Gold Joe

American bodybuilder and businessman credited with being the father of the bodybuilding and the fitness craze. He was the founder of Golds Gym and World Gym. A machinist, he worked in the United States Merchant Marine and served in the United States Navy during World War II, where he was badly injured in a torpedo attack, and also in the Korean War. As a professional bodybuilder, he toured the USA in the Mae West revue as a member of a group of musclemen. He also appeared as an extra in two epic movies, The Ten Commandments and Around the World in 80 Days, both in 1956. In 1965, Joe Gold opened the first Golds Gym in Venice, California. Among Golds many devotees was Arnold Schwarzenegger, who began working out at the gym in 1968 soon after arriving in the US. In a statement, the former Governor of California called Joe Gold "a trusted friend and father figure." Joe Gold opened new gyms and designed the equipment for them. His innovations revolutionized the sport, enabling people to exercise more easily with machines. He sold the Golds Gym chain in 1970. In 1977, he launched World Gym in Santa Monica (later in Marina del Rey), which he owned and operated until his death on 11 July 2004 at age 82. Link to Wikipedia biography Read less