Reg Park, born June 7, 1922 in Leeds, England, was a bodybuilder and actor, but also Arnold Schwarzenegger's idol and mentor. He entered his first Mr. Britain contest in 1946 (coming in 4th) but won the title in 1949. After that, he went to the U.S. and met publisher Joe Weider, who began to feature Park prominently in his Muscle & Fitness magazine.
Park came in second to Steve Reeves (another bodybuilder/actor) in 1950 for the inaugural Mr. Universe in London. He broke the American monopoly on bodybuilding titles by winning Mr. Universe in 1951, 1958 and 1965. He was edged out of the title in 1970 by Arnold Schwarzenegger.
In the 1960s, he starred in five Italian 'sword and sandals' movies as Hercules (4) and one as Samson. He met Arnold in the 1960s when the Austrian was training in London. Park became Arnold's idol, mentor, and close friend. He encouraged Arnold to appear in Hercules in New York in 1970.
Park was inducted into the IFBB Hall of Fame in 1999.
He passed away at his home in Johannesburg, South Africa from melanoma in 2007.
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