


Great build for his day.......in fact I think he beat Mike Mentzer at Mt. Park...........have to check MuscleMemory to be sure.


Katz training partner Joe Ugolik from PI fame beat either Mike or Ray.......not an easy feat as those fuckers were huge.
joe ugolik in background.
Title: Re: len archambault rip
Post by: wes on October 21, 2015, 11:28:44 AM
Mike would be VERY difficult to beat back then, he had a chest then!!


1975 Mr East Coast - IFBB


Overall Winner Len Archambault

Tall
1     Gene Massey
2     Ray Delaney
3     Barry Blenis

Medium
1     Len Archambault
2     Mike Mentzer
3     Joseph Ugolik

Short
1     David Mastorakis
2     Tony Roma
3     Kennedy Gomez

© MuscleMemory
Title: Re: len archambault rip
Post by: wes on October 21, 2015, 11:30:25 AM
joe ugolik in background.
Joe had a couple brothers who competed also,but they never made the impact that he did,Stan and Nick if memory serves me.
Title: Re: len archambault rip
Post by: funk51 on October 21, 2015, 11:54:57 AM
I also met Elliot Gilchrist at Mt. Park then years later competed with him in Ft. Lauderdales Southern States.


Great old guy who refused to fly so Canada paid his expenses............bus tickets and accomidations.

Look him up on Muscle Memory.............compe ted against the best in his prime.


I hope I`m not boring the folks here,but I miss those good old days when we thought bodybuilding might actually be achievable.   :(
gilchrist competed from 1966-2000.    wonder if he's still alive.... i remember mti lurie's mag profiling him in the mid 60's ,,,,, he was fairly old then... :o :o :o :o :o :o
Title: Re: len archambault rip
Post by: wes on October 21, 2015, 03:33:59 PM
gilchrist competed from 1966-2000.    wonder if he's still alive.... i remember mti lurie's mag profiling him in the mid 60's ,,,,, he was fairly old then... :o :o :o :o :o :o
I often wondered the same thing.....I did the 2000 Southern States with him..........he said he had well over 100 trophies out in his garage collecting dust.


Nice old dude.
Title: Re: len archambault rip
Post by: wes on October 21, 2015, 03:46:32 PM
Here`s another boring story about the first time I met Lenny Archambault.


Me and my training partner took a bus to Boston to compete in the 1974 Boston Open Power Meet.


At midnight after all the lifting was over,the bodybuilding portion of the show started.............abou t 15 guys and 2 of them were Len and his then training partner Manny Perry.


Just like you always hear...............light hooked onto a basketball hoop in the gym with a shitty sign............those lights created great shadows though and made the guys look unreal if they had a good build.


Len won and I also met Barry Blemis at Mt. Park who was a huge guy and was famous for doing a yogurt commercial at the time.


Title: Re: len archambault rip
Post by: The Scott on October 21, 2015, 07:06:20 PM
Dammit!  Lost another great one.  :-[
Title: Re: len archambault rip
Post by: Vince B on October 21, 2015, 08:40:28 PM
Found this one. He looks good in the lineup.

 Kent Kuehn, Mike Mentzer, Roger Callard, Robby Robinson, Len Archambault
Title: Re: len archambault rip
Post by: wes on October 21, 2015, 10:07:26 PM
Great pic Vince.......never saw it before.


Right click save for sure.

Thanks!!  :)
Title: Re: len archambault rip
Post by: Vince B on October 21, 2015, 10:09:45 PM
Great pic Vince.......never saw it before.


Right click save for sure.

Thanks!!  :)

Found it on Google images, then made it larger and edited it to look better.
Title: Re: len archambault rip
Post by: wes on October 21, 2015, 10:13:15 PM
Thanks again.....he holds his own quite well amongst all those bb legends.
Title: Re: len archambault rip
Post by: Powerlift66 on October 22, 2015, 01:55:44 AM
RIP to Len... Wife and I were watching Football a few weeks back at Dave Mastorakis's place w/ Dave and his wife Tracy, looking thru Dave's scrapbooks.
Lots of great pics of Len (and Mentzers). Dave took those pics of Mentzer and Zane seen  backstage (like the one in this thread). And that great Zane pic that shows up on occasion.
RIP Lenny...

(http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b265/nathang123/Frank20Zane2033.jpg)
Title: Re: len archambault rip
Post by: Ronnie Rep on October 22, 2015, 04:48:56 AM
Great stuff Wes!  RIP Len.
Title: Re: len archambault rip
Post by: Donny on October 22, 2015, 04:54:19 AM
Dammit!  Lost another great one.  :-[
x2 RIP
Title: Re: len archambault rip
Post by: Thespritz0 on October 22, 2015, 10:17:44 AM
Thanks again.....he holds his own quite well amongst all those bb legends.
^^
WES, here he is at :30 into the video...sadly the only one I could find on YouTube 
Title: Re: len archambault rip
Post by: Nether Animal on October 22, 2015, 10:42:55 AM
RIP to Len... Wife and I were watching Football a few weeks back at Dave Mastorakis's place w/ Dave and his wife Tracy, looking thru Dave's scrapbooks.
Lots of great pics of Len (and Mentzers). Dave took those pics of Mentzer and Zane seen  backstage (like the one in this thread). And that great Zane pic that shows up on occasion.
RIP Lenny...

(http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b265/nathang123/Frank20Zane2033.jpg)

That's a great pic. I'm quite partial to early Zane (with the Elvis hair).
Title: Re: len archambault rip
Post by: hazbin on October 22, 2015, 02:07:18 PM
:'( :'( :'( :'(

sad.   first time I saw pics of him were In the George Snyder's 'best in the world' contest.   I thought his name was Zanesque Len Archambault because that is what it said under his pic.   (give me a break, I was 14!!!)  lol
Title: Re: len archambault rip
Post by: wes on October 22, 2015, 03:17:12 PM
^^
WES, here he is at :30 into the video...sadly the only one I could find on YouTube 

Thanks brother.   :)
Title: Re: len archambault rip
Post by: Bix on October 22, 2015, 08:08:51 PM
How many chin-ups did you do?

Yes it is....I saw Arnold there,as well as Katz,Colombu,Leon Brown,the Mentzer brothers,joe Ugolik,Warren Fredericks, my friend Dave Mastorakis,and a host of other great bodybuilders........all free,no admission,no entry fees,free trophies,if you placed of course.


I entered the Deadlift,chinup,and bench press contests held there before the bodybuilding event.

Also got myself in the movie Pumping Iron in 2 crowd scenes.......my claim to fame!!   :D
Yes,if you bought Eds equipment in the 70`s,chances are it is still holding up well........great stuff built to last.


Saw his muscle control act on many occasions............... ....totally unreal what this guy could do with his body.


He died in the gym training,doing what he loved best.


Great person who gave a shit about the sport over just making a buck.
Title: Re: Len Archambault - RIP
Post by: wes on October 23, 2015, 05:31:09 AM
How many chin-ups did you do?

Hey Bixter,I did 20 full range chinups with a wide grip,with no training for the event.

Everyone elses chins were not to a dead hang and some used an underhand grip.


The great deadlifter Norm Hebert won with over 30 but used an underhand grip,not to full extension,very fast with a herky jerky motion.............I did mine bodybuilding style as I was taught.


Jubinville used to just call me up from the audience to compete in these odd lift contests,so I never truly trained for them.


I tied Stanley Blinder a Mr. Universe competitor in the deadlift for reps with double bodyweight,so that was cool,at least I thought I was cool but we both placed out of the money.
Title: Re: Len Archambault - RIP
Post by: funk51 on October 23, 2015, 07:10:32 AM
this is the mag gilchrist was written up in at this point he lived in the usa for 2 years , he was born in grenada...