Bill Pearl

William Arnold "Bill" Pearl (born October 31, 1930) is a former leading competitive American bodybuilder during the 1950s and '60s. He won many titles and awards, including winning the Mr. Universe contest several times, and became a trainer and author on the subject.


Pearl was born in Prineville, Oregon. His first major victory was in the 1953 Mr Universe contest (in which he beat out a then 23 year old Sean Connery). He actively competed until his retirement in 1971 after winning the Mr. Universe one last time, over superstars Frank Zane, Reg Park and Sergio Oliva. In all, he won the professional Mr Universe 4 times in an 18 year span, which was unprecedented at the time.

He was the first professional bodybuilder to author bodybuilding training courses/booklets. He is also the first to pose to music, and was especially noted in performing exhibitions doing an entire posing routine of Eugene Sandow (who is known as the man who started the sport of bodybuilding). Ever the showman, along with his lifelong coach Leo Stern, Pearl would wear a fake mustache, leotards, a fig leaf, and a late-1800s backdrop, all for providing the exact effect of the Sandow era. As if that wasn't enough, Pearl was equally as famous for performing his strongman routine, which included tearing of license plates, bending penny spike nails, and blowing up a hot water bottle.

He is the author of the popular exercise book, Getting Stronger: Weight Training for Men and Women, which has sold over 350,000 copies in the United States and has been translated into four other languages, including Chinese. His book Keys To The INNER Universe, is still to this day considered to be a "must read" for bodybuilders. It contains 1,500 weight-training exercises and weighs five pounds. It is used extensively by professional athletes, trainers and serious bodybuilders and has sold over 60,000 copies.

Pearl had his own monthly question-and-answer column called "Pearl of the Universe" in the bodybuilding magazine MuscleMag International as well as one in Muscle Builder (later Muscle & Fitness) magazine, entitled "Wisdom of Pearl" in the 1970s & 1980s. In 2003 with coauthor Kim Shott, Pearl published his autobiography, Beyond the Universe: The Bill Pearl Story.

Pearl became a vegetarian at age 39 and is the best-known vegetarian bodybuilder. Bill's diet is lacto-ovo vegetarian, which means he eats eggs and dairy products.

During the 1980s, Pearl served as a mentor, trainer, and training partner to many of the top professionals that were still competing. One such individual was Mr. Olympia, Chris Dickerson.

Pearl is 5' 9" tall. He currently lives in Phoenix, Oregon.

Bodybuilding titles and awards

# 1952 Mr. San Diego, 3rd place (San Diego, California)

# 1952 Mr. Oceanside (Oceanside, California)

# 1953 Mr. Southern California (Los Angeles, California)

# 1953 Mr. California (Los Angeles, California)

# 1953 A.A.U., Mr. America (Indianapolis, Indiana)

# 1953 N.A.B.B.A., Mr. Universe Amateur (London, England)

# 1956 Mr. U.S.A., Professional (Los Angeles, California)

# 1956 N.A.B.B.A., Mr. Universe, Professional, Tall Man’s Class (London, England)

# 1961 N.A.B.B.A., Mr. Universe, Professional (London, England)

# 1967 N.A.B.B.A., Mr. Universe, Professional (London, England)

# 1971 N.A.B.B.A., Mr. Universe, Professional (London, England)

# 1974 W.B.B.A., World’s Best-Built Man of the Century (New York, New York)

# 1978 Entered into W.B.B.A., Hall of Fame (New York, New York)

# 1978 Elected the I.F.B.B. National Chairman of the Professional Physique Judges Committee (Acapulco, Mexico)

# 1988 Entered into Pioneers of Fitness Hall of Fame

# 1992 Entered into Gold’s Gym Hall of Fame

# 1994 Guest of Honor of the Association of Oldetime Barbell & Strongmen 12th Annual Reunion

# 1994 Entered into The Joe Weider Hall of Fame

# 1995 A.A.U. Lifetime Achievement Award

# 1995 Oscar Heidenstam Foundation Hall of Fame

# 1996 American Powerlifters Federation Hall of Fame

# 1997 International Chiropractors Association Sports & Fitness Man of the Year

# 1999 I.F.B.B. Hall of Fame Inductee

# 2000 Spirit of Muscle Beach Award

# 2001 World Gym Lifetime Achievement Award

# 2001 Society of Weight-Training Injury Specialists Lifetime Achievement Award

# 2002 Canadian Fitness Award for 60+ Years of Inspiration to the Industry

# 2002 National Fitness Trade Journal Lifetime Achievement Award

# 2003 Iron Man magazine Peary & Mabel Radar Lifetime Achievement Award

# 2004 Arnold Schwarzenegger Lifetime Achievement Award

# 2006 PDI Night of Champions Lifetime Achievement Award

STAT

Weight 242 pounds

Height 5'10"

Arms 21 inches