Steve Reeves

Steve Reeves was the godfather of the movie-star muscleman movement, a largely unsung 1960s B-movie legend who paved the way for such brawny screen icons as Arnold Schwarzenegger and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. Physically impressive since the day he was born, the Montana native was named the "Healthiest Baby of Valley County" at just six months old. After years of bodybuilding, rigorous manual labor, and a period of serving in the armed forces, he took his first stab at Hollywood roles only to discover producers had relatively little use for such a bulky individual. Filmmakers were not yet accustomed to the idea of a star whose main appeal lied more in his rippling pectorals and overall charismatic screen presence than his actual acting talent, but Reeves changed all that with a move to Europe. There, he was quickly awarded the part of a famous god of Greek/Roman mythology in two back-to-back Italian/Spanish productions-the pulpy sword-and-sandal classic "Hercules" ('58) and the even more delightfully overwrought sequel, "Hercules Unchained" ('59). Although he still remains closely associated with his famously bearded depiction of Hercules, he went on to portray all manner of hulking physical specimens from the days of yore, including Phillipedes in the rousing wartime drama "Giant of Marathon" and Romulus in the treacherous mutiny adventure "Duel of the Titans." After garnering some acclaim for his surprisingly raw swan song, the self-written revenge western "A Long Ride from Hell" ('68), Reeves retired from show business. He died of lymphoma at age 74 in 2000.