Vic Tanny
Encyclopedia
Victor "Vic" Tanny was a pioneer in the creation of the modern health club
.
In 1935 he opened his first club in his hometown of Rochester, New York
. In 1939 he sold the club and opened a new one in Santa Monica, California
. The Vic Tanny Centers flourished in the 1950s and early to mid-1960s and expanded the field to a new type of customer.
Prior to the advent of Tanny, gyms had the reputation of being strictly for men, and often of the rougher type at that - sweaty, dirty, and dingy lairs reserved for serious bodybuilders. Tanny's gyms were modern and inviting in comparison, featuring amenities such as mirrors and carpets, and welcomed both men and women.
Tanny's business eventually fell into bankruptcy — a result, analysts said, of over-expansion, poor management, and insufficient capital
— and the Vic Tanny Centers were closed or sold. (Among those sold, some retained the Vic Tanny name.) Nonetheless, Tanny's gyms had played a part in the evolution of the all-male gym to the modern fitness club of today.
Many of the Tanny health clubs became part of the Bally Total Fitness
network.
Comedian Don Rickles
' character "Jack Fanny" in AIP
's 1964 film Muscle Beach Party
was a humorous take on him.
The gym also figured prominently in the 1963 Jerry Lewis' classic The Nutty Professor
.
Health club
A health club is a place which houses exercise equipment for the purpose of physical exercise.-Main workout area:...
.
In 1935 he opened his first club in his hometown of Rochester, New York
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
. In 1939 he sold the club and opened a new one in 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...
. The Vic Tanny Centers flourished in the 1950s and early to mid-1960s and expanded the field to a new type of customer.
Prior to the advent of Tanny, gyms had the reputation of being strictly for men, and often of the rougher type at that - sweaty, dirty, and dingy lairs reserved for serious bodybuilders. Tanny's gyms were modern and inviting in comparison, featuring amenities such as mirrors and carpets, and welcomed both men and women.
Tanny's business eventually fell into bankruptcy — a result, analysts said, of over-expansion, poor management, and insufficient capital
Financial capital
Financial capital can refer to money used by entrepreneurs and businesses to buy what they need to make their products or provide their services or to that sector of the economy based on its operation, i.e. retail, corporate, investment banking, etc....
— and the Vic Tanny Centers were closed or sold. (Among those sold, some retained the Vic Tanny name.) Nonetheless, Tanny's gyms had played a part in the evolution of the all-male gym to the modern fitness club of today.
Many of the Tanny health clubs became part of the Bally Total Fitness
Bally Total Fitness
Bally Total Fitness is an American fitness club chain which operates 100 gyms, in several U.S. states. In November of 2011, competitor L.A. Fitness took over operation of 171 former Bally locations...
network.
In popular culture
The September 1959 issue of Mad magazine featured the article, "Vic Tinny Gyms".Comedian Don Rickles
Don Rickles
Donald Jay "Don" Rickles is an American stand-up comedian and actor. A frequent guest on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, Rickles has acted in comedic and dramatic roles, but is best known as an insult comic....
' character "Jack Fanny" in AIP
AIP
-Computing:* Adaptive Internet Protocol, a protocol used by Sun Secure Global Desktop* Application Infrastructure Provider, an IT role for software support-Financial:...
's 1964 film Muscle Beach Party
Muscle Beach Party
Muscle Beach Party is the second of seven beach party films produced by American International Pictures. It was made in 1964 and was directed by William Asher, who also directed four other films in this series...
was a humorous take on him.
The gym also figured prominently in the 1963 Jerry Lewis' classic The Nutty Professor
The Nutty Professor
The Nutty Professor is a 1963 Paramount Pictures science fiction comedy feature film produced, directed, co-written and starring Jerry Lewis...
.