Dan Lurie
Dan Lurie (born April 1, 1923 in Brooklyn, New York City) is a founding father of bodybuilding and a physical fitness pioneer. A world-class bodybuilder in the 1940s, by 1949 he had won the Mr. America title of "America's Most Muscular Man" four times.[1]In 1948, Lurie established the International Federation of Body Builders and he owns the Dan Lurie Gyms and Health Clubs, a gym which has attracted people such as Sylvester Stallone. On April 29, 2007, Lurie was inducted into the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame.[2]
His book, Heart of Steel: The Dan Lurie Story with foreword by Regis Philbin, chronicles how he overcame poverty to rise to success in the fitness industry and exposes the truth behind his relationships with other famed fitness industry men such as Joe Weider, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Lou Ferrigno.[3]
Lurie appeared on the Sealtest Big Top Circus Variety Show on CBS. This was the first color television program in the USA. He played "Sealtest Dan, The Muscle Man". Ed McMahon played a clown. He also appeared as "The Mighty Rewop" in the popular children's TV series Captain Video.
[edit] Strength and endurance records
- 1225 parallel dips in 90 minutes[citation needed]
- A one handed over head bent press with 285 lb bodyweight 168 lb[citation needed]
- Leg press with 1230 lb[citation needed]
- Back lift of 1810 lb[citation needed]
[edit] References
- ^ Popular Science Vol. 154, No. 3. Bonnier Corporation. March 1949. p. 63. ISBN 0161-7370. http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=lSQDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA63&dq=Dan+Lurie&hl=en&ei=Z-IATI6TE9T5_Abm08DRCw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=8&ved=0CEkQ6AEwBw#v=onepage&q=Dan%20Lurie&f=false.
- ^ "Awards". The National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame. http://www.jewishsports.org/jewishsports/awards.asp. Retrieved May 2010.
- ^ Lurie, D.; Robson, D (2009). Heart of Steel: The Dan Lurie Story. Authorhouse. ISBN 1434385469.
