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- This article is about the bodybuilder, for the model see Larry Scott (model)
Larry Scott, nicknamed "the Legend", born on October 12, 1938 in Blackfoot, Idaho is an American former IFBB professional bodybuilder.
Background
Scott was the first bodybuilder to ever have held the IFBB Mr. Olympia title. He did so for the first two years of the competition from 1965 to 1966. Scott went to the California Air College to study electronics and is known to be a devout Mormon. He is married to Rachel Ichikawa.
History
Before claiming the Mr. Olympia title, Scott took Mr. America in 1962, the Mr. Universe title in 1964, and had a minor role as "Rock" in the 1964 movie Muscle Beach Party. Scott is said to have possessed little apparent genetic potential when he started training with weights in 1956, his narrow shoulders having been a particular weak spot. He trained with Vince Gironda, another well-known bodybuilder of the golden age. Scott is best known for his arm development and perhaps most for his impressive biceps which were unusually long, allowing for good development and shape. Nowadays Scott lives in Salt Lake City, Utah where he runs his own personal training company. He was inducted into the IFBB Hall of Fame in 1999.
Scott was also a popular physique model during the early to mid 1960s, working for such famous photographers as Bruce of LA and Don Whitman, of Western Photography Guild. His "posing strap" material for Pat Milo (known professionally as simply "Milo") is today concerned fine art. It was Milo who introduced Scott to a wide, appreciate audience and helped him hone his posing and photographic persona: that of the "boy next door." Larry regularly appeared in all of Joe Weider's bodybuilding magazines, including Mr. America and Muscle Builder, and he also figured prominently in Demi Gods, Muscleboy, and The Young Physique.
From 1960 until his retirement from competition in 1966, Scott was bodybuilding's top superstar. Bodybuilding magazines soon began capitalizing on his image, but Larry - an IFBB athlete - wrote exclusively for Joe Weider's publications. Larry's popularity completely eclipsed all other bodybuilders of his time, including such famous personalities as Freddy Ortiz, Chuck Sipes, Dave Draper, Leo Robert, Harold Poole, and a very young Sergio Oliva. The phenomenon has since become known as "Larry fever" and reached its apex at the 1966 Mr. Olympia competition, where Larry defended his title and once again took home the crown (literally, since the prize was $1,000 and an actual crown).
Scott's retirement at the young age of 28 sent shockwaves throughout the sport. But Scott had other priorities (a second marriage), and after two Olympia wins, he'd done all he could do in competitive bodybuilding.
Even in retirement, Scott continued to have an incredibly devoted fan base. One fan, Rod Labbe, is a freelance writer who's collaborated with Scott on four major articles, so far. According to Labbe, "Larry is my childhood hero, a true American success story. It's an honor for me to work with him." Their latest interview, entitled "The Golden Man," appeared in two consecutive issues of Ironman magazine in 2006.
Today, Scott is in his mid-60's and enjoys good health and still sports 20" biceps. He wrote his autobiography Loaded Guns and is an active, energetic force in Bodybuilding. Currently, Scott has a website through which he offers bodybuilding guidance and training programs.
Competition history (incomplete)
- 1959 Mr. Idaho 1st
- 1960 Mr. Los Angeles 3rd
- 1960 Mr. California 1st
- 1961 Mr. Pacific Coast 1st
- 1962 Mr. America 1st
- 1963 Mr. Universe Medium 1st
- 1964 Mr. Universe Medium & Overall 1st
- 1965 Mr. Olympia 1st
- 1966 Mr. Olympia 1st
- 1979 Diamond Cup 9th
External links
American bodybuilders | 1938 births | Living people | Professional bodybuilders
"Larry Scott"