West Coast Bodybuilding Scene: The Golden Era [Paperback]

Dick Tyler (Author), Dave Draper (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 2004

A trip through the most unforgettable years of bodybuilding as a handful of restless musclemen catapulted the sport of muscle and might across the globe. Called the Golden Era of bodybuilding, you'll see Bill Pearl as he hands off to Larry Scott, the rise of Dave Draper, Sergio Oliva, with Don Howorth and Frank Zane in the background and Arnold Schwarzenegger and Franco Columbu emerging in the foreground. Dick Tyler writes of the Muscle Beach gossip, Vince Gironda's gym and many more feature columns from the late '60s and early '70s. You'll love this one! Nonfiction, as recorded by a journalist on the scene. Packed with 160 photos; this book is nicely indexed by individual names. Foreword and captions by Dave Draper.

Product Details

• Paperback: 399 pages
• Publisher: On Target; 1ST edition (February 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1931046298
• ISBN-13: 978-1931046299
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #506,681 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Terrific Book Covering The Golden Age Of Bodybuilding!, March 27, 2004

By 

Barron Laycock "Labradorman" (Temple, New Hampshire United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: West Coast Bodybuilding Scene: The Golden Era (Paperback)

Wow! I almost dropped a dumbbell on my toe in excitement when I discovered the publication of this book! I was indeed pleasantly surprised by this literal treasure-trove of original articles, anecdotes, and amusing characterizations of many of the most famous of the insiders in the golden age of bodybuilding in southern California in the 1950s and 1960s, all those amusing tales of the exploits and observations of all the most famous denizens from the golden age of bodybuilding back in the 'good old days", when few and far between such serious palaces of steel as the local Gold's Gym or World facility available for the faithful aspiring bodybuilders. Instead, most of us labored in valiant pursuit for bigger and stronger muscles either alone in our makeshift home gyms in our basements or garages, or just as often we worked out in the shabby but better equipped environs of the local YMCAs, where we were considered more muscle-headed curiosities than seekers after strength and fitness.

Indeed, all of those old memories and recollections are reincarnated by the recollections and observations in this wonderful book. Dick Tyler, a practicing Chiropractor (as is his good friend, former Mr. Olympia Franco Columbo), breathes fresh life into all the old legends, as does famed 60's sensation the Blond Bomber himself, Dave Draper, (who writes the preface for the book), throwing open the wide window allowing the reader to see these stars of the bodybuilding world as real breathing people, as individual personalities who just happened to comprise the inner elite of this special little world of the bodybuilding subculture. These recollections also serve as to provide a unique glimpse into an extremely short but quite special period of time within that bodybuilding world, at the very moment of its most amazing transformation from what had formerly been a small and curious little world of true believers comprised of dedicated bodybuilders who went about their lives chasing the "power of the pump", into all the other aspects of what they became at that moment that bodybuilding went "mainstream", as it became a national phenomenon in the wake of the rise of Arnold Schwarzenegger to prominence in the early 1970s.

As someone who spent his own formative years reading about that rarified world of the top bodybuilders living in the sun and surf along the backdrop of ocean and Santa Monica, I can finally say that a book exists that faithfully recreates the essence of that now long-gone world, a world more emblematic of a simpler, kinder, and less complicated existence, when one might just as easily catch Larry Scott or Steve Reeves working out in the free Muscle Beach gym as view newcomers like a young Dave Draper or the incredible Frank Zane walking along the street. This is a great book, and one that deserves a wide readership by all of us who might well find the golden age of bodybuilding as fascinating as those of us who grew up reading and dreaming about it still do. Enjoy!

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Golden Era is a Treasure, April 2, 2004

By 

Tony Coduto (Rockford, IL United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: West Coast Bodybuilding Scene: The Golden Era (Paperback)

Indispensable for anyone that would like to relive the greatest era the sport of bodybuilding has ever known. Dick Tyler brings you behind the scenes while writing articles for Joe Weider' s magazines in the mid 60's to early 70's.

Anyone interested in bodybuilding from the 60's will enjoy Dicks writing. Funny, insightful and informative, you get the feel of what it was like when guys named Pearl, Sergio, Franco, Zane, Draper and Arnold were on the scene.

Brilliantly complemented with captions written by the Blond Bomber himself, Dave Draper. This book contains more photos then any other book of it's type I have seen. The stories and photos in this book are priceless!

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Vivid Account of a Forgotten Era, May 2, 2004

By 

classicmoviefan (Rancho Mirage, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: West Coast Bodybuilding Scene: The Golden Era (Paperback)

Dick Tyler has written a charming and quietly brilliant piece about an era few remember. I remember Muscle Beach and my heroes back in the early 60s. This is the FIRST opus I have read that allowed me to re-live those terrific memories... when men with muscles built them with honest hard work and they impressed us, not with intimidation, but with a sense of pride in their appearance and a genuine love of the sport. Dave Draper's intro is marvelous and it's great to read anything he writes.. he KNOWS his subject. I recommend this book highly to anyone who wants to remember, or wants to research this magical time and place. Magnificent!!