Mr. Universe - Part 1
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The first Mr. Universe bodybuilding contest was organized in 1948 in London to coincide with the Olympic Games. The winner was John Grimek, above.
Like the Mr. America bodybuilding contest, contestants in the Mr. Universe contest wore skimpy briefs, but being understandably proud of their bodies, many were photographed nude outside the contest.
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After a year's lapse, the National Amateur Body Building Association (NABBA) hosted a yearly Mr. Universe contest. Steve Reeves, above, was Mr. Universe 1950.
Although it's not a nude photo of him, you might be interested to know that Sean Connery, above, who went on to play James Bond, won 3rd place in the 1953 Mr. Universe contest.
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A professional class was added to the competition in 1952. In 1954, the pro winner was Jim Park, pictured above right with Vic Siepke in this photo by Douglas of Detroit that I got from Vintage Muscle Men. Thanks, Jerry!
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The 1961 amateur winner was Ray Routledge. I also got this photo from Vintage Muscle Men.
To make things more confusing, the International Fitness and Bodybuilding Federation (IFBB) ran their own Mr. Universe contest from 1959 to 1976. George Eiferman, above, was the IFBB Mr. Universe in 1962.
Larry Scott was the 1964 IFBB Mr. Universe.
Returning to the NABBA Mr. Universe contest, Earl Maynard was the 1964 pro winner.
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Rick Wayne was the 1965 IFBB short class winner and the 1967 and 1969 medium class winner. Don't ask me how his height changed after 1965, when he was 27 years old. I got the photo, taken by Jean Ferraro, from Bob's Naked Guys. Thanks, Bob!
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Arnold Schwarzenegger was the NABBA amateur Mr. Universe in 1967, and the pro winner in 1968, 1969, and 1970. The photo was taken by Annie Leibovitz at a Mr. Olympia contest in 1975.
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Helmut Riedmeier was the IFBB tall class winner in 1971. I also got this photo from Bob's Naked Guys.
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Chris Dickerson was the NABBA amateur Mr. Universe in 1973 and the pro winner in 1974. I got this photo, taken by Bob Mizer, from Vintage Muscle Men.
Dickerson was the first openly gay winner. He not only posed nude, he made at least one gay porn film. We end with a clip from it that shows him in a threesome with Dakota and John Tristram. Dickerson is the one in the foreground.
Next time, more Mr. Universe winners. Stay tuned.
10 comments:
Interesting that so many of these contestants were privately photographed in the nude. I wonder if there ever was discussion about their appearing completely nude on stage in the actual contests. Had they done so, I'm sure audience attendance would have skyrocketed.
Ah, accepted nudity outside of the profession. How refreshing. With today's celebs it causes a worldwide clamor.
I wondered about that, too. The ancient Olympics were held naked, and women were not admitted. They could have done that with these contests...
Terrific post and HOT clip at the end.
Helmut Riedmeier was always appealing.
He died just over a year ago, 12/23/21.
https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/GDXL-PQD
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/235867208/henri-christophe-dickerson
Henri Christophe Dickerson, also known as Chris Dickerson, died on Thursday, December 23, 2021, at the age of 82, at Holy Cross Hospital. Chris was born on August 25, 1939, in Montgomery, Alabama to Mahala Ashley Dickerson, as the youngest of triplets with brothers Alfred and John. Chris graduated high school at Olney Friends School in 1957. He studied music and was an accomplished opera singer in addition to his professional career in bodybuilding and personal training.
During the 1960s, Chris did much physique modeling, and his nude work for photographer Jim French in the 1970s is today considered some of the best in this field. Chris was one of the world's most titled bodybuilders, his career spanning more than thirty years. He was known for his heavily muscled, symmetrical physique and for his graceful skills on the posing dais. Chris was the first African American to win AAU Mr. America in 1970, won Mr. Universe in 1974, was the first openly gay winner of the IFBB Mr. Olympia contest in 1982, and was one of only two to win titles in both Mr. Olympia and Masters' Olympia competitions in 1994. Chris was inducted into the IFBB Hall of Fame in 2000.
He lived in South Florida for more than 20 years where he continued to train and conduct seminars. After visiting the Joe and Betty Weider Museum at the Stark Center for Physical Culture, University of Texas at Austin, in 2011, Chris decided to donate his personal bodybuilding materials to this Center dedicated to preserving the history of strength and bodybuilding. Many of Chris's bodybuilding awards and trophies are on display at the Weider Museum.
Chris' mother and both of his brothers predeceased Chris. Chris was a member of the Calvary Chapel Church in Fort Lauderdale. His interment was private and was laid to rest at a family plot in Alaska. In lieu of cards or flowers donations in Chris' honor can be made to the Weider Museum. To donate in Chris' memory and support the Stark Center (a tax-exempt organization that is part of the University of Texas at Austin) go to www.starkcenter.org
Published by Sun-Sentinel on Jan. 16, 2022.
Thanks for the photo credits and links, Larry!
Very interesting!
Beaux hommes, photographes talentueux.
Les légendes Grimek, Reeves, Seipke, Park, Scott, Schwarzenegger, Maynard et Dickerson, physiques exceptionnels.
Reidmeier, Dakota et Tristram, garçons sauvages.:) Reidmeier était célèbre sur la Riviera.
Le clip est issu d’un film privé réalisé par Jim French. Dakota, Dickerson et Tristram un ménage a trois sexuellement intense.
Schöne Körperbau porträts, so viele Legenden der Körperkultur, besonder Grimek und Reeves. Die verbotene Frucht von Maynard, Wayne und Dickerson, feinen schwarzen Hengsten.
Schwarzeneggar mit dem Bodybuilder-Zühalter Weider und Reidmeier, der sehr beliebten Stricher der Riviera, posiert für seinen Kunden Barrington. Endlich ein Sexfilm, in dem Dakota, Tristram und Dickerson bis zur Ekstase blasen und ficken, gezeigt von Jim French bei seinen privaten Soireen. (“)
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