Mr. Olympia is the title awarded to the winner of the professional men's bodybuilding contest at Joe Weider's Olympia Weekend - an international bodybuilding competition that is held annually by the International Federation of BodyBuilding & Fitness (IFBB).^[1] Joe Weider created the contest to enable the Mr. Universe winners to continue competing and to earn money. The first Mr. Olympia was held on September 18, 1965 at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, New York City, with Larry Scott winning his first of two straight titles.

The record number of wins is eight, held by Lee Haney (1984–1991) and Ronnie Coleman (1998–2005). Phil Heath currently holds the title of Mr. Olympia. The film Pumping Iron (1977), featured the build up to the 1975 Mr. Olympia, in Pretoria South Africa and helped launch the acting careers of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Lou Ferrigno, both finalists in the contest. There is also a female bodybuilder crowned, the Ms. Olympia, as are winners of Fitness Olympia and Figure Olympia for fitness and figure competitors. All four contests occur during the same weekend. During the 1990s and early 2000s (decade), a Masters Olympia was also crowned.

History[link]

1960s[link]

The 1965 and 1966 Mr. Olympia were won by Larry Scott, a famous bodybuilder of the time. Scott displayed a physique with defined muscle shape in his biceps, triceps, shoulders, and chest, which were all large, rounded, and fully shaped. His upper arms measured over 20 inches and were among the largest ever displayed at a professional bodybuilding competition. Scott subsequently retired after his 1966 victory.

Harold Poole continues to hold two Mr. Olympia distinctions. One is that in 1965 he competed in the first Mr. Olympia at the age of 21, he remains the youngest ever competitor to have participated in the Olympia to this day. The other distinction is that he was the only man to compete in all three of the initial Mr. Olympia contests. He was runner-up in the 1965 and 1966 shows.

The 1967 Mr Olympia heralded a new era in bodybuilding competition. Sergio Oliva, nicknamed "The Myth", won the next 3 Mr Olympia competitions. At 5 ft 10ins and 240 lbs,^[1] in bodyweight, Oliva displayed a level of muscle mass and definition - including a "V" shape of a large, well-formed upper-body that tapered down to a narrow waist - unlike anything seen in prior competitions. His upper arms measured nearly 23 inches, with his chest measured at 59 inches,^[1] which tapered down to a 28 inch waist and two 31 inch legs. Oliva would go on to win the Mr. Olympia competition in 1967, 1968, and 1969 - where he would defeat Arnold Schwarzenegger 4 to 3, marking Schwarzenegger's first and only loss in a Mr. Olympia competition.

1970s[link]

Schwarzenegger defeated Oliva at the 1970 Mr. Olympia after finishing second the year before. At 6 ft 2" and 240 lbs, he was able to match Sergio Oliva for size in his upper arms, chest, and back. However, contest judges deemed that Schwarzenegger's extra definition and muscularity over Sergio Oliva were substantial enough to award him the title. Schwarzenegger successfully defended his title against Oliva in 1972, after which Oliva retired from the IFBB.

Schwarzenegger went on to win the next three Mr. Olympia competitions, including the 1975 Mr. Olympia competition, which was highlighted in the 1977 docudrama Pumping Iron and featured other notable bodybuilders such as Lou Ferrigno, Serge Nubret, and Franco Columbu, who would go on to win the 1976 competition. Columbu's win proved that height did not matter.^{[citation needed]} Up until that point the taller competitors won but Columbu, who stands around 5'4" (≈1.63m), won by showcasing a combination of mass and hardness that had never been seen before.

After winning the 1975 competition, Schwarzenegger announced his retirement from competitive bodybuilding; this was also depicted in Pumping Iron.

Frank Zane won the 1977, 1978, and 1979 competitions. While not as physically massive as previous competitors such as Schwarzenegger, Oliva, or Ferrigno, Zane developed his physique to highlight symmetry, aesthetics, and definition. As such, Zane was able to defeat opponents who exceeded his own muscle-mass but lacked his level of muscular definition.

1980s[link]

In 1980, Schwarzenegger came out of retirement to win the Sandow trophy yet again. Schwarzenegger had been a late entry into the competition, and his competitors did not know of his intentions to compete. The following year, Franco Columbu was victorious. Chris Dickerson won the 1982 competition, Samir Bannout won the 1983 competition, and Lee Haney won a record-setting eight competitions, starting in 1984.

1990s[link]

Haney retired from competitive bodybuilding after his last Mr. Olympia victory in 1991.

Having placed 2nd to Haney the previous year, Dorian Yates won the 1992 through 1997 competitions. During this time, judging in professional bodybuilding competitions started placing greater emphasis on muscle mass, with many bodybuilding traditionalists commenting that muscle mass had now become the most important factor to winning, even greater than that of symmetry, aesthetics, and proportion.

Yates retired from competitive bodybuilding after his 1997 victory. Flex Wheeler seemed to be the heir apparent but Ronnie Coleman surprised everyone with a new improved physique in 1998, winning 8 consecutive titles.

In 1994 Joe Weider decided to add a separate Masters Olympia competition for professional bodybuilders to continue to compete at the highest levels in their later years.

2000s[link]

Ronnie Coleman won the Mr. Olympia competition eight consecutive times, tying the record set by Lee Haney. Coleman returned in 2006 to defend his title but instead placed second to Jay Cutler, who won his first title after five consecutive years of finishing second in placing to Coleman. Cutler then successfully defended his title again in 2007. Coleman came in fourth place and announced his retirement from competition. In 2008, Dexter Jackson defeated Jay Cutler and became Mr. Olympia. In 2009, Jay Cutler became the 3rd Mr. Olympia in history (other than Arnold Schwarzenegger and Franco Columbu) to reclaim the title, and the only Mr. Olympia in history to reclaim the title after having it lost, by returning on stage and defeating the reigning champion Dexter Jackson who placed 3rd in 2009.

2010s[link]

In 2010, Cutler returned to claim his 4th Mr. Olympia title, becoming just the fifth competitor in Olympia history to win the title more than 3 times.

In 2011, Phil Heath defeated Jay Cutler to win the Mr. Olympia.

Qualifying[link]

All Mr. Olympia competitors must meet the qualifying criteria. Possible methods of qualifying are:

• Previous Mr. Olympia winner (but if more than 5 years have passed IFBB approval is required)
• Top 6 finalist from previous year's Mr. Olympia
• Top 6 finalist from same year's Arnold Classic
• Top 5 finalist from same year's New York Men’s Professional (previously the Night of the Champions)
• Top 3 finalist from any other competition in the I.F.B.B professional tour held during the subsequent year prior to the Mr. Olympia
• The winner of the Masters Professional World Championships
• Originally to be able to enter to the Mr. Olympia qualification was the Mr. Universe title.

On top of this, the event organizer can nominate one competitor, who has not qualified by other means, as a “special invitee”. Schwarzenegger was able to enter into the 1980 Mr. Olympia contest because of this rule and the fact that he had won the Mr. Olympia contest 5 years prior.

Winners[link]

Year	Winner	Venue
1965	Larry Scott	New York City, New York, United States
1966	Larry Scott	New York City, New York, United States
1967	Sergio Oliva	New York City, New York, United States
1968	Sergio Oliva	New York City, New York, United States
1969	Sergio Oliva	New York City, New York, United States
1970	Arnold Schwarzenegger	New York City, New York, United States
1971	Arnold Schwarzenegger	Paris, Île-de-France, France
1972	Arnold Schwarzenegger	Essen, North Rhine-Westphalia, West Germany
1973	Arnold Schwarzenegger	New York City, New York, United States
1974	Arnold Schwarzenegger	New York City, New York, United States
1975	Arnold Schwarzenegger	Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa
1976	Franco Columbu	Columbus, Ohio, United States
1977	Frank Zane	Columbus, Ohio, United States
1978	Frank Zane	Columbus, Ohio, United States
1979	Frank Zane	Columbus, Ohio, United States
1980	Arnold Schwarzenegger	Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
1981	Franco Columbu	Columbus, Ohio, United States
1982	Chris Dickerson	London, England, United Kingdom
1983	Samir Bannout	Munich, Bavaria, West Germany
1984	Lee Haney	New York City, New York, United States
1985	Lee Haney	Brussels, Belgium
1986	Lee Haney	Columbus, Ohio, United States
1987	Lee Haney	Gothenburg, Götaland, Sweden
1988	Lee Haney	Los Angeles, California, United States
1989	Lee Haney	Rimini, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
1990	Lee Haney	Chicago, Illinois, United States
1991	Lee Haney	Orlando, Florida, United States
1992	Dorian Yates	Helsinki, Uusimaa, Finland
1993	Dorian Yates	Atlanta, Georgia, United States
1994	Dorian Yates	Atlanta, Georgia, United States
1995	Dorian Yates	Atlanta, Georgia, United States
1996	Dorian Yates	Chicago, Illinois, United States
1997	Dorian Yates	Los Angeles, California, United States
1998	Ronnie Coleman	New York City, New York, United States
1999	Ronnie Coleman	Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
2000	Ronnie Coleman	Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
2001	Ronnie Coleman	Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
2002	Ronnie Coleman	Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
2003	Ronnie Coleman	Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
2004	Ronnie Coleman	Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
2005	Ronnie Coleman	Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
2006	Jay Cutler	Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
2007	Jay Cutler	Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
2008	Dexter Jackson	Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
2009	Jay Cutler	Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
2010	Jay Cutler	Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
2011	Phil Heath	Las Vegas, Nevada, United States

References[link]

• Wayne, Rick (1985). Muscle Wars. St. Martin's Press. pp. 93, 95, 250, 257. ISBN 0-312-55353-6. 

External links[link]

• Mr. Olympia
• Photo history of all of the Mr. Olympia winners
• Site with pictures and results
• Mr. Olympia Winners

v t e Mr. Olympia competitions 1965  · 1966  · 1967  · 1968  · 1969  · 1970  · 1971  · 1972  · 1973  · 1974  · 1975  · 1976  · 1977  · 1978  · 1979  · 1980  · 1981  · 1982  · 1983  · 1984  · 1985  · 1986  · 1987  · 1988  · 1989  · 1990  · 1991  · 1992  · 1993  · 1994  · 1995  · 1996  · 1997  · 1998  · 1999  · 2000  · 2001  · 2002  · 2003  · 2004  · 2005  · 2006  · 2007  · 2008  · 2009  · 2010

Mister, usually written in its abbreviated form Mr or Mr. (American English), is a commonly used English honorific for men under the rank of knighthood. The title derived from master, as the equivalent female titles, Mrs., Miss, and Ms, all derived from the archaic mistress. The title master was retained and used for boys and young men, but is now less commonly used. The plural form is Misters, or the abbreviation Messrs (UK) or Messrs. (US) ( /ˈmɛsərz/).^[1][2] This is an English abbreviation of the French "messieurs" (French pronunciation: [mesjø]), sometimes pronounced /ˈmɛsərz/ in English.

Usage[link]

When addressing someone directly: Mr. is usually used with the last name only ("May I help you, Mr. Thompson?"). In other circumstances, it can be used with either the last name or the full name ("This is Mr. John Smith."; "Would you please help, Mr Smith?"). In formal written address, it is usually used along with the full name, or with initials and surname.

When a man's name is unknown, "mister" is sometimes used informally by itself in direct address, as in, "Hello, mister," or "Are you all right, mister?" rather than the standard form of address, "Sir". Though not necessarily meant disrespectfully, such use may to some people seem rude.

In some subcultures, including the Southern United States, West Africa, and in some US urban communities, Mister is often used along with only the first name to simultaneously indicate familiarity and respect; some children are encouraged to use this form when referring to or addressing adults.

A formal written address to related men with common surnames may list each person on separate lines, or in the form "Misters John and Elias Smith", "The Messieurs Smith" or "Messrs. John and Elias Smith".^[3]

Historic etiquette[link]

Historically, Mr., like Sir, once indicated an ill-defined social status only applied to gentlemen or persons at or above one's own station as a mark of respect. This understanding is all but obsolete today.

In past centuries, Mr. was used with a first name to distinguish among family members who might otherwise be confused in conversation: Mr. Smith would be the eldest present; younger brothers or cousins were then referred to as Mr. James Smith and Mr. Robert Smith and so on. Such usage survived longer in family-owned business or when domestic servants were referring to adult male family members with the same surname: "Mr. Robert and Mr. Richard will be out this evening, but Mr. Edward is dining in," but such usage today is rare.

Professional titles[link]

"Mr" is sometimes combined with certain titles (Mr. President, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Justice, Mr. Dean). The female equivalent is Madam. All of these except Mr. Justice are used in direct address and without the name. The title Mr. Justice is not used in direct address. In certain professional contexts in different regions, "Mr." has specific meanings; the following are some examples.

Medicine[link]

In the United Kingdom, some Commonwealth countries, South Africa and Ireland, many surgeons use the title Mr (or Miss, Ms, Mrs, as appropriate), rather than Dr (Doctor). Until the 19th century, earning a medical degree was not required to become a qualified surgeon.^[4]

Military usage[link]

In the United States Military, Warrant Officers and Chief Warrant Officers are addressed as Mister. In the United States Navy and United States Coast Guard it is proper to use Mister to refer to commissioned officers below the rank of commander.

In the British Armed Forces, a Warrant Officer is addressed as "Sir" by Other Ranks and Non-Commissioned Officers; Commissioned Officers, particularly of junior rank, should address a Warrant Officer using his surname and the prefix Mister, for example Mr Smith, although often their rank or appointment is used, for example "Sergeant Major," "Regimental Sergeant Major,", or "RSM".

In the British Armed Forces a Subaltern is often referred to by his surname and the prefix Mister by both Other Ranks and more senior Commissioned Officers, e.g. "Report to Mister Smithe-Jones at once" rather than "Report to 2nd Lieutenant Smithe-Jones at once".

Judges[link]

In the Courts of England and Wales, Judges of the High Court are called, for example, Mr Justice Crane (unless they are entitled to be addressed as Lord Justice). Where a forename is necessary to avoid ambiguity it is always used, for example Mr Justice Robert Goff to distinguish from a predecessor Mr Justice Goff. The female equivalent is Mrs Justice Hallett, not Madam Justice Hallett. When more than one judge is sitting and one needs to be specific, one would refer to My Lord, Mr Justice Crane. High Court Judges are entitled to be styled with the prefix The Honourable while holding office: e.g. the Honourable Mr Justice Robert Goff. In writing, such as in the law reports, the titles "Mr Justice" or "Mrs Justice" are both abbreviated to a "J" placed after the name. For example, Crane J would be substituted for Mr Justice Crane.^[5]

The Chief Justice of the United States may be referred to as either "Mr. Chief Justice," or "Chief Justice." For example, "Mr. Chief Justice Roberts," or "Chief Justice Roberts."

Catholic clerics[link]

Among Catholic clergy, "Mr" is the correct title and form of address for seminarians and other students for the priesthood and was once the proper title for all secular and parish priests, the use of the title "Father" being reserved to religious clergy only. This is still the case on the continent of Europe but the use of the title "Father" for parish clergy became customary around the 1820s.^{[clarification needed]}

A diocesan seminarian is correctly addressed as "Mr," and once ordained a transitional deacon, is addressed in formal correspondence (though rarely in conversation) as the Reverend Mister (or "Rev. Mr"). In clerical religious orders (orders which include or are primarily made up of priests), Mr is the title given to scholastics. For instance, in the Jesuits, a man preparing for priesthood who has completed the novitiate but who is not yet ordained is properly, "Mr John Smith, SJ" and is addressed verbally as "Mister Smith"—this is to distinguish him from Jesuit brothers, and priests. (Although, before the 1820s, many Jesuit priests were also called "Mr".) Orders founded before the 16th century do not, as a rule, follow this practice: a Franciscan or Dominican, for instance, becomes a friar after novitiate and so is properly titled "Brother," or, if a cleric, "Father."

Permanent deacons are not to be styled "the Reverend Mr", but instead simply as "Deacon" or "the Reverend Deacon" followed by their first and last names (e.g., "Deacon John Jones".^[6] It is also customary in some places, especially in the Eastern Catholic Churches to address deacons while speaking, like presbyters, as "Father" or "Father Deacon".

Other usages[link]

• "Mister" can also be used in combination with another word to refer to someone who is regarded as the personification of, or master of, a particular field or subject, especially in the fields of popular entertainment and sports, as Gordie Howe is referred to as "Mr. Hockey" or Reggie Jackson is known as "Mr. October."
• The husband of a famous woman is sometimes referred to with "Mr" prefixed to her name; e.g. Denis Thatcher was sometimes referred to as "Mr Margaret Thatcher." Such usage is not traditional and usually meant satirically.
• In Italian football, deference to a coach is shown by players, staff and fans referring to him as "Il Mister," or directly, "Mister." This is traditionally attributed to the conversion of the local game of Calcio to English-rules Association Football by British sailors, who would have been the first coaches.^[7]

Foreign equivalents[link]

• Afrikaans: Meneer (Mnr.)
• Amharic: አቶ (Ato)
• Albanian: Zotëri (Z.)
• Arabic: سيد (Sayyid)
• Armenian: Պարոն (Paron, Eastern Armenian), Պարոն (Baron, Western Armenian)
• Azeri: Cənab
• Bengali: জনাব (Janab)
• Belarusian Спадар (Spadar), Пан (Pan)
• Bulgarian: Господин (Г-н, G-n) (Gospodin)
• Burmese: U
• Catalan: Senyor (Sr.)
• Chinese: 先生; Hanyu Pinyin: Xiānsheng; Tongyong Pinyin: sian1 sheng; Jyutping: sin1 saang1; Cantonese Yale: sīn sāang; Zhuyin Fuhao: ㄒ｜ㄢ ㄕㄥ
• Croatian: Gospodin (Gosp.)
• Czech: pan (p.)
• Dutch: De heer, only when referred to in the third person and on envelopes; meneer or mijnheer (archaic), in all situations, but mostly in speech, except on envelopes; (dhr. but not Mr. as this is an academic title.)
• Esperanto: Sinjoro (S-ro)
• Estonian: Härra (Hr.)
• Finnish: Herra (Hra)
• French: Monsieur (M. or, more rarely, M^r)
• Filipino: Ginoo (G.)
• Georgian: ბატონი (Batoni)
• German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish: Herr (Hr)
• Greek: Κύριος, Kýrios (literally: "Lord"), abbreviation: κ., k. – plural: Κύριοι, Kýrioi, abbreviation: κ.κ., k.k.. Unlike English practice, this style is never to be used for the deceased; in such cases styles of religious connotation ("blessed", "forgiven", etc) are used..
• Hebrew: אדון (Adon) or מר (Mar)
• Hindi: श्री (Shri)
• Hungarian: úr
• Icelandic: Herra (Hr.)
• Ido: Sioro (Sro.) is used to refer to any adult person, male or female, married or not. If it is necessary to indicate that the person in question is an adult male, then Siorulo (Srlo.) is used.
• Indonesian: Tuan (Tn.)
• Irish: An t-Uasal (An tUas.)
• Italian: Signore (Sig.)
• Japanese: Japanese honorifics are affixed to the end of a proper name or official title and are defined less by gender than by the relationship between the speaker and addressee. The most common, however, is -san (さん^?), itself derived from the more formal -sama (様^?). In newspapers and other (mostly written) contexts, the most common honorific used is the Chinese-based -shi (氏^?).
  For more details on this topic, see Japanese honorifics.
• Kannada: ಶ್ರೀ (Shree)
• Kazakh: Мырза (Myrza)
• Korean: the suffix 씨 (Hanja: 氏, McCune-Reischauer Ssi, pronounced somewhat like "shi"). Honorific form is 군 (gun), and the feminine form is 양 (yang).
• Kotava: weltikye
• Latvian: kungs (k-gs)
• Lithuanian: Ponas (p.)
• Macedonian:Господин (Gospodin), Г-дин (G-din)
• Maltese: Sinjur (Sur)
• Malay: Encik (En)
• Marathi: श्री (Shri)
• Norwegian: Herr (Hr.)
• Occitan: Sénher (Sr.)
• Oriya: Sriman
• Papiamento: Sr.
• Persian: آقا (Āqā)
• Polish: Pan (P.)
• Portuguese: Senhor (Sr.)
• Punjabi: ਸਰਦਰ (Sardar), ਸਦਰ (Sdr.)
• Romanian: Domn (D-n)
• Russian: Господин (Gospodin), Г-н (G-n)
• Sanskrit: महानुभाव (Mahānubhāva)
• Serbian: Господин (Gospodin), Г-дин (G-din)
• Sinhalese: මහතා (Mahatha)
• Slovak: pán (p.)
• Slovene: gospod (g.)
• Spanish: Señor (Sr.)
• Somali: Seeydi
• Syriac: ܡܝܩܪܐ (Myaqro)
• Tamil: திரு (Thiru)
• Telugu: శ్రీ (Sri)
• Thai: นาย (Nai)
• Turkish: Bey (used after a first name, e.g. Mehmet Bey)
• Tswana: Rra
• Ukrainian: Пан (Pan)
• Urdu: ﺼﺎﺣﺐ (Sahib) used as a suffix after the name
• Vietnamese: ông
• Yiddish: רעב (Reb), abbreviated 'ר, used with the first name rather than the surname.

See also[link]

• Aptronym

References[link]

Phillip "Phil" Jerrod Heath (born December 18, 1979 in Seattle, Washington) is an American IFBB professional bodybuilder and current Mr. Olympia.

Early life and education[link]

Phillip Heath grew up in Seattle and attended Rainier Beach High School, where he played guard on the varsity basketball team. One of his former high school teammates, Jamal Crawford, currently plays for the Portland Trail Blazers. Heath attended the University of Denver on a full athletic scholarship. While at Denver, Heath double-majored in IT and Business Administration and played guard for Denver's Division I basketball team.

Bodybuilding career[link]

It was not until 2002 that Phil Heath pursued bodybuilding and began to compete in events. His hard work paid off in 2005 when he won the overall title at the NPC (National Physique Committee) USA Championships, earning the right to compete as an IFBB Pro. "The Gift" immediately made a splash in the IFBB, winning his first two pro events in 2006, The Colorado Pro Championships and The New York Pro Championship.

In 2007, Heath placed fifth at the Arnold Classic, although fans and critics had him as high as third place.^{[citation needed]}. Nonetheless, he qualified to compete in the 2007 Mr. Olympia contest. Heath, however, decided not to compete at the contest, stating that he needed more time to improve in order to be competitive.

This proved to be a good decision as Heath ended up winning the 2008 Iron Man show and placed second to Dexter Jackson at the 2008 Arnold Classic. In his 2008 Mr. Olympia debut, Heath finished third, becoming the first rookie to place in the top three since Flex Wheeler in 1993. A day before the Friday pre-judging for the 2009 Mr. Olympia competition, Phil caught a stomach virus which caused him to come in to the first day 10 pounds lighter than planned. He was a heavy favorite for the 2009 Mr. Olympia title^{[citation needed]}, but ended up taking fifth. In 2010, he took second place at the Mr. Olympia contest when Jay Cutler won his final title. In 2011, Heath became Mr. Olympia when he defeated Cutler.

Heath has been featured in many fitness and magazine articles, including being featured on the cover of FLEX magazine. Heath currently resides in Denver, Colorado, and trains at Armbrust Pro Gym in Wheat Ridge, Colorado. Phil has released four bodybuilding DVDs: "The Gift", "The Gift Unwrapped", "Journey to the Olympia" and Becoming Number 13. The latter three films are by Bodybranded Films and director Johnathan McFarlane.

Competitive stats[link]

• Height: 5 ft 9 in (175 cm)
• Competition weight: 240 pounds (110 kg)(Olympia 2011)
• Off-season weight: 275 pounds (125 kg)^[1]
• Arms: 22.5 inches (57 cm)
• Legs: 30 inches (76 cm)
• Calves: 20.4 inches (52 cm)
• Neck: 18.5 inches (47 cm)
• Waist: 29 inches (74 cm)
• Chest: 54 inches (140 cm)

Competitive history[link]

• 2003 Northern Colorado State, Novice, Light-Heavyweight 1st and overall
• 2003 NPC Colorado State, Light-Heavyweight, 1st
• 2004 NPC Colorado State, Heavyweight, 1st and Overall
• 2005 NPC Junior Nationals, HeavyWeight, 1st and Overall
• 2005 NPC USA Championships, HeavyWeight, 1st and Overall
• 2006 Colorado Pro Championships, 1st
• 2006 New York Pro Championship, 1st
• 2007 Arnold Classic, 5th
• 2008 IFBB Iron Man, 1st
• 2008 Arnold Classic, 2nd
• 2008 Mr Olympia, 3rd
• 2009 Mr Olympia, 5th
• 2010 Arnold Classic, 2nd
• 2010 Mr Olympia, 2nd
• 2011 Mr Olympia, 1st
• 2011 Sheru Classic, 1st

See also[link]

• List of male professional bodybuilders
• List of female professional bodybuilders
• Mr. Olympia
• Arnold Classic
• Ironman Pro Invitational
• Night of Champions

References[link]

External links[link]

• www.phillipheath.com Official website
• Phil Heath at the Internet Movie Database
• Phil Heath Posing Video from Arnold Classic 2007
• Phil Heath photos

This biographical article related to American sports is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v t e

This biographical article relating to bodybuilding is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v t e

This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (July 2009)

Ronnie Dean Coleman
Ronnie Coleman in 2009
Personal Info
Nickname	Ronnie Coleman
Born	(1964-05-13) May 13, 1964 (age 48) Bastrop, Louisiana, U.S.
Height	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Weight	Contest: 297 pounds (135 kg), Off season: 330 pounds (150 kg)
Professional Career
Pro-debut	1992 IFBB World Amateur Championships, 1992
Best win	IFBB Mr. Olympia 1998–2005,
Predecessor	Dorian Yates
Successor	Jay Cutler
Active	Since 1990

Ronnie Coleman 8 x Mr Olympia – 2009

Ronnie Coleman and wife in 2009

Ronnie Coleman talks to Tony Doherty of Doherty's Gym about his Mr. Olympia journey – 2009

Ronnie Dean "Big Ron" Coleman (born May 13, 1964 in Bastrop, Louisiana) is an American professional bodybuilder who holds the record of eight straight wins as Mr. Olympia, a record career total that he shares with Lee Haney.^[1] Alongside his eight Mr. Olympia wins as a professional bodybuilder, Coleman holds the record for most wins as an IFBB professional with 26. He broke the previous record (held by Vince Taylor at 22 wins) in Moscow on November 5, 2004.

Biography[link]

Ronnie Coleman graduated cum laude from Grambling State University (GSU) in 1986 with a B.S degree in accounting^{[citation needed]}. While attending Grambling State University Coleman also played football as a middle linebacker with the GSU Tigers under coach Eddie Robinson. After graduation, Coleman became a police officer in Arlington, Texas. Coleman's fellow officer Gustavo Arlotta suggested he attend the Metroflex gym, owned by amateur bodybuilder Brian Dobson. Dobson offered Coleman a free lifetime membership if he would allow him to train Coleman for the upcoming Mr. Texas bodybuilding competition that year.

After the training for the upcoming event of Mr. Texas, Coleman won first place in both the heavy weight and overall categories. He also defeated the man that trained him, Dobson. Coleman won his first competition as a professional—the Canada Pro Cup in 1995. The following year he won the contest again. Followed by a first place win in 1997, The Russian Grand Prix.

Coleman's success as a professional bodybuilder has led to many product endorsements and other opportunities in his career. Due to his bodybuilding profession Coleman undergoes a lot of travel to places such as Brazil, China, and Australia. Coleman also makes many guest appearances at gym openings all around the United States. Coleman has also made some training videos. His first training video; The Unbelievable; The Cost of Redemption; and On the Road. In these videos Coleman gives tips for more experienced weightlifters, while warning against over exertion and improper form.

When working out, Coleman prefers to use free weights rather than machines in order to maximize his flexibility and range of motion. He lifts weights four days per week, having cut down due to touring the world and cutting down on competitive events. Coleman supports the Inner City Games, an organization that Arnold Schwarzenegger co-founded in 1991. He was the recipient of the 2001 Admiral in the Texas Navy Certificate Award from Texas Governor Rick Perry for outstanding achievements in bodybuilding and for the promotion of physical fitness.

On June 30, 2009 on MuscleSport Radio, Coleman stated that he would compete in the 2010 Mr. Olympia competition.^{[citation needed]} Coleman also indicated that he would not participate in the 2009 Mr. Olympia competition for lack of preparation time. On October 10, 2009 at the Northern Territory Fitness & Bodybuilding Titles in Darwin, Australia, Coleman confirmed that he would compete in the 2010 Mr. Olympia competition, however, he did not appear at the 2010 Mr. Olympia competition.^{[citation needed]}

Personal life[link]

Ronnie Coleman was married for the first time at the age of 43 to Rouaida Christine Achkar in December 2007. He also has two daughters, Jamilleah and Valencia Daniel, and three young children from another relationship ^[2] Coleman is a Christian.^[3][4] Coleman underwent surgery for a spinal issue in December 2011, and was recovering in January 2012.^[5][6]

Bodybuilding titles[link]

• 1990 Mr. Texas (Heavyweight & Overall)
• 1991 World Amateur Championships (Heavyweight)
• 1995 Canada Pro Cup
• 1996 Canada Pro Cup
• 1997 Grand Prix Russia
• 1998 Night of Champions
• 1998 Toronto Pro Invitational
• 1998 Mr. Olympia
• 1998 Grand Prix Finland
• 1998 Grand Prix Germany
• 1999 Mr. Olympia
• 1999 World Pro Championships
• 1999 Grand Prix England
• 2000 Mr. Brody Langley
• 2000 Grand Prix England
• 2000 World Pro Championships
• 2000 Mr. Olympia
• 2001 Arnold Schwarzenegger Classic
• 2001 Mr. Olympia
• 2001 New Zealand Grand Prix
• 2002 Mr. Olympia
• 2002 Grand Prix Holland
• 2003 Mr. Olympia
• 2003 Grand Prix Russia
• 2004 Mr. Olympia
• 2004 Grand Prix England
• 2004 Grand Prix Holland
• 2004 Grand Prix Russia
• 2005 Mr. Olympia
• 2006 Grand Prix Austria – IFBB, 2nd
• 2006 Grand Prix Holland – IFBB, 2nd
• 2006 Grand Prix Romania – IFBB, 2nd
• 2006 Olympia – IFBB, 2nd
• 2007 Olympia – IFBB, 4th

See also[link]

Biography portal

• Arnold Classic
• List of male professional bodybuilders

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Ronnie Coleman

• Official website
• MuscleSport Mag article on comeback during radio interview

Arnold Schwarzenegger
Schwarzenegger in January 2010.
38th Governor of California
In office November 17, 2003 – January 3, 2011
Lieutenant	Cruz Bustamante Mona Pasquil (acting) John Garamendi Abel Maldonado
Preceded by	Gray Davis
Succeeded by	Jerry Brown
Personal details
Born	Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger (1947-07-30) July 30, 1947 (age 64) Thal, Austria
Citizenship	Austria United States
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Maria Shriver (1986–2011)
Relations	Gustav Schwarzenegger (father, deceased) Aurelia Jadrny (mother, deceased)
Children	Katherine (b. 1989) Christina (b. 1991) Patrick (b. 1993) Christopher (b. 1997) Joseph Baena (b. 1997)
Alma mater	Santa Monica College University of Wisconsin–Superior
Profession	Bodybuilder, actor, businessman, investor, politician
Religion	Roman Catholic
Signature
Website	Personal website
Military service
Service/branch	Austrian Armed Forces
Years of service	1965

Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger ( /ˈʃwɔrtsənɛɡər/; German: [ˈaɐnɔlt ˈalɔʏs ˈʃvaɐtsənˌʔɛɡɐ]; born July 30, 1947) is an Austrian and American former professional bodybuilder, actor, businessman, investor, and politician. Schwarzenegger served as the 38th Governor of California from 2003 until 2011.

Schwarzenegger began to weight train at the age of 15 years old. He was awarded the title of Mr. Universe at age 20 and went on to win the Mr. Olympia contest seven times. Schwarzenegger has remained a prominent presence in the sport of bodybuilding and he has written several books and numerous articles on the sport. Schwarzenegger gained worldwide fame as a Hollywood action film icon. He was nicknamed the "Austrian Oak" and the "Styrian Oak" in his bodybuilding days, "Arnie" during his acting career and more recently the "Governator" (from "Governor" and "Terminator").^[1]

As a Republican, he was first elected on October 7, 2003, in a special recall election to replace then-Governor Gray Davis. Schwarzenegger was sworn in on November 17, 2003, to serve the remainder of Davis's term. Schwarzenegger was then re-elected on November 7, 2006, in California's 2006 gubernatorial election, to serve a full term as governor, defeating Democrat Phil Angelides, who was California State Treasurer at the time. Schwarzenegger was sworn in for his second term on January 5, 2007.^[2]

Schwarzenegger was married to Maria Shriver. The couple separated in 2011 after 25 years of marriage.

Early life[link]

Schwarzenegger was born in Thal, Austria, a small village bordering the Styrian capital Graz, and was christened Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger.^[3] His parents were the local police chief, Gustav Schwarzenegger (1907–72), and Aurelia (née Jadrny; 1922–1998). His father served in World War II, after he voluntarily applied to join the Nazi Party in 1938.^[4] He served with the German Army as a Hauptfeldwebel of the Feldgendarmerie and was discharged in 1943 after contracting malaria. They were married on October 20, 1945 – Gustav was 38, and Aurelia was a 23-year-old widow with a son, Meinhard. According to Schwarzenegger, both of his parents were very strict: "Back then in Austria it was a very different world, if we did something bad or we disobeyed our parents, the rod was not spared."^[5] He grew up in a Roman Catholic family who attended Mass every Sunday.^[6][7]

Gustav had a preference for his stepson Meinhard, over his son, Arnold.^[8] His favoritism was "strong and blatant," which stemmed from unfounded suspicion that Arnold was not his child.^[9] Schwarzenegger has said his father had "no patience for listening or understanding your problems."^[6] Schwarzenegger had a good relationship with his mother and kept in touch with her until her death.^[10] In later life, Schwarzenegger commissioned the Simon Wiesenthal Center to research his father's wartime record, which came up with no evidence of atrocities despite Gustav's membership in the Nazi Party and SA.^[8] Schwarzenegger's father's background received wide press attention during the 2003 California recall campaign.^[11] At school, Schwarzenegger was apparently in the middle but stood out for his "cheerful, good-humored and exuberant" character.^[6] Money was a problem in their household; Schwarzenegger recalled that one of the highlights of his youth was when the family bought a refrigerator.^[9]

As a boy, Schwarzenegger played several sports, heavily influenced by his father.^[6] He picked up his first barbell in 1960, when his football (soccer) coach took his team to a local gym.^[3] At the age of 14, he chose bodybuilding over football as a career.^[12][13] Schwarzenegger has responded to a question asking if he was 13 when he started weightlifting: "I actually started weight training when I was 15, but I'd been participating in sports, like soccer, for years, so I felt that although I was slim, I was well-developed, at least enough so that I could start going to the gym and start Olympic lifting."^[5] However, his official website biography claims: "At 14, he started an intensive training program with Dan Farmer, studied psychology at 15 (to learn more about the power of mind over body) and at 17, officially started his competitive career."^[14] During a speech in 2001, he said, "My own plan formed when I was 14 years old. My father had wanted me to be a police officer like he was. My mother wanted me to go to trade school."^[15] Schwarzenegger took to visiting a gym in Graz, where he also frequented the local movie theaters to see bodybuilding idols such as Reg Park, Steve Reeves and Johnny Weissmuller on the big screen. "I was inspired by individuals like Reg Park and Steve Reeves."^[5] When Reeves died in 2000, Schwarzenegger fondly remembered him: "As a teenager, I grew up with Steve Reeves. His remarkable accomplishments allowed me a sense of what was possible, when others around me didn't always understand my dreams ... Steve Reeves has been part of everything I've ever been fortunate enough to achieve." In 1961, Schwarzenegger met former Mr. Austria Kurt Marnul, who invited him to train at the gym in Graz.^[3] He was so dedicated as a youngster that he broke into the local gym on weekends, when it was usually closed, so that he could train. "It would make me sick to miss a workout ... I knew I couldn't look at myself in the mirror the next morning if I didn't do it."^[5] When Schwarzenegger was asked about his first movie experience as a boy, he replied, "I was very young, but I remember my father taking me to the Austrian theaters and seeing some newsreels. The first real movie I saw, that I distinctly remember, was a John Wayne movie."^[5]

In 1971, his brother Meinhard died in a car accident.^[3] Meinhard had been drinking and was killed instantly. Schwarzenegger did not attend his funeral.^[9] Meinhard was due to marry Erika Knapp, and the couple had a three-year-old son, Patrick. Schwarzenegger would pay for Patrick's education and help him to immigrate to the United States.^[9] Gustav died the following year from a stroke.^[3] In Pumping Iron, Schwarzenegger claimed that he did not attend his father's funeral because he was training for a bodybuilding contest. Later, he and the film's producer said this story was taken from another bodybuilder for the purpose of showing the extremes that some would go to for their sport and to make Schwarzenegger's image more cold and machine-like in order to fan controversy for the film.^[16] Barbara Baker, his first serious girlfriend, has said he informed her of his father's death without emotion and that he never spoke of his brother.^[17] Over time, he has given at least three versions of why he was absent from his father's funeral.^[9]

In an interview with Fortune in 2004, Schwarzenegger told how he suffered what "would now be called child abuse" at the hands of his father:^[4][18]

My hair was pulled. I was hit with belts. So was the kid next door. It was just the way it was. Many of the children I've seen were broken by their parents, which was the German-Austrian mentality. They didn't want to create an individual. It was all about conforming. I was one who did not conform, and whose will could not be broken. Therefore, I became a rebel. Every time I got hit, and every time someone said, 'you can't do this,' I said, 'this is not going to be for much longer, because I'm going to move out of here. I want to be rich. I want to be somebody.'

Early adulthood[link]

Schwarzenegger served in the Austrian Army in 1965 to fulfill the one year of service required at the time of all 18-year-old Austrian males.^[3][14] During his army service, he won the Junior Mr. Europe contest.^[13] He went AWOL during basic training so he could take part in the competition and spent a week in military prison: "Participating in the competition meant so much to me that I didn't carefully think through the consequences." He won another bodybuilding contest in Graz, at Steirer Hof Hotel (where he had placed second). He was voted best built man of Europe, which made him famous.

"The Mr. Universe title was my ticket to America – the land of opportunity, where I could become a star and get rich."^[15] Schwarzenegger made his first plane trip in 1966, attending the NABBA Mr. Universe competition in London.^[14] He would come in second in the Mr. Universe competition, not having the muscle definition of American winner Chester Yorton.^[14]

Charles "Wag" Bennett, one of the judges at the 1966 competition, was impressed with Schwarzenegger and he offered to coach him. As Schwarzenegger had little money, Bennett invited him to stay in his crowded family home above one of his two gyms in Forest Gate, London, England. Yorton's leg definition had been judged superior, and Schwarzenegger, under a training program devised by Bennett, concentrated on improving the muscle definition and power in his legs. Staying in the East End of London helped Schwarzenegger improve his rudimentary grasp of the English language.^[19][20] Also in 1966, Schwarzenegger had the opportunity to meet childhood idol Reg Park, who became his friend and mentor.^[21] The training paid off and, in 1967, Schwarzenegger won the title for the first time, becoming the youngest ever Mr. Universe at the age of 20.^[14] He would go on to win the title a further three times.^[13] Schwarzenegger then flew back to Munich, training for four to six hours daily, attending business school and working in a health club (Rolf Putzinger's gym where he worked and trained from 1966–1968), returning in 1968 to London to win his next Mr. Universe title.^[14] He frequently told Roger C. Field, a friend in Munich at that time, "I'm going to become the greatest actor!"

Move to the U.S.[link]

Schwarzenegger with President Ronald Reagan in 1984.

Schwarzenegger, who dreamed of moving to the U.S. since the age of 10, and saw bodybuilding as the avenue through which to do so,^[22] realized his dream by moving to the United States in September 1968 at the age of 21, speaking little English.^[3][13] "Naturally, when I came to this country, my accent was very bad, and my accent was also very strong, which was an obstacle as I began to pursue acting."^[5] There he trained at Gold's Gym in Venice, Los Angeles, California, under Joe Weider. From 1970 to 1974, one of Schwarzenegger's weight training partners was Ric Drasin, a professional wrestler who designed the original Gold's Gym logo in 1973.^[23] Schwarzenegger also became good friends with professional wrestler "Superstar" Billy Graham. In 1970, at age 23, he captured his first Mr. Olympia title in New York, and would go on to win the title a total of seven times.^[14]

Immigration law firm Siskind & Susser have stated that Schwarzenegger may have been an illegal immigrant at some point in the late 1960s or early 1970s because of violations in the terms of his visa.^[24] LA Weekly would later say in 2002 that Schwarzenegger is the most famous immigrant in America, who "overcame a thick Austrian accent and transcended the unlikely background of bodybuilding to become the biggest movie star in the world in the 1990s".^[22]

In 1977, Schwarzenegger's autobiography/weight-training guide Arnold: The Education of a Bodybuilder was published and became a huge success.^[3] After taking English classes at Santa Monica College in California, he earned a BA by correspondence from the University of Wisconsin–Superior, where he graduated with a degree in international marketing of fitness and business administration in 1979.^[25]

Bodybuilding career[link]

This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (January 2012)

Competition record
Men’s Bodybuilding
Competitor for
Mr Universe (amateur)
1st	1967
Mr Universe (pro)
1st	1968
1st	1969
1st	1970
Mr. Olympia
2nd	1969
1st	1970
1st	1971
1st	1972
1st	1973
1st	1974
1st	1975
1st	1980
Powerlifting[27]
Competitor for
International Powerlifting Championships
1st	1966	+80 kg
German Powerlifting Championships
2nd	1967	+80 kg
1st	1968	+80 kg
Graz-Paradise Keller Powerlifting Championships
2nd	1967	+80 kg
Men's Weightlifting[28]
Competitor for
Styrian Junior Weightlifting Championships
1st	1964
German Austrian Weightlifting Championships
1st	1965

Schwarzenegger is considered among the most important figures in the history of bodybuilding, and his legacy is commemorated in the Arnold Classic annual bodybuilding competition. Schwarzenegger has remained a prominent face in the bodybuilding sport long after his retirement, in part because of his ownership of gyms and fitness magazines. He has presided over numerous contests and awards shows.

For many years, he wrote a monthly column for the bodybuilding magazines Muscle & Fitness and Flex. Shortly after being elected Governor, he was appointed executive editor of both magazines, in a largely symbolic capacity. The magazines agreed to donate $250,000 a year to the Governor's various physical fitness initiatives. The magazine MuscleMag International has a monthly two-page article on him, and refers to him as "The King".

One of the first competitions he won was the Junior Mr. Europe contest in 1965.^[3] He won Mr. Europe the following year, at age 19.^[3][14] He would go on to compete in, and win, many bodybuilding contests. His bodybulding victories included five Mr. Universe (4 – NABBA [England], 1 – IFBB [USA]) wins, and seven Mr. Olympia wins, a record which would stand until Lee Haney won his eighth consecutive Mr. Olympia title in 1991.

Schwarzenegger continues to work out even today. When asked about his personal training during the 2011 Arnold Classic he said that he was still working out a half an hour with weights every day.^[29]

• Competition Weight: 235 lb (107 kg) (top 250 lb (113 kg))

• Off Season Weight: 255 lb (116 kg) (top 260 lb (118 kg))

Powerlifting/Weightlifting[link]

During Arnold's early years in bodybuilding, he also competed in several Olympic weightlifting & Powerlifting contests. Arnold won 2 weightlifting contests in 1964 & 1965, as well as 2 powerlifting contests in 1966 & 1968.^[28]

In 1967, Schwarzenegger competed in and won the Munich stone-lifting contest, in which a stone weighing 508 German pounds (254 kg/560 lbs.) is lifted between the legs while standing on two foot rests.

Personal records[link]

• Clean & press – 264 lb (120 kg)^[28]
• Snatch – 243 lb (110 kg)^[28]
• Clean & jerk – 298 lb (135 kg)^[28]
• Squat – 215 kg (470 lb)^[28]
• Bench press – 200 kg (440 lb)^[28]
• Deadlift – 310 kg (680 lb)^[28]

Mr. Olympia[link]

Schwarzenegger presented awards at the USA Weightlifting Hall of Fame in 2011 in Columbus, Ohio. In photo: 1987 world champion American Karyn Marshall.

Schwarzenegger's goal was to become the greatest bodybuilder in the world, which meant becoming Mr. Olympia.^[3][14] His first attempt was in 1969, when he lost to three-time champion Sergio Oliva. However, Schwarzenegger came back in 1970 and won the competition, making him the youngest ever Mr. Olympia at the age of 23, a record he still holds to this day.^[14]

He continued his winning streak in the 1971–74 competitions.^[14] In 1975, Schwarzenegger was once again in top form, and won the title for the sixth consecutive time,^[14] beating Franco Columbu. After the 1975 Mr. Olympia contest, Schwarzenegger announced his retirement from professional bodybuilding.^[14]

Months before the 1975 Mr. Olympia contest, filmmakers George Butler and Robert Fiore persuaded Schwarzenegger to compete, in order to film his training in the bodybuilding documentary called Pumping Iron. Schwarzenegger had only three months to prepare for the competition, after losing significant weight to appear in the film Stay Hungry with Jeff Bridges. Lou Ferrigno proved not to be a threat, and a lighter-than-usual Schwarzenegger convincingly won the 1975 Mr. Olympia.

Schwarzenegger came out of retirement, however, to compete in the 1980 Mr. Olympia.^[3] Schwarzenegger was training for his role in Conan, and he got into such good shape because of the running, horseback riding and sword training, that he decided he wanted to win the Mr. Olympia contest one last time. He kept this plan a secret, in the event that a training accident would prevent his entry and cause him to lose face. Schwarzenegger had been hired to provide color commentary for network television, when he announced at the eleventh hour that while he was there: "Why not compete?" Schwarzenegger ended up winning the event with only seven weeks of preparation. After being declared Mr. Olympia for a seventh time, Schwarzenegger then officially retired from competition.

Steroid use[link]

Schwarzenegger has admitted to using performance-enhancing anabolic steroids while they were legal, writing in 1977 that "steroids were helpful to me in maintaining muscle size while on a strict diet in preparation for a contest. I did not use them for muscle growth, but rather for muscle maintenance when cutting up."^[30] He has called the drugs "tissue building."^[31]

In 1999, Schwarzenegger sued Dr. Willi Heepe, a German doctor who publicly predicted his early death on the basis of a link between his steroid use and his later heart problems. As the doctor had never examined him personally, Schwarzenegger collected a US$10,000 libel judgment against him in a German court.^[32] In 1999, Schwarzenegger also sued and settled with The Globe, a U.S. tabloid which had made similar predictions about the bodybuilder's future health.^[33]

Height[link]

His official height of 6'2" (1.88 m) has been brought into question by several articles. In his bodybuilding days in the late 1960s, he was measured to be 6'1.5" (1.87 m), a height confirmed by his fellow bodybuilders.^[34][35] However, in 1988 both the Daily Mail and Time Out magazine mentioned that Schwarzenegger appeared noticeably shorter.^[36] More recently, before running for Governor, Schwarzenegger's height was once again questioned in an article by the Chicago Reader.^[37] As Governor, Schwarzenegger engaged in a light-hearted exchange with Assemblyman Herb Wesson over their heights. At one point Wesson made an unsuccessful attempt to, in his own words, "[s]ettle this once and for all and find out how tall he is"^[38] by using a tailor's tape measure on the Governor. Schwarzenegger retaliated by placing a pillow stitched with the words "Need a lift?" on the five-foot-five inch (165 cm) Wesson's chair before a negotiating session in his office.^[39] Bob Mulholland also claimed Arnold was 5'10" (1.78 m) and that he wore risers in his boots.^[40] The debate on Schwarzenegger's height has spawned a website solely dedicated to the issue,^[41] and his page remains one of the most active on CelebHeights.com, a website which discusses the heights of celebrities.^[34]

Acting career[link]

Arnold Schwarzenegger
Other names	Arnold Strong Arnie
Occupation	Actor, director, producer
Years active	1969–2004, 2012–present (acting)

Schwarzenegger wanted to move from bodybuilding into acting, finally achieving it when he was chosen to play the role of Hercules in 1970's Hercules in New York. Credited under the name "Arnold Strong," his accent in the film was so thick that his lines were dubbed after production.^[13] His second film appearance was as a deaf mute hit-man for the mob in director Robert Altman's The Long Goodbye (1973), which was followed by a much more significant part in the film Stay Hungry (1976), for which he was awarded a Golden Globe for New Male Star of the Year. Schwarzenegger has discussed his early struggles in developing his acting career. "It was very difficult for me in the beginning – I was told by agents and casting people that my body was 'too weird', that I had a funny accent, and that my name was too long. You name it, and they told me I had to change it. Basically, everywhere I turned, I was told that I had no chance."^[5]

Schwarzenegger drew attention and boosted his profile in the bodybuilding film Pumping Iron (1977),^[12][13] elements of which were dramatized. In 1991, Schwarzenegger purchased the rights to the film, its outtakes, and associated still photography.^[42] Schwarzenegger auditioned for the title role of The Incredible Hulk, but did not win the role because of his height. Later, Lou Ferrigno got the part of Dr. David Banner's alter ego. Schwarzenegger appeared with Kirk Douglas and Ann-Margret in the 1979 comedy The Villain. In 1980 he starred in a biographical film of the 1950s actress Jayne Mansfield as Mansfield's husband, Mickey Hargitay.

Schwarzenegger's breakthrough film was the sword-and-sorcery epic Conan the Barbarian in 1982, which was a box-office hit.^[12] This was followed by a sequel, Conan the Destroyer in 1984, although it was not as successful as its predecessor.^[43] In 1983, Schwarzenegger starred in the promotional video "Carnival in Rio".

In 1984, he made the first of three appearances as the eponymous character and what some would say was the signature role in his acting career in director James Cameron's science fiction thriller film The Terminator.^[12][13][44] Following The Terminator, Schwarzenegger made Red Sonja in 1985.^[43]

During the 1980s, audiences had an appetite for action films, with both Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone becoming international stars.^[13] Schwarzenegger's roles reflected his sense of humor, separating his roles from more serious action hero fare. His alternative-universe comedy/thriller Last Action Hero featured a poster of the movie Terminator 2: Judgment Day which, in the fictional alternate universe, had Sylvester Stallone as its star.

He made a number of successful films: Commando (1985), Raw Deal (1986), The Running Man (1987), and Red Heat (1988). In Predator (1987), another successful film, Schwarzenegger led a cast which included future Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura (Ventura also appeared in The Running Man and Batman & Robin with Schwarzenegger) and future candidate for governor of Kentucky Sonny Landham.

Footprints and handprints of Arnold Schwarzenegger in front of the Grauman's Chinese Theatre

Twins (1988), a comedy with Danny DeVito also proved successful. Total Recall (1990) netted Schwarzenegger $10 million and 15% of the gross, and was a science fiction script directed by Paul Verhoeven, based on the Philip K. Dick short story, "We Can Remember It for You Wholesale". Kindergarten Cop (1990) reunited him with director Ivan Reitman, who directed him in Twins.

Schwarzenegger had a brief foray into directing, first with a 1990 episode of the TV series Tales from the Crypt, entitled "The Switch", and then with the 1992 telemovie Christmas in Connecticut. He has not directed since.

Schwarzenegger's commercial peak was his return as the title character in 1991's Terminator 2: Judgment Day, which was the highest-grossing film of 1991.^{[citation needed]} In 1993, the National Association of Theatre Owners named him the "International Star of the Decade."^[3] His next film project, the 1993 self-aware action comedy spoof Last Action Hero was released opposite Jurassic Park, and did not do well at the box office. His next film, the comedy drama True Lies (1994) was a popular spy film, and saw Schwarzenegger, reunited with James Cameron, appearing opposite Jamie Lee Curtis.

That same year the comedy Junior (1994) was released, the last of his three collaborations with Ivan Reitman and again co-starring Danny DeVito and also for the second time featuring Pamela Reed. This film brought Schwarzenegger his second Golden Globe nomination, this time for Best Actor – Musical or Comedy. It was followed by the action thriller Eraser (1996), the Christmas comedy Jingle All The Way (1996) with Arnold playing the main character, Howard Langston, and the comic book-based Batman & Robin (1997), where he played the villain Mr. Freeze. This was his final film before taking time to recuperate from a back injury. Following the critical failure of Batman & Robin, Schwarzenegger's film career and box office prominence went into decline.

He returned with the supernatural thriller End of Days (1999), later followed by the action films The 6th Day (2000) and Collateral Damage (2002) all of which failed to do well at the box office. In 2003, he made his third appearance as the title character in Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, which went on to earn over $150 million domestically.^{[citation needed]}

In tribute to Schwarzenegger in 2002, Forum Stadtpark, a local cultural association, proposed plans to build a 25-meter (82 ft) tall Terminator statue in a park in central Graz. Schwarzenegger reportedly said he was flattered, but thought the money would be better spent on social projects and the Special Olympics.^[45]

His film appearances after becoming Governor of California include a 3-second cameo appearance in The Rundown (a.k.a., Welcome to the Jungle) with The Rock, and the 2004 remake of Around the World in 80 Days, where he appeared onscreen with action star Jackie Chan for the first time. In 2005 he appeared as himself in the film The Kid & I. Schwarzenegger voiced Baron von Steuben in Episode 24 ("Valley Forge") of Liberty's Kids.

Schwarzenegger had been rumored to be appearing in Terminator Salvation as the original T-800 model, alongside Roland Kickinger. Schwarzenegger denied his involvement,^[46] but it was later revealed that although he would appear briefly he would not be shooting new footage, and his image would be inserted into the movie from stock footage of the first Terminator movie.^[47][48] Schwarzenegger's most recent appearance was in Sylvester Stallone's The Expendables, where he made a cameo appearance alongside Stallone and Bruce Willis.^{[citation needed]}

Return to acting[link]

Arnold Schwarzenegger's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

In January 2011, just weeks after leaving office in California, Schwarzenegger announced that he was reading several new scripts for future films, one of them being the World War II action drama With Wings as Eagles, written by Randall Wallace, based on a true story.^[49][50]

On March 6, 2011, at the Arnold Seminar of the Arnold Classic, Schwarzenegger revealed that he was being courted for several films, including sequels to The Terminator and remakes of Predator and The Running Man, and that he was "packaging" a comic book character.^[51] The character was later revealed to be the Governator, star of the comic book and animated series of the same name. Schwarzenegger inspired the character and co-developed it with Stan Lee, who would have produced the series. Schwarzenegger would have voiced the Governator.^{[52][53][54][55]}

On May 20, 2011, Schwarzenegger's entertainment counsel announced that all movie projects currently in development were being halted. "Governor Schwarzenegger is focusing on personal matters and is not willing to commit to any production schedules or timelines."^[56] However, the Daily Star reported on May 29 that Schwarzenegger had been offered $40 million to star in two Terminator films.^[57]

On July 11, 2011, it was announced that Schwarzenegger is considering a comeback film despite his legal problems.^[58] He has reportedly signed to star in Last Stand as a dishonored Los Angeles cop.^[59] On September 6, 2011, it was announced that Schwarzenegger had signed on to The Expendables 2, in which he will play a larger cameo.^[60] He will later star in Unknown Soldier and The Tomb, thought to be released in 2013.^[61]