Backstage with Elton John and my partner of 20 years Jim Brown
In 1976 for the Bicentennial Bill Pearl designed and sold a t-shirt with red, white and blue stars and stripes on the sleeves. This picture was the ad he ran in the magazines. Thats Dave Johns facing Bill.
I met Cher while on tour with Elton. She is a wonderful, wonderful person. She contacted me for several appearances on her show.
I met Divine in 1974 while on tour with Elton. He was along for a couple of weeks. After a concert he would come to my room and we would unwind. In 1977 when I went to London for the Mr. Universe he was there performing in a stage production of "Women Behind Bars" and was our tour guide. When I opened my gym the following year he would come in to pickup his protein powder and vitamins. He never worked out, claiming it would "devastate my career". He wore my gym t shirts all over town. When people would ask him if he trained at my gym, he would reply "Are you serious". All of the gyms in town were running ads touting how hard core and serious they were. So we ran a full page ad in the Advocate with the line underneath this picture saying ARE YOU SERIOUS
Dom Deluise on location on the Mae West movie "Sextette". He was even funnier off camera than on. That's Warner Taub, the producer, in the center.
Boarding the plane. I'm carrying Elton's eyeglass case. (One of several.)
Going through customs into Canada. That's Davey Johnstone the lead guitarist on the right.
This was taken in 1970-71 on Trancas Beach just north of Zuma Beach. It was a TV commercial for Chevrolet.
The gym was located on Santa Monica Blvd. in the heart of West Hollywood. The neon "Muscles" sign in the window was bright pink and was a gift from one of the members who worked at one of the studios where it had been used in a movie.
I appeared on several of Cher's shows. In this one she was doing a takeoff on the Mae West LasVegas troupe. This was taken backstage.
We were in Elton's suite at the Sherry-Netherland hotel in New York. I answered the doorbell to find a guy and girl dressed totally in black. I told them to get out of the hotel before I called security and closed the door. About fifteen minutes later the bell rang again. This time they were accompanied by the tour manager who said "Jim, John Lennon said you wouldn't let him in."
That's Bernie Taupin, Elton's lyricist on the right
On the 1974 Elton tour I met Warner Taub. He was to later produce Mae West's last picture "Sextette". One day I returned home to find a limo waiting in front of the house. The driver said "Mr. Taub would like to see you at the studio immediately". Next thing I knew I was playing the captain of the American gymnastics team. In this scene I'm introducing the team mascot to Miss Marlowe Manners, played by Mae West.
Far Rockaway was New York's Muscle Beach. I'm 2nd from the right. This was taken sometime in the late 60's.
Although the date at the top of the photo says march, it was actually taken in January but was not developed until I got home to New York in March. I was on vacation and Arnold had just arrived in the United States. Zabo was amazed as were we all. I took the test for the L.A.P.D., passed, and moved to LA six months later. The picture was taken in the original Gold's Gym. Zabo. Arnold, me and Jim Fraracci.
I was inducted into the "Physical Fitness Hall of Fame" on Sept 9, 1978 in the Grand Ballroom of The Waldorf Astoria in Manhattan along with Bill Pearl, Sergio Oliva and Jack LaLanne.
Serge Nubret was visiting Los Angeles and I finally had the opportunity to meet him. I had long admired him from afar. He turned out to be a great guy and we became good friends.
I want to thank my good friend Steve Schewe for sending me these two pictures which I had never seen. They were taken on Muscle beach in 1979 while Serge Nubret was vacationing with his friend Paco Arce. That's Steve next to Serge and Frank Calta next to me. Frank came out to train at Pearl's for his contests. He won the 1977 Mr Pennsylvania and the 1980 Mr Florida.
Steve was a UCLA Certified Fitness Trainer while he was here in LA. He was 2nd runnerup in the short class of the 1979 Mr Cal. He is currently competing in the over 50 age group competitions. He is a great artist. Check out his site at http://the 3 sisters.com.
Vic Tanny Jr. on the left is the son of the famous Vic Tanny. Ken Holbert on the right was my training partner and went on to win the Collegiate Mr. America.
Vince Folonis was my client in my volunteer work for the Center For Healthy Aging in Santa Monica. He had suffered several strokes and was wheelchair bound Our visits consisted of going our to lunch at a local restaurant and a workout with me assisting the movements and providing the resistance. He was my client for several years and died in 2003. He was a wonderful friend.
This was for an ad which Joe Gold ran in 1990 in all the major bodybuilding magazines. From left to right, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Franco Columbu, Eddie Giulliani, Joe Gold, Bob Paris, Danny Padilla, and myself.