Time-Honored Torsos: Steve Reeves

CS-reeves.jpg Otherwise known as "Hercules" due to his famous portrayal of the Greek god in Francisci's Hercules (1959) and Hercules Unchained (1960), Steve Reeves was one of the first successful American bodybuilders, attracting a fan base long before the competitive sport took shape. According to Arnold Schwarzenegger's Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding, "No champion was known to the general public—that is, until Steve Reeves came along. Reeves was the right man in the right place at the right
time. He was handsome, personable, and had a magnificent physique. Survivors from the Muscle Beach era recall how crowds used to follow Reeves when he walked along the beach, and how people who knew nothing about him would simply stop and stare, awestruck."

Some of us are apparently still staring today. Fun fact: Reeves was initially offered the role of James Bond in Dr. No (1962) and he turned it down, unwittingly launching the career of Sean Connery as 007.

 
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RELATED:

Time-Honored Torsos: Glenn Bishop

Steve Reeves (Wikipedia)
Steve Reeves Gallery (Built Report)



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