Dave Draper
Encyclopedia
David Draper bodybuilder
, actor
and author
, nicknamed "The Blond Bomber."
. His weight training
began at the age of ten and was a well-formed habit by the time he was about twelve, in the mid-1950s.
In high school he participated in wrestling
, gymnastics
and swimming
, but was most inspired by training with weights.
, working for the Weider
Barbell
Company until 1969. During this period he also worked in motion pictures.
In the early days, Draper says, "There wasn't a whole bunch of encouragement or inspiration from a society which considered you either stupid or egotistical and probably a sissy."
In California, Draper initially trained at a gym many called "The Dungeon", which he described as "a large, awful space dug out of the ground on the corner of 4th and Broadway, and later at the original Gold's Gym
. Training partners included Frank Zane
, Arnold Schwarzenegger
, Franco Columbu
and Mike Katz
.
Draper is 6'0" (1.83 m) tall, and his bodybuilding competition weight was around 225 lb. (102 kg).
sword and sandal' movie from the late 1950s - early 1960s.
Draper played himself in the October 25, 1967 episode of The Beverly Hillbillies
titled, "Mr. Universe Muscles In," in which Granny thinks that he is sick with "the barbell bloat."
The Monkees
playing Bulk, in the October 16, 1967 episode "I Was a 99-lb. Weakling."
Here Come the Brides
in the December 19, 1969 episode, "Lorenzo Bush."
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...
, actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
and author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
, nicknamed "The Blond Bomber."
Biography
Draper was born in Secaucus, New JerseyNew Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. His weight training
Weight training
Weight training is a common type of strength training for developing the strength and size of skeletal muscles. It uses the weight force of gravity to oppose the force generated by muscle through concentric or eccentric contraction...
began at the age of ten and was a well-formed habit by the time he was about twelve, in the mid-1950s.
In high school he participated in wrestling
Wrestling
Wrestling is a form of grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. A wrestling bout is a physical competition, between two competitors or sparring partners, who attempt to gain and maintain a superior position...
, gymnastics
Gymnastics
Gymnastics is a sport involving performance of exercises requiring physical strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, and balance. Internationally, all of the gymnastic sports are governed by the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique with each country having its own national governing body...
and swimming
Swimming (sport)
Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
, but was most inspired by training with weights.
Bodybuilding
At 21, he won the Mr. New Jersey title. Six months later he moved to Santa Monica, CaliforniaSanta Monica, California
Santa Monica is a beachfront city in western Los Angeles County, California, US. Situated on Santa Monica Bay, it is surrounded on three sides by the city of Los Angeles — Pacific Palisades on the northwest, Brentwood on the north, West Los Angeles on the northeast, Mar Vista on the east, and...
, working for the Weider
Joe Weider
Josef E. "Joe" Weider is co-founder of the International Federation of BodyBuilders along with brother Ben Weider and creator of the Mr. Olympia, the Ms. Olympia, and the now-defunct Masters Olympia bodybuilding contests...
Barbell
Barbell
A barbell is a piece of exercise equipment used in weight training, weightlifting and powerlifting. Barbells range in length from to although bars above 7' in length are used primarily by powerlifters and aren't commonplace...
Company until 1969. During this period he also worked in motion pictures.
In the early days, Draper says, "There wasn't a whole bunch of encouragement or inspiration from a society which considered you either stupid or egotistical and probably a sissy."
In California, Draper initially trained at a gym many called "The Dungeon", which he described as "a large, awful space dug out of the ground on the corner of 4th and Broadway, and later at the original Gold's Gym
Gold's Gym
Gold's Gym International, Inc. is an international chain of co-ed fitness centers originally started in California by Joe Gold. Each gym features a wide array of exercise equipment, group exercise classes and personal trainers to assist clients...
. Training partners included 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...
, Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger is an Austrian-American former professional bodybuilder, actor, businessman, investor, and politician. Schwarzenegger served as the 38th Governor of California from 2003 until 2011....
, Franco Columbu
Franco Columbu
Franco Columbu is an Italian actor, former bodybuilder and World's Strongest Man competitor.-Bodybuilding:Columbu was born in Ollolai, Sardinia . Starting out his athletic career as a boxer, Columbu progressed into the sport of Olympic Weightlifting, powerlifting and later bodybuilding, winning...
and Mike Katz
Mike Katz
Michael Katz is a former American IFBB professional bodybuilder, most famous for his appearance with Arnold Schwarzenegger in the 1977 bodybuilding documentary film Pumping Iron. Mike Katz worked as a Jr. High School gym teacher while training as an amateur bodybuilder...
.
Draper is 6'0" (1.83 m) tall, and his bodybuilding competition weight was around 225 lb. (102 kg).
Later life
Dave Draper continues to train with weights into his 60s, and to write, including a free weekly newsletter, emailed and published on his website nonstop since 1999.Competition history
- 1962 Mr. New Jersey
- 1965 IFBB Mr. AmericaIFBB Mr. AmericaIFBB Mr. America was a bodybuilding contest organised by the International Federation of BodyBuilders . It was first held in 1949 and in direct competition with the AAU Mr. America...
Tall Class & Overall, 1st - 1966 IFBB Mr. UniverseWorld Amateur Bodybuilding ChampionshipsThe World Amateur Bodybuilding Championships is a male bodybuilding contest organised by the International Federation of BodyBuilding & Fitness and first held in 1959. The name was changed in 1976 to avoid confusion with the NABBA Mr...
Tall Class & Overall, 1st - 1967 Mr. OlympiaMr. OlympiaMr. 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...
4th - 1970 AAUAmateur Athletic UnionThe Amateur Athletic Union is one of the largest non-profit volunteer sports organizations in the United States. A multi-sport organization, the AAU is dedicated exclusively to the promotion and development of amateur sports and physical fitness programs.-History:The AAU was founded in 1888 to...
Mr. World 3rd - 1970 IFBB Mr. World Tall & Overall, 1st
- 1970 NABBA Mr. Universe Tall, 3rd
Screen appearances
- Lord Love a DuckLord Love a DuckLord Love a Duck is a 1966 black comedy starring Roddy McDowall and Tuesday Weld. The film was a satire of popular culture at the time, its targets ranging from progressive education to Beach Party films...
(1966) as Billy Gibbons - Don't Make WavesDon't Make WavesDon't Make Waves is a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer sex farce which starred Tony Curtis, Claudia Cardinale, Dave Draper and Sharon Tate...
(1967) as Harry Hollard
TV guest appearances
While dressed as David The Gladiator, Draper hosted a TV show on Los Angeles Channel 9 KHJ from 1964 to 1965. From 8-10 pm Saturday nights, he would host a 'sword and sandal' movie from the late 1950s - early 1960s.
Draper played himself in the October 25, 1967 episode of The Beverly Hillbillies
The Beverly Hillbillies
The Beverly Hillbillies is an American situation comedy originally broadcast for nine seasons on CBS from 1962 to 1971, starring Buddy Ebsen, Irene Ryan, Donna Douglas, and Max Baer, Jr....
titled, "Mr. Universe Muscles In," in which Granny thinks that he is sick with "the barbell bloat."
The Monkees
The Monkees
The Monkees are an American pop rock group. Assembled in Los Angeles in 1966 by Robert "Bob" Rafelson and Bert Schneider for the American television series The Monkees, which aired from 1966 to 1968, the musical acting quartet was composed of Americans Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork,...
playing Bulk, in the October 16, 1967 episode "I Was a 99-lb. Weakling."
Here Come the Brides
Here Come the Brides
Here Come the Brides is an American comedy Western series from Screen Gems that aired on the ABC television network from September 25, 1968 to April 3, 1970...
in the December 19, 1969 episode, "Lorenzo Bush."
See also
- List of male professional bodybuilders
- List of female professional bodybuilders