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Steven ReevesAmerican actor and legendary bodybuilder.
Date of Birth: 21.01.1926
Country:  USA |
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Biography of Steve Reeves
Early Life and Military ServiceSteve Reeves, an American actor and legendary bodybuilder, was born on January 21, 1926, in Glasgow, Montana. He was the only child of Golden and Lester Reeves. In 1940, Reeves started weight training at Edda Yarick's gym in Oakland. After graduating from Castlemon High School in 1944, he was drafted into the army on September 12, 1944. Following six months of training, his unit was deployed to the Philippines. As a private in the 25th Infantry Division, he participated in the Battle of Balete Pass. After the war, Reeves returned to the United States to pursue a career in bodybuilding, which eventually made him a legend in the sport.
Bodybuilding Career
On September 18, 1946, Reeves returned to the US and immediately went to train at Edda Yarick's gym in Oakland. Three months later, in December 1946, he competed in his first competition, the "Mr. Pacific Coast" in Portland, which he won. In May 1947, Reeves won the "Mr. Western America" competition in Los Angeles, receiving awards for best arms, chest, and legs. He had a strong desire to become "Mr. America." A month later, at the age of 21, Reeves became the youngest person ever to win the title, defeating 35 competitors, including future stars George Eiferman, who became "Mr. America" in 1949, and John Farbotnik, who became "Mr. America" and "Mr. World" in 1950. Reeves became the main star of the "Muscle Beach" in Venice, California, for nearly 20 years. His impressive physique and unprecedented hypertrophied muscles made a lasting impression on people who saw a bodybuilder for the first time during that era.
Acting Career
In 1948, Reeves participated in the "Mr. USA" competition organized by Bert Goodrich at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. Several former "Mr. Americas," including Reeves, competed in the event. At the age of 22 and not yet at his peak, he finished second to the renowned bodybuilder Clancy Ross. However, this setback did not discourage him, and he decided to compete in the most prestigious tournament, the NABBA "Mr. Universe" in London, since the "Mr. Olympia" competition did not exist at that time. Young Reeves lost the title to the legendary John Grimek, who was already 38 years old and contemplating retirement. Determined to win, Steve travelled to Cannes, France, and won the title of "Mr. World." In 1949, he participated in the "Mr. USA" competition again but was defeated by the same stars of early bodybuilding - John Grimek and Clancy Ross. In 1950, after thorough preparation, Steve Reeves won the "Mr. Universe" by defeating the future bodybuilding legend and idol Arnold Schwarzenegger - Reg Park. Following this victory on July 24, 1950, Reeves decided to transition to the film industry. He became the person who brought bodybuilding to the world's attention, just like Arnold Schwarzenegger did later. Reeves' films, particularly his two Hercules movies in 1957 and 1959, gained worldwide popularity, even reaching behind the Iron Curtain. He portrayed the character of Hercules in a way that has remained unmatched. Other notable films include "The Thief of Baghdad" (1961), "The Last Days of Pompeii" (1959), "Morgan the Pirate" (1961), "The Trojan Horse" (1961), and others. In the film "The Last Days of Pompeii" (1959), Reeves sustained a shoulder injury but continued to perform stunts. The worsening of his injury eventually led him to retire from bodybuilding.
Later Life and Legacy
After 1968, Reeves abandoned his acting career, purchased a ranch in California, and began horse breeding and other businesses. He completely withdrew from show business and devoted himself to horse breeding. Reeves became the president of the Morgan Horse Society in San Diego and the grand marshal of the annual parade in Escondido. In the late 90s, handwritten training notes of Reeves from his pre-army days were accidentally discovered in the house where he used to train. They were written on a chalkboard covered with wallpaper and remained untouched for over 50 years. The magazine "Flex" published an article with photographs of the training notes, creating a sensation. Through their films, Steve Reeves and Arnold Schwarzenegger made the greatest contribution to the popularization of bodybuilding. During Reeves' time, the sport was new and unfamiliar. His films introduced the concept of a person developing their body through bodybuilding to the general public, which was later continued by Schwarzenegger. For almost three decades, the name "Steve Reeves" became synonymous with a bodybuilder, a strong person, or simply someone with a muscular physique, until the mid-80s when it was replaced by the name "Arnold."
