Steve Reeves

Stephen Lester Reeves (January 21, 1926 – May 1, 2000) was an American professional bodybuilder and actor. He was famous in the mid-1950s as a movie star in Italian-made sword-and-sandal films, playing the protagonist as muscular characters such as Hercules, Goliath, and Sandokan. At the peak of his career, he was the highest-paid actor in Europe. Though best known for his portrayal of Hercules, he played the character only twice: in ''Hercules'' (1958), and in its 1959 sequel ''Hercules Unchained''. By 1960, Reeves was ranked as the number-one box-office draw in 25 countries.

Prior to his acting career, Reeves was a bodybuilder. Known for his symmetry, he reigned as Mr. America of 1947, Mr. World of 1948, and Mr. Universe of 1950 in the pre Mr. Olympia era. Credited with popularising bodybuilding on a global level, he is regarded as one of the most influential bodybuilders of all time. As an author, he wrote ''Powerwalking'', and two self-published books, ''Building the Classic Physique - The Natural Way'', and ''Dynamic Muscle Building''. Provided by Wikipedia