Bill Pearl
Encyclopedia
William Arnold "Bill" Pearl (born October 31, 1930) is an American former bodybuilder
during the 1950s and '60s. He won many titles and awards, including winning the Mr. Universe
contest five times, and was named "World’s Best-Built Man of the Century." He became an expert trainer and author on bodybuilding.
. His first major victory was in the 1953 Amateur Mr Universe contest (in which he beat out a then 23-year-old Sean Connery
). He actively competed until his retirement in 1971 after winning the Mr. Universe one last time, over superstars Frank Zane
, Reg Park
and Sergio Oliva
. In all, he won the professional Mr Universe 4 times in an 18 year span, which was unprecedented at the time.
He was the first professional bodybuilder to author bodybuilding training courses/booklets. He is also the first to pose to music, and was especially noted in performing exhibitions doing an entire posing routine of Eugene Sandow (who is known as the man who invented bodybuilding). Ever the showman, along with his lifelong coach Leo Stern, Pearl would wear a fake mustache, leotards, a fig leaf, and a late-19th century backdrop, all for providing the exact effect of the Sandow era. As if that wasn't enough, Pearl was equally as famous for performing his strongman routine, which included tearing of license plates, bending penny spike nails, and blowing up a hot water bottle.
He is the author of the popular exercise book, Getting Stronger: Weight Training for Men and Women, which has sold over 350,000 copies in the United States and has been translated into four other languages, including Chinese. His book Keys To The INNER Universe, is still to this day considered to be a "must read" for bodybuilders. It contains 1,500 weight-training exercises and weighs five pounds. It is used extensively by professional athletes, trainers and serious bodybuilders and has sold over 60,000 copies.
Pearl had his own monthly question-and-answer column called "Pearl of the Universe" in the bodybuilding magazine MuscleMag International as well as one in Muscle Builder (later Muscle & Fitness) magazine, entitled "Wisdom of Pearl" in the 1970s & 1980s. In 2003 with coauthor Kim Shott, Pearl published his autobiography, Beyond the Universe: The Bill Pearl Story.
Pearl became a vegetarian at age 39 and is the best-known vegetarian bodybuilder. Bill's diet is lacto-ovo vegetarian, which means he eats eggs and dairy products.
During the 1980s, Pearl served as a mentor, trainer, and training partner to many of the top professionals that were still competing. One such individual was Mr. Olympia
, Chris Dickerson.
In 2004, Pearl was awarded the Arnold Schwarzenegger Classic Lifetime Achievement Award for significantly impacting the world of bodybuilding.
In 2011 Pearl appeared in the documentary Challenging Impossibility (film)
describing when he hosted the 2004 strength exhibition by spiritual teacher and peace advocate Sri Chinmoy
. The film was an Official Selection of the 2011 Tribeca Film Festival
.
Pearl is 5' 9" tall. He currently lives in Phoenix, Oregon
.
Bodybuilding
Bodybuilding is a form of body modification involving intensive muscle hypertrophy. An individual who engages in this activity is referred to as a bodybuilder. In competitive and professional bodybuilding, bodybuilders display their physiques to a panel of judges, who assign points based on their...
during the 1950s and '60s. He won many titles and awards, including winning the Mr. Universe
Universe Championships
The Universe Championships are an annual bodybuilding event organised by the National Amateur Bodybuilders Association . It has a number of competitions: NABBA Amateur Mr. Universe, Miss Figure, and Miss Toned Figure....
contest five times, and was named "World’s Best-Built Man of the Century." He became an expert trainer and author on bodybuilding.
Biography
Pearl was born in Prineville, OregonPrineville, Oregon
Prineville is a city in and the county seat of Crook County, Oregon, United States. It was named for the first merchant located in the present location, Barney Prine. The population was 9,253 at the 2010 census.- History :...
. His first major victory was in the 1953 Amateur Mr Universe contest (in which he beat out a then 23-year-old Sean Connery
Sean Connery
Sir Thomas Sean Connery , better known as Sean Connery, is a Scottish actor and producer who has won an Academy Award, two BAFTA Awards and three Golden Globes Sir Thomas Sean Connery (born 25 August 1930), better known as Sean Connery, is a Scottish actor and producer who has won an Academy...
). He actively competed until his retirement in 1971 after winning the Mr. Universe one last time, over superstars Frank Zane
Frank Zane
Frank Zane is an American former professional bodybuilder and teacher.- Education :Zane received a B.Sc in Education from Wilkes University in Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania in 1964. For 13 years, he taught mathematics and chemistry while living in Florida and California. Later he earned a B.A...
, Reg Park
Reg Park
Roy "Reg" Park from Leeds in West Yorkshire, England, was a bodybuilder, businessman and film actor.-Biography:...
and Sergio Oliva
Sergio Oliva
Sergio Oliva is a bodybuilder known as "The Myth". This sobriquet was given to him by bodybuilder/writer Rick Wayne. Wayne had begun calling Oliva "The Myth" ""....
. In all, he won the professional Mr Universe 4 times in an 18 year span, which was unprecedented at the time.
He was the first professional bodybuilder to author bodybuilding training courses/booklets. He is also the first to pose to music, and was especially noted in performing exhibitions doing an entire posing routine of Eugene Sandow (who is known as the man who invented bodybuilding). Ever the showman, along with his lifelong coach Leo Stern, Pearl would wear a fake mustache, leotards, a fig leaf, and a late-19th century backdrop, all for providing the exact effect of the Sandow era. As if that wasn't enough, Pearl was equally as famous for performing his strongman routine, which included tearing of license plates, bending penny spike nails, and blowing up a hot water bottle.
He is the author of the popular exercise book, Getting Stronger: Weight Training for Men and Women, which has sold over 350,000 copies in the United States and has been translated into four other languages, including Chinese. His book Keys To The INNER Universe, is still to this day considered to be a "must read" for bodybuilders. It contains 1,500 weight-training exercises and weighs five pounds. It is used extensively by professional athletes, trainers and serious bodybuilders and has sold over 60,000 copies.
Pearl had his own monthly question-and-answer column called "Pearl of the Universe" in the bodybuilding magazine MuscleMag International as well as one in Muscle Builder (later Muscle & Fitness) magazine, entitled "Wisdom of Pearl" in the 1970s & 1980s. In 2003 with coauthor Kim Shott, Pearl published his autobiography, Beyond the Universe: The Bill Pearl Story.
Pearl became a vegetarian at age 39 and is the best-known vegetarian bodybuilder. Bill's diet is lacto-ovo vegetarian, which means he eats eggs and dairy products.
During the 1980s, Pearl served as a mentor, trainer, and training partner to many of the top professionals that were still competing. One such individual was Mr. Olympia
Mr. Olympia
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 . Joe Weider created the contest to enable the...
, Chris Dickerson.
In 2004, Pearl was awarded the Arnold Schwarzenegger Classic Lifetime Achievement Award for significantly impacting the world of bodybuilding.
In 2011 Pearl appeared in the documentary Challenging Impossibility (film)
Challenging Impossibility (film)
Challenging Impossibility is a 2011 documentary film which chronicles the weightlifting odyssey of the spiritual teacher Sri Chinmoy, who in 1985 at the age of 54 took up weightlifting and performing feats of strength using the power of meditation...
describing when he hosted the 2004 strength exhibition by spiritual teacher and peace advocate Sri Chinmoy
Sri Chinmoy
Chinmoy Kumar Ghose, also known as Sri Chinmoy was an Indian spiritual teacher, poet, artist and athlete who immigrated to the U.S. in 1964., the founder of the religious organization "Sri Chinmoy Centre Church, Inc." better known as "Sri Chinmoy Centre"...
. The film was an Official Selection of the 2011 Tribeca Film Festival
Tribeca Film Festival
The Tribeca Film Festival is a film festival founded in 2002 by Jane Rosenthal, Robert De Niro and Craig Hatkoff in a response to the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center and the consequent loss of vitality in the TriBeCa neighborhood in Lower Manhattan.The mission of the festival...
.
Pearl is 5' 9" tall. He currently lives in Phoenix, Oregon
Phoenix, Oregon
Phoenix is a city in Jackson County, Oregon, United States. The population was 4,060 at the 2000 census and has grown to 4,855 people as of July 1, 2009.-History:...
.
Family
| Harold Frank Pearl : | Father | (b.1903) |
| Mildred Elizabeth Pasley : | Mother | (b.1905) |
| Fontelle Pearl : | Daughter | ...eldest sibling |
| Harold Pearl : | Son | ...middle sibling |
| Bill Pearl : | Son | (b.10-31-1930) ...youngest sibling |
Bodybuilding titles and awards
- 1952 Mr. San Diego, 3rd place (San Diego, California)
- 1952 Mr. Oceanside (Oceanside, California)
- 1953 Mr. Southern California (Los Angeles, California)
- 1953 Mr. California (Los Angeles, California)
- 1953 A.A.U., Mr. America (Indianapolis, Indiana)
- 1953 N.A.B.B.A., Mr. Universe Amateur (London, England)
- 1956 Mr. U.S.A., Professional (Los Angeles, California)
- 1956 N.A.B.B.A., Mr. Universe, Professional, Tall Man’s Class (London, England)
- 1961 N.A.B.B.A., Mr. Universe, Professional (London, England)
- 1967 N.A.B.B.A., Mr. Universe, Professional (London, England)
- 1971 N.A.B.B.A., Mr. Universe, Professional (London, England)
- 1974 W.B.B.A., World’s Best-Built Man of the Century (New York, New York)
- 1978 Entered into W.B.B.A., Hall of Fame (New York, New York)
- 1978 Elected the I.F.B.B. National Chairman of the Professional Physique Judges Committee (Acapulco, Mexico)
- 1988 Entered into Pioneers of Fitness Hall of Fame
- 1992 Entered into Gold’s Gym Hall of Fame
- 1994 Guest of Honor of the Association of Oldetime Barbell & Strongmen 12th Annual Reunion
- 1994 Entered into The Joe Weider Hall of Fame
- 1995 A.A.U. Lifetime Achievement Award
- 1995 Oscar Heidenstam Foundation Hall of Fame
- 1996 American Powerlifters Federation Hall of Fame
- 1997 International Chiropractors Association Sports & Fitness Man of the Year
- 1999 I.F.B.B. Hall of Fame Inductee
- 2000 Spirit of Muscle Beach Award
- 2001 World Gym Lifetime Achievement Award
- 2001 Society of Weight-Training Injury Specialists Lifetime Achievement Award
- 2002 Canadian Fitness Award for 60+ Years of Inspiration to the Industry
- 2002 National Fitness Trade Journal Lifetime Achievement Award
- 2003 Iron Man magazine Peary & Mabel Radar Lifetime Achievement Award
- 2004 Arnold Schwarzenegger Lifetime Achievement Award
- 2006 PDI Night of Champions Lifetime Achievement Award
Books
- Beyond the Universe – The Bill Pearl Story
- Getting in Shape: 32 Workout Programs for Lifelong Fitness
- Getting Back in Shape: 32 Workout Programs for Lifelong Fitness
- Getting Stronger: Weight Training for Men and Women
- Getting Stronger: Weight Training for Men and Women (Revised Edition)
- Keys to the INNER Universe
Videos
- "Pearls of Wisdom - Bill Pearl a Bodybuilding Legend" (DVD, 150 minutes)
- "Bill Pearl & Dave Draper Seminar" (DVD, 75 minutes)
See also
- List of male professional bodybuilders
- List of female professional bodybuilders