Deforrest Most
Encyclopedia
Deforrest "Moe" Most was a gymnast and the unofficial "ambassador" of Muscle Beach
.
, California
. His parents named him after the inventor Lee De Forest
.
, Most sailed to Tahiti
in the early 1930s. He returned to California
only because the steamship line on which he'd sailed was ending service to the island, and Most didn't want to lose the remaining fare on his round-trip ticket.
Most later succumbed to wanderlust again and traveled to the Samoan Islands
, where he lived with the daughter of an island chieftain
.
Most left the South Pacific a second time only because of the looming threat of World War II
. He wasn't able to serve in the U.S. military
because of an abnormality in his neck. Rather, he got a job on the bomber assembly line at the Douglas Aircraft Company
.
. After his return from Samoa, Most again began frequenting Muscle Beach.
In 1947 Most was named director of Muscle Beach. He was in charge of equipment and activities, including staging the Mr. and Miss Muscle Beach contests and arranging other quirky contests staged on the beach that involved feats of strength or gymnastic skills.
Most served as director until 1958, when the city of Santa Monica, California
shut down Muscle Beach. The weightlifters who had frequented the Santa Monica shore moved south to Venice, California, and established a new Muscle Beach at the Venice Boardwalk.
"There was a lot of prejudice involved," Most said in a 1999 interview of Santa Monica's decision to close down Muscle Beach. "People didn't like weightlifters and thought there was something wrong with them. Athletes were not accepted like they are today."
Over four decades later, Santa Monica restored gymnastics equipment at the site and redubbed it "Muscle Beach."
In his most memorable stunt, the four-man pyramid, Most balanced on the torso of Harold Zinkin, the bodybuilder who won the first Mr. California title. Future exercise guru Jack LaLanne
stands on Most's shoulders, and Gene Miller
balances on LaLanne.
"Moe was one of the greatest athletes I've ever known. We did tricks that nobody else had ever done," LaLanne told the Los Angeles Times
.
Most once anchored a three-man tower on which Roy Rogers
climbed on top and without removing his cowboy boots.
Deforrest Most died of heart failure at UCLA Medical Center in Santa Monica
, aged 89.
Muscle Beach
Muscle Beach refers to either Muscle Beach Venice, an area in Venice, California, on Ocean Front Walk two blocks north of Venice Boulevard or to Original Muscle Beach, two miles north of Venice, south of the Santa Monica Pier...
.
Biography
Most was born in Echo Park, Los AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. His parents named him after the inventor Lee De Forest
Lee De Forest
Lee De Forest was an American inventor with over 180 patents to his credit. De Forest invented the Audion, a vacuum tube that takes relatively weak electrical signals and amplifies them. De Forest is one of the fathers of the "electronic age", as the Audion helped to usher in the widespread use...
.
Tahiti and Samoa
Inspired by what he had read in books about the South SeasOceania
Oceania is a region centered on the islands of the tropical Pacific Ocean. Conceptions of what constitutes Oceania range from the coral atolls and volcanic islands of the South Pacific to the entire insular region between Asia and the Americas, including Australasia and the Malay Archipelago...
, Most sailed to Tahiti
Tahiti
Tahiti is the largest island in the Windward group of French Polynesia, located in the archipelago of the Society Islands in the southern Pacific Ocean. It is the economic, cultural and political centre of French Polynesia. The island was formed from volcanic activity and is high and mountainous...
in the early 1930s. He returned to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
only because the steamship line on which he'd sailed was ending service to the island, and Most didn't want to lose the remaining fare on his round-trip ticket.
Most later succumbed to wanderlust again and traveled to the Samoan Islands
Samoan Islands
The Samoan Islands or Samoa Islands is an archipelago covering in the central South Pacific, forming part of Polynesia and the wider region of Oceania...
, where he lived with the daughter of an island chieftain
Village head
The village headman or village chief is a central government post. The village headman is the person appointed to administer an area that is often a single village.The headman has several official duties in the village...
.
Most left the South Pacific a second time only because of the looming threat of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. He wasn't able to serve in the U.S. military
Military of the United States
The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. They consist of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard.The United States has a strong tradition of civilian control of the military...
because of an abnormality in his neck. Rather, he got a job on the bomber assembly line at the Douglas Aircraft Company
Douglas Aircraft Company
The Douglas Aircraft Company was an American aerospace manufacturer, based in Long Beach, California. It was founded in 1921 by Donald Wills Douglas, Sr. and later merged with McDonnell Aircraft in 1967 to form McDonnell Douglas...
.
Muscle Beach
Most, a fitness enthusiast, began frequenting Muscle Beach in 1934 while still a student at Belmont High SchoolBelmont High School (Los Angeles, California)
Belmont Senior High School is a public high school located at 1575 West 2nd Street in the Westlake community of Los Angeles, California. The school, which serves grades 9 through 12, is part of the Los Angeles Unified School District.-History:...
. After his return from Samoa, Most again began frequenting Muscle Beach.
In 1947 Most was named director of Muscle Beach. He was in charge of equipment and activities, including staging the Mr. and Miss Muscle Beach contests and arranging other quirky contests staged on the beach that involved feats of strength or gymnastic skills.
Most served as director until 1958, when the city of Santa Monica, California
Santa 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...
shut down Muscle Beach. The weightlifters who had frequented the Santa Monica shore moved south to Venice, California, and established a new Muscle Beach at the Venice Boardwalk.
"There was a lot of prejudice involved," Most said in a 1999 interview of Santa Monica's decision to close down Muscle Beach. "People didn't like weightlifters and thought there was something wrong with them. Athletes were not accepted like they are today."
Over four decades later, Santa Monica restored gymnastics equipment at the site and redubbed it "Muscle Beach."
Feats of strength
Most's physical strength, combined with an unerring sense of balance, made him a champion "understander" — the bottom person in a human pyramid.In his most memorable stunt, the four-man pyramid, Most balanced on the torso of Harold Zinkin, the bodybuilder who won the first Mr. California title. Future exercise guru Jack LaLanne
Jack LaLanne
Francois Henri "Jack" LaLanne was an American fitness, exercise, and nutritional expert and motivational speaker who is sometimes called "the godfather of fitness" and the "first fitness superhero." He described himself as being a "sugarholic" and a "junk food junkie" until he was 15...
stands on Most's shoulders, and Gene Miller
Gene Miller
Gene Miller was a longtime investigative reporter at The Miami Herald who won two Pulitzer Prizes for reporting that helped save innocent men on Florida's Death Row from execution. He was also a legendary editor, mentoring generations of young reporters in how to write crisp, direct, and...
balances on LaLanne.
"Moe was one of the greatest athletes I've ever known. We did tricks that nobody else had ever done," LaLanne told the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
.
Most once anchored a three-man tower on which Roy Rogers
Roy Rogers
Roy Rogers, born Leonard Franklin Slye , was an American singer and cowboy actor, one of the most heavily marketed and merchandised stars of his era, as well as being the namesake of the Roy Rogers Restaurants franchised chain...
climbed on top and without removing his cowboy boots.
Personal life
Most was married three times. His third wife, Jackie, died in 1999. Most had two sons, Michael and Steven; Michael died in 2000.Deforrest Most died of heart failure at UCLA Medical Center in Santa Monica
Santa 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...
, aged 89.