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star of the day steve reeves
Steve Reeves
Height 6'1"
Weight 213
Born January 21, 1926 Glasgow, Montana
Died May 1, 2000
description of Mr Pacific Coast Contest
1946
Mr Pacific Coast - AAU, Overall Winner
Mr Pacific Coast - AAU, Tall, 1st
1947
Mr America - AAU, Winner
Mr Pacific Coast - AAU, Winner
Mr Western America - AAU, Winner
1948
Mr USA, 2nd
Mr Universe - NABBA, 2nd
Mr Universe - NABBA, Tall, 1st
Mr World, Winner
1949
Mr USA, 3rd
1950
Mr Universe - NABBA, Overall Winner
Mr Universe - NABBA, Tall, 1st
Magazines
1947 Vol 7, Num 5 IronMan
1947 August Vol 2, Num 8 Chicago Bodybuilder
1947 August Strength and Health
1947 September Vol 7, Num 6 Your Physique
1947 October Vol 2, Num 10 Chicago Bodybuilder
1947 October Vol 3, Num 5 Muscle Power
1947 November Vol 76, Num 21 Health and Strength
1948 April Vol 9, Num 1 Your Physique
1948 September Vol 6, Num 4 Muscle Power
1948 October Vol 77, Num 21 Health and Strength
1949 January Vol 9, Num 1 IronMan
1949 January Vol 10, Num 4 Your Physique
1949 February Vol 78, Num 3 Health and Strength
1949 April Vol 7, Num 5 Muscle Power
1950 January Vol 12, Num 4 Your Physique
1950 April Vol 13, Num 1 Your Physique
1950 July Vol 79, Num 14 Health and Strength
1950 August Strength and Health
1950 August Vol 13, Num 5 Your Physique
1950 October Vol 79, Num 20 Health and Strength
1951 February Vol 80, Num 3 Health and Strength
1951 June Vol 15, Num 3 Your Physique
1952 Vol 1, Num 2 Mr Universe
1952 March Vol 16, Num 6 Your Physique
1952 May Vol 6, Num 5 The Bodybuilder
1953 Vol 1, Num 8 Mr Universe
1953 May Vol 7, Num 5 The Bodybuilder
1953 August Vol 82, Num 16 Health and Strength
1954 April Reg Park Journal
1954 May Vol 17, Num 4 Muscle Power
1954 August Vol 3, Num 1 Muscle Builder
1955 February Reg Park Journal
1955 March Reg Park Journal
1956 January Reg Park Journal
1956 April Vol 6, Num 3 Muscle Builder
1957 March Reg Park Journal
1957 May Reg Park Journal
1957 June Vol 86, Num 13 Health and Strength
1958 May Vol 1, Num 4 Mr America
1958 July Vol 1, Num 6 Muscle Sculpture
1958 July Reg Park Journal
1964 October Vol 1, Num 10 Muscular Development
1964 December Vol 14, Num 10 Muscle Builder
1965 December Vol 7, Num 12 Muscle Builder
1966 July Vol 95, Num 15 Health and Strength
1967 December Vol 96, Num 25 Health and Strength
1968 April Vol 5, Num 4 Muscular Development
1970 March Vol 99, Num 3 Health and Strength
1970 November Vol 7, Num 11 Muscular Development
1976 Muscle Mag Annual
1977 September Num 62 Muscle Training Illustrated
1977 November Num 63 Muscle Training Illustrated
1983 May Vol 44, Num 5 Muscle and Fitness
1992 November Vol 4, Num 3 Hardgainer
1995 May Vol 54, Num 5 IronMan
1996 July Vol 122, Num 3 Health and Strength
2000 July Vol 12, Num 1 Hardgainer
2000 October Vol 126, Num 4 Health and Strength
2002 January Vol 128, Num 1 Health and Strength
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Steve Reeves
Biography
Showing all 52 items
Jump to: Overview (3) | Mini Bio (2) | Spouse (2) | Trade Mark (3) | Trivia (40) | Personal Quotes (1) | Salary (1)
Overview (3)
Born January 21, 1926 in Glasgow, Montana, USA
Died May 1, 2000 in Escondido, California, USA (complications from lymphoma)
Height 6' 1" (1.85 m)
Mini Bio (2)
Though he did not possess a Herculean acting talent by any stretch, 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.
- IMDb Mini Biography By: Gary Brumburgh / gr-home@pacbell.net
Steve Reeves is regarded by many as the greatest bodybuilder of all time for his legendary symmetrical physique, visionary bodybuilding techniques, dedication and love for the sport through which he won five bodybuilding titles between 1946 and 1950. His peak measurements were: 6'1" at 216 lbs. with 18˝" arms, 52" chest, and a 29" waist, partly depicting his creation: "The Classic Physique."
Steve Reeves was born in Montana in 1926, yet by age 10 moved to Oakland, California where he first became captivated with the art of bodybuilding at age 16, placing pioneer John Grimek as his top role model. After two years of bodybuilding Steve's body weight reached 203 lbs by high school graduation, but was he then inducted into the Army. He was assigned to Company A of the 25th Division and was sent to the front lines in the Philippines where he endured to continue his bodybuilding training, becoming known as "The Shape" among his fellow GIs. After WWII had ended he was part of the occupational forces sent to Japan and was stationed there from September 1945 to September 1946. After his service ended, he entered and won several bodybuilding championships becoming: "Mr. Pacific Coast" (1946), "Mr. Western America" (1947), "Mr. America" (1947), "Mr. World" (1948) and "Mr. Universe" (1950) announcing his retirement from bodybuilding competition that very night after he won.
From that point onward Reeves set his sights on the silver screen as well as the small screen. He made several appearances on variety shows of the early-to-mid 1950s and non-starring roles during 1954 in two films: Athena (1954) starring Debbie Reynolds and Ed Wood's Jail Bait (1954). In 1957, he had been called to Italy to play the lead role Hercules in "Le Fatiche di Ercole" which was filmed during the summer and autumn of 1957 with a USA premiere in 1959. The tremendous worldwide success of "Hercules," (the USA title), led to a sequel and many other Italian epic films many based on heroes played by Reeves. These roles included Romulus, Phillipides, Captain Henry Morgan, Glaucus, and Sandokan. With 20 film/TV acting credits to his name by 1968, Steve Reeves retired from film and returned to California to live on his ranch, remaining committed to his lifelong belief in natural, drug-free bodybuilding through his writings and personal appearances. Steve Reeves has served as a great inspiration to many bodybuilders such as Sylvester Stallone and Lou Ferrigno, and millions of others the world over for all that he was: a genuine hero, a true man, an authentic gentleman, the first (and to many fans the only true) Hercules, and nothing less than the greatest bodybuilder of all time.
- IMDb Mini Biography By: CL Candela
Spouse (2)
Aline Czartjarwicz (24 June 1963 - 24 July 1989) ( her death)
Sandra Smith (31 January 1955 - 4 September 1956) ( divorced)
Trade Mark (3)
Strong, statuesque frame
Usually starred in peplums, playing mythical heroes
Often stood in positions that allowed him to showcase his muscular biceps
Trivia (40)
His wife, Aline, died of complications from a stroke in 1989. He wrote "Building the Classical Physique -- The Natural Way". Through his Steve Reeves International Society Web site, he promoted supplements and powders with natural ingredients. He moved to Oakland with his family as a child and began lifting weights when he was 16 years old.
Mr. Universe 1950
Mr. America 1947.
Mentioned in the song "Sweet Transvestite" from the film The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975).
At the peak of his bodybuilding career at age 23, he was 6' 1", 200 pounds, with a chest measuring 48 inches, a 29-inch waist, and had 17 1/2-inch biceps.
Such bodybuilders such as Arnold Schwarzenegger, Lou Ferrigno and David Prowse have credited Reeves as a role model for the bodybuilding world.
Often confused with, and is not related to, George Reeves, who played Superman on TV in the 1950s. While working on a studio next to the set where the Superman series was filmed, producers once threatened to fire George after an argument and replace him with Steve.
In 1949 director Cecil B. DeMille considered (and came very close) casting Reeves as Samson in Samson and Delilah (1949) after Burt Lancaster proved unavailable. Although DeMille liked Reeves and thought he was perfect for the role, a dispute between Reeves and the studio over his physique forced DeMille to recast the role of Samson with Victor Mature. After becoming popular in the late 1950s and 1960s, Reeves turned down the roles of James Bond in Dr. No (1962) and the Man With No Name in A Fistful of Dollars (1964).
He loved horses and was a great rider himself. Italian producers later found that to be an advantage, since Reeves usually did his own stunts in his films and they didn't have to hire a horse riding double for him. After retiring from films due to a shoulder injury, Reeves bought a ranch and took up breeding horses professionally.
He was a friend of "Tarzan" actor Gordon Scott, and recommended him for the role of Remus in Duel of the Titans (1961). The producers originally wanted Reeves to play both Romulus and Remus through some doubling, but Reeves convinced them that it would be more effective to have another actor playing Remus.
His voice was dubbed in his Italian epics. The only films where his real voice is heard are Jail Bait (1954) and Athena (1954).
His entire bodybuilding career consisted of 8 contests.
His mother was a nutritionist.
He survived numerous life-threatening experiences as a child, including being hit by a car and dragged, being thrown from a horse and sleeping through an earthquake as a child in Montana. When he couldn't be accounted for, family members found him sound asleep, his bedroom teetering on the brink of a three-story fall.
Took him 4 weeks to get into contest shape for his Mr. America victory.
Was of Welsh, Irish, English and German descent
Served in the Philippines during WWII, contracted malaria, and served his remaining time under Gen. Douglas MacArthur during the occupation of Japan.
Prior to its release, Ridley Scott's Gladiator (2000) was being referred to by some writers as the first "Steve Reeves type" movie in decades. It had also been written that Scott was amiss in not getting Reeves to at least do a cameo. Sadly, Reeves died on the very day that "Gladiator" premiered..
While filming The Last Days of Pompeii (1959) (a remake of The Last Days of Pompeii (1935)), the chariot he was driving struck a tree and he dislocated his shoulder. This put an end to his more intense exercise routines and caused problems in the following years.
He was reportedly diagnosed with lymphoma only six weeks prior to this death.
He was played by Michael J. Nelson in the episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000 (1988) that showed his film Hercules Unchained (1959).
He often criticized the use of steroids in bodybuilding because he felt that it undermined the health value and the challenge of bodybuilding as a sport. He once remarked, "Body builders used to come in all shapes and sizes. Now they all look like Arnold [Schwarzenegger]."
Almost paradoxically, Reeves' impressive physique prompted filmmakers to put him into a variety of "bondage" situations. Two such situations are cited in the book: "Lash! The Hundred Greatest Scenes of Men Being Whipped in the Movies." Ranking 7th is Reeves' flogging in Duel of the Titans (1961) and ranking 24th is his flogging in The White Warrior (1959).
Though proud of his work as Hercules, he was always disappointed that his other films did not receive much recognition. He once remarked "I only did two Hercules films, but everyone seems to think I did ten."
Took up power walking (which combined swinging hand held weights in both hands while walking) in order to compensate for the damage done to him by his shoulder injury.
He was the undisputed king of the European produced sword and sandal/mythological muscleman epics. Although he became an international sensation, the core of his film career lasted only 5 years (1958-1963)and a staggering 15 epic productions during that period. Afterward, he made another "Sandokan" feature and attempted a film in the next big Italian film craze, the spaghetti western, before retiring from the screen.
Is credited by Sylvester Stallone for inspiring Stallone to work out and build up his body and later became friends with Reeves after he became famous.
Was offered a third Hercules film after "Hercules Unchained" but declined in favor of pursuing other roles.
Summer 1948, at Cannes, France, won the title of "Le plus bel homme du monde". This was documented in a French b&w short film with cinematography by Raymond Clunie and Georges Zaidler, with René Charrois as assistant camera operator and Jacques Verillon as technical consultant.
Although he was regarded as the "king of the muscle man movies," after doing two movies as Hercules ("Hercules" (1958) and "Hercules Unchained" (1959)), Steve Reeves turned down further Hercules movies and similar roles for other sword and sandal epics that had more substance to their stories.
Was crowned 1947 AAU Mr. America. Contest was held in Chicago, Illinois, June 29, 1947 at Lane Tech H.S., in conjunction with the 1947 AAU Senior National Weightlifting Championships (Olympic Style). In it Steve won a very close decision over 2nd place winner, future Pro Wrestler, Eric Pederson.
Steve Reeves's body was cremated and his ashes were specifically scattered in Montana, the state where he was born.
For his competition days, he is credited with being the first bodybuilder to go to a salon to have his hair styled as part of his "total presentation.".
He was signed by producer George Pal to star as Doc Savage in the motion picture that would eventually become "Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze" (1975). A prolonged writer's strike caused Reeves and the original director to drop out of the project.
He used his G.I. Bill benefits to attend the California Chiropractic College in San Francisco.
His appearance in Edward D. Wood, Jr.'s "Jail Bait" (1954) earned him his Screen Actor's Guild card.
It was reportedly an agent that suggested to him to consider acting.
In the heyday of his film career, he became the highest paid actor in Europe.
At the height of his European produced spectacles, he was reportedly the top boxoffice draw in over 25 countries.
By 1960 Reeves was being offered more Italian epics than he had time to make. Variety announced on 27 April 1960 that Reeves was being offered Judas, a forthcoming epic to be produced by Giuseppe Amato for Riama Film, (the same producer and company of La Dolce Vita (1960)). Like other projects, nothing more was ever heard of Judas.
Personal Quotes (1)
Filmmaking in Europe was a little different from working in the United States. There's a scene in 'Hercules' where I'm in chains -- they looked like steel, but they were actually made of wood -- and I had to swing these chains at my supposed enemies who were advancing towards me. Well, I didn't want to really strike someone so I kind of held back with my motions. The director yelled, 'Swing those chains! Swing them hard!' I said, 'I don't want to hurt someone.' And the director yelled back, 'If they don't get hurt, they don't get paid!'
Salary (1)
Le fatiche di Ercole (1958) $12,000
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Filmography
Jump to: Actor | Writer | Self | Archive footage
Hide HideActor (24 credits)
2020Hercules Recycled 2.0
Burt Galaxy
1968I Live for Your Death
Mike Sturges
1964I pirati della Malesia
Sandokan
1963Sandokan the Great
Sandokan
1962The Avenger
Enea / Aeneas
1962The Slave
Randus - son of Spartacus
1961Duel of the Titans
Romulus
1961The Trojan Horse
Aeneas
1961The Thief of Baghdad
Karim
1960Morgan, the Pirate
Henry Morgan
1959The Giant of Marathon
Phillipides
1959The Last Days of Pompeii
Glaucus Leto
1959Goliath and the Barbarians
Emiliano (a.k.a. "Goliath")
1959The White Warrior
Agi / Hadji Murad, the White Warrior
1959Hercules Unchained
Hercules
1958Hercules
Hercules
1957The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show (TV Series)
Foley
- Harry Returns Early (1957) ... Foley
1954Athena
Ed Perkins
1954Jail Bait
Lieutenant Bob Lawrence
1953Topper (TV Series)
Joe Manurki
- Reducing (1953) ... Joe Manurki
1953Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
Olympic Team Member (uncredited)
1952Hollywood Opening Night (TV Series)
- Prison Doctor (1952)
1951Stars Over Hollywood (TV Series)
- Prison Doctor (1951)
1949Kimbar of the Jungle (TV Short)
Kimbar
Show ShowWriter (1 credit)
Show ShowSelf (4 credits)
Show ShowArchive footage (11 credits)
Edit
Personal Details
Other Works: Active on Broadway in the following productions: See more »
Publicity Listings: 5 Print Biographies | 1 Interview | 6 Articles | 2 Magazine Cover Photos | See more »
Official Sites: Steve Reeves International Society
Alternate Names: Steve Reeves Mr. Universe of 1950 | S. Reeves
Height: 6' 1" (1.85 m)
Edit
Did You Know?
Personal Quote: Filmmaking in Europe was a little different from working in the United States. There's a scene in 'Hercules' where I'm in chains -- they looked like steel, but they were actually made of wood -- and I had to swing these chains at my supposed enemies who were advancing towards me. Well, I didn't want to really strike someone so I kind of held back with my motions. The director yelled, 'Swing those... See more »
Trivia: Mr. Universe 1950 See more »
Trademark: Strong, statuesque frame See more »
Star Sign: Aquarius
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