Joe Weider, the Montreal-born “godfather” of bodybuilding who brought Arnold Schwarzenegger to America and helped turn him into a star, died Saturday at his Los Angeles home. He was 93.
Charlotte Parker, Weider’s publicist, confirmed to The Associated Press that Weider died of heart failure.
Weider lived a classic rags-to-riches tale, starting out as a skinny kid in a hardscrabble neighbourhood in Montreal and ending up an international bodybuilding sensation before moving on to mentor Schwarzenegger and others. Upon learning of Weider’s passing, Schwarzenegger posted a lengthy tribute on his website.
"I knew about Joe Weider long before I met him," Schwarzenegger said. "He was the godfather of fitness who told all of us to be somebody with a body. He taught us that through hard work and training we could all be champions."
Weider was born in Montreal in 1919, and was the skinny kid who got picked on by bullies until he discovered the magazine Strength and, inspired by its message, built his own weights from parts he salvaged from a scrapyard.
Weider later joined a local weightlifting club and won his first bodybuilding competition when he was just 17. He also started his own magazine called Your Physique.
In the 1940s, Weider teamed up with his brother, Ben, to launch the Mr. Canada competition while at the same time establishing the International Federation of Bodybuilders.
Weider went on to create bodybuilding’s top event, Mr. Olympia, in 1965, and later Ms. Olympia, Fitness Olympia and Figure Olympia. He also expanded his health and fitness publishing empire to include Muscle & Fitness, Flex and Shape, and started his own line of nutritional supplements.
Alan Hustak, a writer who contributed to a biography of Joe and Ben Weider, said it was Joe’s business savvy that led to their success.
“It was Joe Weider, who was the real tough, hard-nosed businessman who created the empire,” Hustak told CTV Montreal.
Weider’s success led to a community centre in Montreal that bears his name, and both brothers were inducted into the Montreal Jewish Athletic Hall of Fame.
It was Joe Weider who recognized the potential in a young Austrian bodybuilder and brought him to the United States for training. He also helped Schwarzenegger explore acting and business opportunities.
“Every sport needs a hero,” Weider said, “and I knew that Arnold was the right man.”
Schwarzenegger went on to win Mr. Olympia from 1970 to 1975, and again in 1980.
"Joe didn't just inspire my earliest dreams; he made them come true the day he invited me to move to America to pursue my bodybuilding career," the former governor of California said in his statement. "I will never forget his generosity. One of Joe's greatest qualities is that he wasn't just generous with his money; he freely gave of his time and expertise and became a father figure for me."
Weider is survived by his wife, Betty. The couple would have celebrated their 52nd wedding anniversary in April.
With files from The Associated Press and CTV Montreal’s Kevin Gallagher
