Date: 1/14/2004 4:37:52 AM Eastern Standard Time
From: muslpupi@...
Reply-to: BodybuildingContests@yahoogroups.com
To: BodybuildingContests@yahoogroups.com
The first
bodybuilder I ever met was Steve Reeves. Must have been in the mid
40's because I was about 6 years old and sitting on the shore of a
lake in the Oakland Hills (Lake Tamascal, I think it was) and Steve
came walking out of the water and almost tripped over me. He tapped me
on the head and said, "Hi, kid!".

I thought he was some football player but my dad told me he was a
local bodybuilder living in Okland. I think he was in high school at
that time.

About a month later, I was with my dad waiting at the San Francisco
Terminal for the "train" that ran to Oakland over the Bay Bridge and
saw Steve Reeves and a friend on the other side of the platform. I
yelled, "Hey, do you remember me?" And he said, "Yea, hi. You're the
kid from the lake.".

That was the extent of that conversation and Steve was not yet famous
enough to even kw his name.

A few years later, some Oakland newspaper ran a story about Reeves
and Yarick's gym and his mom and horses on a ranch up in Oregon. It
talked about him going to some school in the Bay Area and mentioned
that he never had a cold or a cavity.

I do recall reading that story because a little while later, I met
Steve at a summer resort called Rio Nido on the Russian River about 70
miles north of San Francisco situated in some of the last remaining
Redwoods in that part of California.

Every school kid in the Bay Area spent summer time ont he Russian
RIver back then.

It was early afternoon in the Redwoods and Steve and a friend of his
who looked like a powerlifter were sitting on the back of a bench
watching all the summertime activity and just enjoying the day. I said
"hello" and asked him if he really never had a cavity and he said that
that story was completely true, "Never had a cold either."

Years later (1950's) they showed Steve Reeves' first Hercules movie at
the River Theater in Guerneville (two miles from Rio Nido). It was the
last day of summer vacation but most of the kids stayed to see that
movie because Steve was something like a neighborhood hero. I do
recall seeing Hercules and driving back to San Francisco late that
nite and starting school the next morning and talking about the film
and Steve Reeves' riole in it. It was a major hit back then.

Many years later I had the opportunity to escort Steve and his soon to
be wife when they arrived in Hawaii to participate on one of the local
bodybuilding contests.

Steve was in his 60's then but honestly looked more like his early
40's. We drove around in a limo seeing the sights and discussing the
early days.

Steve enjoyed talking about his role in the Ralph Edward's TV Show,
training at Ed Yarick's Gym in Oakland, and the present situation or
steroids in the sport which saddened him a lot.

There was a reception for Steve and his fiance at the gym and they
were playing the original Hercules movie in his honor on the big
screen TV. Steve noticed that immediately and grabbed a chair and
watched the remainder of the film offering comments about it as it
progressed.

Once Hercules was over, he got up and met everyone who was there to
welcome him to Hawaii.

He spent about five days with us and had a great time seeing the
Hawaii sights and going to a Luau in the country.

Steve mentioned that he had come to Hawaii when he was much younger
and had taken pictures on the North Shore but was not sure if that was
the right location

After he returned to his ranch in Southern Cal, I received a nice card
thanking us for the great time he had with us in Hawaii.

As you all know, Steve passed away a few years back. That was a sad
occasion for all of us who knew him

Some related information:

Arty Zeller took the pictures of Steve when he was very young at
Stenson Beach just north of San Francisco. The silouetted, double arm
bicep, shot of Steve standing in the ocean is one of Steve's best
physique shots. Arty thought so too.

Steve was a close friend of George Eifferman and after Steve passed
away and while George was in the hospital in Las Vegas, all his
visitors were asked not to tell him of Steve's death as it would
affect him badly.

Steve's first movie was "Jail Bait". Steve clarified this to me
personally. Steve played the part of a young detective and had to
remove his shirt in one scene. (Added to the script). It is available
on DVD.

Steve played a lot of humerous tricks on Ralph Edwards during the
production of the Ralph Edwards TV show in the mid 50's. I don't
recall him telling what they were though.

He had a bit part on the old "George Burns and Gracie Allen" TV show.

Steve trained at Ed Yarick's Gym in Oakland. I think it was Oakland.

Steve's second film was a big role in an MGM movie called "Athena" in
which he appeared to be in better shape that the later Hercules roles.
This video is available on tape. He plays a bodybuilder and even
enters a contest.

I believe Steve had a minor role in a major play called "Kismit" and
was up for the part of L'il Abner once or twice.

Steve visited Muscle House run by Pudgy Stockton (I believe that there
was a Mr Stockton too) in the Santa Monica/Venice Beach year but I
don't know how long he stayed. I do know that he trained at the Santa
Monica Muscle Beach pit on a few occasions.

Did Eric Pederson ever beat Steve Reeves in a contest? Did anyone ever
beat Steve in any BB contest back then? How about John Terpak?

Steve was a great guy and was genetically gifted in many ways.

If you have corrections or additional personal comments about Steve,
please submit them to this group. Additional Steve Reeves comments,
corrections and updates are sincerely appreciated.

Thanks, Pup! This brings back a lot of good memories. More to follow.....