The late Curtis Leffler was the original Palumbo

[BEEFYHEAVYWEIGHT]

Does anybody remember the massive Curtis Leffler? The guy was a top heavyweight amateur in the 90's. One of the biggest and freakiest motherfuckers ever. He made Palumbo look soft and non vascular. Curtis eventually made his way to venice to train in the years prior to his death. he was the freakiest man in Golds up till that point. I remember Paul Dillet saying the same in the gym. Curtis died from steroid abuse. Had a massive heart attack while in the hospital. He was initially brought in for a blood clot in the leg if I recall. Curtis was looking purple in the gym those days. He had gotten the nickname of PURPLE DINOSAUR. Anybody else remember this freak of muscle?

[Bossa]

I remember him competing in worlds strongest man around 1995...he was also Vitor Belforts personal trainer when he first came on the scene and was destroying everyone

[honest]

i remember seeing him train in Hawaii years back cant remember if it was Golds or The Gym, big guy, he was overly purple a long time before he made his way to venice, Guy trained hard and was strong as a bull, but one look at him and you could tell he was unhealthy, i thought he was going to die doing deadlifts one day, he was beyond purple.

[stuntmovie]

Beef, Curtis was a good friend for many years. I don't know where you are getting your information, but it is far from the truth. Maybe I should say "far from factual" because I have no intent of calling you a lier.

Honest, your comments are 100% accurate. He was often referred to as "Barnie" but never in his presence.

 For you guys who never met Curtis, I got to tell you that he was one of the finest persons you would ever meet in your lifetime.

I can say that because I knew Curtis way before he joined the gym (World's in Waikiki) and would talk to him on a daily basis about the sport he loved so well and the good friends that he was fortunate to have supporting him in his endeavors to reach the pro ranks.

If you doubt me, simply ask anyone who was fortunate to meet him during his lifetime. I'll gladly submit some names if you have any doubts.

[chocolate fizz]

Curtis was a good friend for many years. I don't know where you are getting your information, but it is far from the truth. Maybe I should say "far from factual" because I have no intent of calling you a lier.

are you denying he was purple?

[marcus]

Worthless without pics.

[stuntmovie]

No, Chocolate, I am definitely not admitting that, but his skin tone had nothing to do with how great a person he was.

Black, yellow, green, or purple ...... cannot distract from the fact that he was a great person and liked by everyone who ever came in contact with him.

[michael arvilla]

I remember Curtis

[stuntmovie]

Looking from some Curtis pics........

[stuntmovie]

Thanks, Mike, I was just about to submit the very same picture.

[chocolate fizz]

Curtis attempted to qualify for the WSM in 95 a few days after entering a bodybuilding show.

He was came is at about 6% BF and was SO full of himself; he was stating that "he would win" that he "had the fitness and the WSM guys were just strong" etc, he came across badly... at the start

When the events commenced - with him coming across as the biggest, most arrogant shitfuck you could imagine - his performance was sub par due to being in bodybuilding shape from the aforementioned show.

After the bad performance in the first event he tangibly changed into the most humble of guys, it was fucking bizarre. It was if he had discovered a new pursuit and a new respect for the strongman game.

He didnt disgrace himself, and would have undoubtedly done some major damage in future shows..

[michael arvilla]

Thanks, Mike, I was just about to submit the very same picture.

                 n/p looked up to Curtis back in the day................

[stuntmovie]

Chocolate, I never did see Curtis "so full of himself" as you mentioned above, but it may have been that he was psyching himself up to do his best in that contest you mentioned and that could have been mis-interpreted as "arrogance".

"Arrogant" is not a fair discription of Curtis at all. And, once again, that may be how he appeared to you in his attempt to get "psyched up".

But actually he was so fucken humble that it was impossible for him to be in the least bit arrogant. So, I think you might have mis-interpreted his attitude a bit.

Did you ever really meet Curtis or is this feeling of yours about him based on your observance of how he appeared to you based on seeing him prep for a contest?

Never judge a book by its cover.

[New Hank Wood]

Yes, many in the game respected Curtis but would never call him the Purple Dinosaur to his face!

What is interesting is that Marcus Ruhl has a similar purple tinge to his skin as well !

[chocolate fizz]

Chocolate, I never did see Curtis "so full of himself" as you mentioned above, but it may have been that he was psyching himself up to do his best in that contest you mentioned and that could have been mis-interpreted as "arrogance".

"Arrogant" is not a fair discription of Curtis at all. And, once again, that may be how he appeared to you in his attempt to get "psyched up".

But actually he was so fucken humble that it was impossible for him to be in the least bit arrogant. So, I think you might have mis-interpreted his attitude a bit.

Did you ever really meet Curtis or is this feeling of yours about him based on your observance of how he appeared to you based on seeing him prep for a contest?

Never judge a book by its cover.

Stunt, I knew some of the team that used to run WSM (back before it was bought out by TWI) along with one of the top placing guys there that year; the report I got back was one of indifference TBH, Curtis didnt hit the radar, so it that respect I can only go by what I saw.

Like I said, in the initial stages he was full of himself, talking over the interviewer and just generally coming across as a bit of a knob. It was much more - or what appeared to be - than mere psyching up.

He had a kick up the ass after event one, and thats when we saw - from what you have said - the real Curtis, after event one he came across as a good guy.

I have heard Keith saying Lefler was strong as fuck, Stunt, what sort of gym strength did he have?

Also, how did he die? can you lay some of the rumours to rest mate?

[Buffgeek]

That guy had veins on his veins. I remember watching that WSM.

[New Hank Wood]

Curtis' favorite saying was ''Life is too short to be small".

He died of a heart attack at the age of 36.  He has a son Curtis jr.

Yes, this purple dinosaur was a steroidal freak.  A softly spoken man who would stop at nothing to be large.

[tommywishbone]

Saw and spoke with Curtis many times each week during the early & mid 90's. Curtis was one of the nicest, most polite bodybuilders in Venice during those years. Always friendly. Always quick to smile. Well spoken with an excellent sense of humor. Cat was also extremely strong and as vascular as anyone in bodybuilding history.

It was a sad day at Gold's Venice when we all heard he was gone.

[stuntmovie]

OK, Chocolate, thanks for clarifying that.

Curtis trained at World's in Waikiki starting the day it opened. He helped us paint the place in fact.

Actually he not only trained there and painted there but he lived in a room in the back of the gym and did some work for Harold (the owner) for most of the time that Harold owned the place.

Curtis was one of those kind of guys who was a friend to one and all. Everyone in that place respected him because he was a big and friendly sort of guy who would always listen to what you had to say and do his best to offer a solution to any problem you might have had.

He spent many any hour on the canal wall directly across the street talking to the guys and gals who had problems or just wanted to talk about lifting weights and who was going to win the next big title.

I can't think of any member in that gym who did not hold Curtis in high esteem and that includes professional ball players, top WWF pros, college and high school athletes, wrestlers, fighters and the little guys and gals who simply wanted to add a couple of pounds of muscle before catching some rays on Waikiki Beach.

No one would ever say an unkind word about Curtis in front of him or a mile away, because he was the kind of guy that was liked by everyone he ever met.

I am proud to say that I knew Curtis well and attended all his weddings. But I have to also state that I am sad to say that I also attended his funeral.

His good friends gathered together to say "Goodbye" when his son carried his ashes a few yards off shore in an outrigger canoe to rest his remains in the area he loved so much just a mile or so from Diamond Head.

God bless ya, Curtis. We all loved ya very much.

Thanks, Tommy. Thanks, Hank. It's nice to hear true things from those who knew the man and how great he really was.

And now for a few words from Keith who knew him just about as well as I did..... (I'm sure he'll jump in here and offer some input too!)

[New Hank Wood]

Fans would go up to Curtis in the gym and ask for a photo or signature. 

Curtis being a stand-up guy did not charge the 'usual' $10.

Gotta give the guy respect for not cashing in like Lou, Ronnie and the rest of those tight-wad-retards!

[chocolate fizz]

Nice post, Stunt; look forward to Keith weighing in with some good stories.

What was the cause of death? was Curtis a heavy gear user as claimed by Paul Borresen?

[stuntmovie]

I think that Curtis would have taken this "original Palumbo" comparison with a great amount of gratitude.

He never did judge a man or a woman by how they looked, but only by their dedication to accomplish something that they really desired.

Chocolate, I never did see the death certificate, so I'd rather not get into that on a public forum.

[chris_mason]

I remember Curtis.   Very big and very strong.

[chocolate fizz]

I remember Curtis.   Very big and very strong.

I see Sherlock Holmes has joined the thread.

[gib]

Why would you say he was a Palumbo? Did he get Palumboism later in his career?