Tony Pearson (bodybuilder) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Tony Pearson
Bodybuilder
Tony Pearson
Personal info
Nickname	" The Michael Jackson of Body Building "
Born	(1957-01-11) January 11, 1957 (age 68) Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.
Height	5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
Weight	205 lb (93 kg)
Professional career
Pro-debut	WBBG Mr. World, 1979
Best win	NABBA Pro. Mr. Universe, 1980
Predecessor	Bertil Fox
Successor	Robby Robinson
Active	Retired 1994

Tony Pearson (born January 11, 1957) is a famous American bodybuilding champion. He won many championships, both by himself and with partners in special couples competitions.

About Tony Pearson

Early Life

Tony Pearson was born on January 11, 1957, in Memphis, Tennessee. He was one of eight children. When he was two, his parents divorced. He later moved to St. Louis, Missouri in 1970.

Tony Discovers Bodybuilding

Tony was on his school's wrestling team. He hurt his knee and started lifting weights to help it heal. He was amazed at how quickly his body changed. This made him want to become a bodybuilder.

His coach saw his talent and took him to a "real gym." This gym was George Turner's gym in Clayton, MO. Many professional bodybuilders trained there. George Turner, the gym owner, saw Tony's potential. He told Tony he could train him to be a champion.

Tony gained twenty pounds of muscle in a few months. In 1976, at age nineteen, he moved to California. He wanted to become a professional bodybuilder. After arriving in Los Angeles, he visited Gold's Gym in Venice, California. This gym was known as the "Mecca of bodybuilding." There, he met many famous bodybuilders.

Tony and Arnold Schwarzenegger

Later in 1976, Tony was training on Venice Beach. He was discovered by Arnold Schwarzenegger on Muscle Beach. Arnold became his mentor, helping him learn and grow.

Tony won his first contest, the 1976 Mr. Venice Beach. Arnold even featured Tony in his book, The Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding. Arnold wrote about seeing Tony train hard. He noted how Tony's legs grew huge and defined. Just a year and a half later, Tony won the 1978 Mr. America contest.

Individual Competitions

Tony Pearson was known for his balanced body shape. He also had very clear muscle definition. People called him "Michael Jackson of Bodybuilding." This was because he looked a bit like the famous entertainer.

His career took off as he won many amateur contests. In 1977, he won the Amateur Athletic Union's (AAU) Mr. Los Angeles (Junior). In 1978, he won several titles. These included Mr. Los Angeles, Jr. Mr. USA, Jr. Mr. America, Mr. California (short), and the AAU Mr. America. At 21, he was one of the youngest to win Mr. America.

He continued to win many professional bodybuilding competitions. In 1979, he won the World Bodybuilding Guild (WBBG) Professional Mr. World. This was the official start of his professional career. He also won the WBBG Olympus Mr. Olympus Pro in 1979. Other wins include the 1979 World Amateur Bodybuilding Association (WABBA) World Championships. In 1980, he won the National Amateur Bodybuilders Association (NABBA) Pro Mr. Universe. He also won the 1983 International Federation of Bodybuilding (IFBB) Pro Denver Grand Prix. Tony competed in the Mr. Olympia contest in 1984 and 1985.

Couples Competitions

Tony Pearson also became famous for couples posing. This is when a male and female bodybuilder perform together. He first did this in 1979 with Lisa Lyon. They were pioneers in this new category called Mixed Pairs.

Tony had an amazing winning streak in Mixed Pairs. He won six International Federation of Body Building (IFBB) Professional World Mixed-Pair titles. He won with four different partners. These wins were in 1982, 1983 (with Shelley Gruwell), 1984 (with Carla Dunlap), 1985 (with Tina Plakinger), 1986 (with Juliette Bergmann), and 1988 (again with Carla Dunlap).

In 2010, at 53, Tony returned to the stage. He made guest appearances with his former partner Juliette Bergmann. In 2014, at 57, Tony competed again. He won the Men's open (short) and the Grandmaster's over 50 class. He also won the Joe Meeko Memorial Men's best poser award.

Other Competitions and Work

In the early 1990s, Tony competed in World Bodybuilding Federation (WBF) shows. These were started by wrestling promoter Vince McMahon. Tony was one of thirteen professional bodybuilders called "WBF Body Stars." His stage name was "The Jetman." In 1993, Tony helped promote a supplement line called ICOPRO.

Honors and Awards

In 2007, Tony Pearson was honored. He was inducted into the "Muscle Beach Bodybuilding Hall of Fame" in Venice Beach, CA. Other famous bodybuilders like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Frank Zane have also received this honor.

Media Appearances

Tony Pearson has appeared on many TV shows. These include Good Morning America and The Merv Griffin Show. He was also on ABC Wide World of Sports and NBC Sportsworld. He appeared on Soul Train and Flex Magazine Workout.

He has been featured in many fitness and lifestyle magazines. Some of these are Sports Illustrated, Ebony Magazine, Muscle & Fitness, and Flex Magazine.

In September 2019, Pearson published his memoir, Driven - My Secret Untold Story. In March 2021, he released the audiobook version. On March 14, 2022, Pearson published a children's book called The Story Of Baby Herc. A song titled 'Driven' was released in August 2024.

In August 2023, a documentary about Tony's life was announced. It is called Driven: The Tony Pearson Story. The film won an award at the 2023 Golden State Film Festival. It became available to watch on streaming platforms in October 2023.

Stats

• Height: 5 ft 8 in
• Weight: 200–205 lbs
• Arms: 20 inches
• Waist: 29 inches

Tony Pearson was known for his amazing "stomach vacuum" pose. He could show it in many different ways. He was also known for having one of the best shoulder-to-waist ratios in bodybuilding.

Competition History

See also

• List of male professional bodybuilders
• List of female professional bodybuilders