Dan Reneau
Club Histories,
Inspiring Legends
and Tools of the Trade
Bodybuilding
All images and text
copyright protected.
Art by Dan Reneau.
Arnold Schwarzenegger
I attended a couple of his seminars and
banquets following the Arnold Classic
main events. Arnold became a role
model inspiring me in business as well as
bodybuilding. I became so familiar with
Arnold's ideals, background and current
events that when he looked me in the
eyes at the '98 seminar and asked if I
had any questions for him, I could only
shake my head no.
I should have asked for a movie part.
The airbag scene and character name Danny Madigan in my favorite
Arnold movie Last Action Hero are suspiciously similar to a birthday card I,
Danny from Madison, sent to him during filming. It was a one-take, no
cut-away scene with Arnold really at the wheel in a 40 MPH head-on crash.
The smiley face I drew on the card's airbag appears on the bad guy in the
movie, who wears a smiley face contact lens in another scene. During the
'91 photo (above) I joked "Come to dinner at my house sometime".
After the airbag scene, Arnold goes to Danny's and has breakfast.
Frank Zane
3 time Mr. Olympia, had the most aesthetic physique of his time (sorry Arnold, it's not always about mass). Frank
is a truly artistic master of bodybuilding. He also produced some innovative squat equipment and training aids.
Larry Scott
inspired me as basically a twin for my body structure (except for 50 pounds of
muscle) since age 17. The first Mr. Olympia and a pioneer in equipment, nutrition
and bodybuilding theory. Larry appeared with comedian Don Rickels in the
Frankie & Annette movie Muscle Beach.
Dave Draper
inspired me back in the 1960s with the ultimate California
surfer/bodybuilder look. He was best known for a super-wide
back and shoulders shown in a twisting pose over a tiny waist
and powerful legs. While other arms might have been bigger, his
bicep featured in Weider ads would not leave my mind. Dave
played Sharon Tate's boyfriend alongside Tony Curtis, Claudia
Cardinale, and fellow bodybuilder Chet Yorton (natural
bodybuilding founder) in the 1967 movie Don't Make Waves.
Lou Ferrigno
will always be The Incredible Hulk, but
he also played Hercules, Sinbad, and
co-starred on The King of Queens TV
series. Lou was Arnold's co-star and
biggest challenger in Pumping Iron.
Ed Corney
had an incredibly balanced and
complete physique, and was the best
poser of the Golden Era. He became a
2 time winner of the Masters Olympia.
Ed was Arnold's training partner in
Pumping Iron.
Doug Stadele
was a wild-man ahead of his time in the shredded mass
physique style. In 1979, Doug trained at home and at the
Madison Vic Tanny Health Club, where I spotted for him
(benches as extreme as 405 lb. for 25) and coached Doug
in posing. He had the best arms I'd ever seen. Here are
some accomplishments before passing at only 41:
1979 - Teenage Mr. Wisconsin
1979 - AAU Teen Mr. America, 2nd place in Tall class,
behind 8 time Mr. Olympia Lee Haney in his first win.
1982 - Mr. Orange County
1984 - Mr. California
1985 NPC Nationals, 9th place in Heavyweight class,
against a tough list of 37 including Lee Labrada.
1987 - Guest poser at Russ Warner Classic in San Jose.
1989 PBA Superbowl of Bodybuilding, 3 places behind
Pumping Iron co-star Ed Corney, who took 4th.

Shawn Ray
totally amazed me as he won his first Arnold Classic.
He happened to walk down the steps and right up to
me at the banquet afterward, so I congratulated him
and said he should win 10 Olympias. He didn't win
even one due to a change in the Olympia judging
tastes toward the current mega-steroid builds.
Shawn became an outspoken ESPN commentator
and it was an honor to meet him again here.
Mickey Hargitay
had the most touching speech
among those honored at the 50th
Mr. Universe dinner and was
genuinely appreciative to talk
with a fan from the U.S. From
Mae West's chorus line to
several movies with first wife
Jayne Mansfield and six Italian
horror films, Mickey became an
inspiring figure for many,
including Arnold, who played
Mickey in The Jayne Mansfield
Story. Mickey also guest starred
with his daughter Mariska in her
TV series Law & Order.
Steve Reeves
Hercules in the flesh, seemed
overwhelmed by recognition at the
50th Mr. Universe dinner and
could hardly manage a speech. He
arrived late at the airport and
was afraid of getting bumped, so I
invited him and his wife Debbie to
join me near the front of the
boarding line. When we got off in
O'Hare he thanked me again, so I
offered to buy them something while
we waited between flights home.
Steve, his friend and I shared frozen
yogurt and talked about his career
and horse ranching. He had me hold
out my wrists and sized me up for
physique career potential.
Reg Park
starred in several Hercules and Maciste
movies. Reg was Arnold's mentor and
very similar in build. He was an elegant
speaker as MC at the Arnold Classics
and seminars I was lucky to attend. I
first met Reg standing alone at the '91
Arnold Expo, which was just tiny
hallway gathering then. No one knew
him in street clothes so he was just glad
to be noticed and have conversation.
We met again when I offered him a
shuttle seat after the '98 Arnold Classic.
The Weider limo was getting full and
Reg was ready for adventure. He told
about his movie roles and loved the
"good vibes" on the bus. We met one
last time at the '98 Mr. Universe dinner.
Bill Pearl
personified masculine power
and grace in his posing. He is
an inspirational speaker and
proud to be Native American.
I've heard him lecture three
times and still feel it. We met
at the '91 Arnold Classic
banquet where he was sitting
alone and again at the '98
Mr. Universe dinner where he
was part of the main event.
Gunter Schlierkamp
is best known for his role in Beerfest
but he's just plain a nice, fun guy to talk
with. A 6'1", 300 pound farm-boy, he
has the nickname The German Giant. I
cracked him up when I happened upon
him at the 1998 Arnold Expo and with a
shocked grin, blurted out something
like "Holy cats, you are the biggest guy
I've ever seen!". There was nobody
around Gunter in the overcrowded
place since he wasn't well known in the
US yet, so he introduced me to his wife
and shared his excitement at just
signing with Weider at the show.
Eddie Robinson
has such freaky big arms and shoulders
I couldn't pass up a chance to meet him.
He's a fun guy who didn't hesitate to
pop an arm pose just for us.
Dorian Yates wasn't in when I
visited his gym in Birmingham, England,
but his Olympia medals were. It's behind
a little door in a tight cobblestone alley,
in the basement of an ancient building.