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 an American bodybuilding champion. He won many bodybuilding titles, both by himself and with partners.

Biography

Early Life

Tony Pearson was born in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1957. He was one of eight children. His father delivered ice and coal, and his mother stayed home. Tony grew up during the Civil Rights era in the early 1960s. When he was two, his parents divorced. He then went to live with an aunt. In 1970, they moved to St. Louis, Missouri. Tony went to Normandy Junior and Normandy High School there. In 1973, because of a difficult home life, the State of Missouri stepped in. Tony was placed in a group home.

Discovering 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 fast his body changed. This made him want to become a bodybuilder. His coach saw his talent and took him to a "real gym." This was George Turner's gym in Clayton, MO. Many famous bodybuilders trained there, like Ken Waller and Samir Bannout.

After his first day, the gym owner, George Turner, told Tony he had great potential. He promised to train Tony to be a champion. In just a few months, Tony gained twenty pounds of muscle. In 1976, at age nineteen, Tony moved to California. He wanted to become a professional bodybuilder. When he first arrived in Los Angeles, he didn't have a home for a while.

Once he got settled, Tony went to Gold's Gym in Venice, California. This gym was known as the "Mecca of bodybuilding." There, he met many bodybuilding legends. This happened just weeks before the 1976 Mr. Olympia competition.

Tony and Arnold

Later in 1976, Tony was training at Venice Beach. He was discovered by Arnold Schwarzenegger at Muscle Beach. Arnold became his mentor, like a guide or teacher. 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 Tony: "I remember seeing a skinny black kid training at Venice Beach. He did endless sets of squats with very heavy weights. He pushed himself hard, rep after rep. After a while, his thighs grew huge and strong. Only a year and a half later, he won the 1978 Mr. America contest."

Individual Competitions

Tony Pearson was known for his balanced body shape and 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:

• Mr. Los Angeles
• Jr. Mr. USA
• Jr. Mr. America
• Mr. California (short)
• AAU Mr. America

At 21, Tony was the second youngest person to win Mr. America. The youngest was Casey Viator at 19.

Tony won many other bodybuilding competitions during his twenty-year career. These included:

• 1979 World Bodybuilding Guild (WBBG) Professional Mr. World
• 1979 WBBG Olympus Mr. Olympus Pro
• 1979 World Amateur Bodybuilding Association (WABBA) World Championships in Verona, Italy
• 1980 National Amateur Bodybuilders Association (NABBA) Pro Mr. Universe in London, England
• 1983 International Federation of Bodybuilding (IFBB) Pro Denver Grand Prix Winner

Pearson also competed in the (IFBB) Mr. Olympia in 1984 and 1985. He placed 12th in both shows.

Couples Competitions

Tony Pearson first tried couples posing in 1979. He appeared with Lisa Lyon, known as the "First Lady of Bodybuilding." This was at the Mr. Los Angeles Competition. It was the first time a male and female bodybuilder posed together on stage. Tony and Lisa helped start this new category called Mixed Pairs.

In 1980, Chris Dickerson and Stacy Bentley won the first IFBB Professional World Mixed-Pair Competition. Tony Pearson had an amazing winning streak. He won six IFBB Professional World Mixed-Pair titles with four different partners:

• 1982 and 1983 with Shelley Gruwell
• 1984 with Carla Dunlap
• 1985 with Tina Plakinger
• 1986 with Juliette Bergmann
• 1988 with Carla Dunlap

In 2010, at 53, Tony returned to the stage. He guest posed with his former partner, 2001 Ms. Olympia Juliette Bergmann. This was at the "Juliette Bergmann Bodybuilding Classic" in the Netherlands. He also appeared at FIBO Power 2011 in Germany. In 2014, at 57, Tony competed again. He won the Men's open (short) and the Grandmaster's over 50 class at the NABBA USA American Championship's. He also won the Joe Meeko Memorial Men's best poser award.

Other Ventures

In 1991 and 1992, Tony Pearson competed in World Bodybuilding Federation (WBF) shows. These shows were started by professional wrestling leader Vince McMahon. Tony was one of thirteen professional bodybuilders called "WBF Body Stars." His stage name was "The Jetman." In 1993, Pearson promoted a line of supplements called ICOPRO. This program was developed by Dr. Frederick Hatfield.

Honors and Awards

In 2007, Tony Pearson was added to the "Muscle Beach Bodybuilding Hall of Fame" in Venice Beach, CA. Other famous bodybuilders who received this honor include Arnold Schwarzenegger, Frank Zane, and Joe Weider.

Media Appearances

Tony has appeared on many TV shows:

• Man from Atlantis: "The Disappearances" (1977)
• Good Morning America Show (1978)
• The Merv Griffin Show (1979)
• Rose Parade, Pasadena, CA (1979)
• ABC Wide World of Sports (1983, 1984)
• NBC Sportsworld (1983, 1985, 1986)
• Soul Train (Health and Fitness Segment) (1987)
• La ultima Cena……Del, TV Comedy Show Special (1988)
• Empty Nest, Gesundheit (1994)
• WBF BodyStars, USA Network (1991)
• Bodybuilders on "Card Sharks" game show, CBS (1987)
• WWF/WBF BodyStar Wars Challenger (1991)
• Flex Magazine Workout, ESPN (1993)

Tony has also been featured in many fitness and lifestyle magazines:

• Sports Illustrated
• Ebony Magazine
• Muscle & Fitness
• Iron Man
• Muscle Mag International
• Flex Magazine

On September 22, 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. You can find it on Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube Music.

On August 25, 2023, Variety Magazine announced news about a documentary. Generation Iron and The Vladar Company got the rights to distribute Driven: The Tony Pearson Story. This film tells the story of Pearson's life and career. It won the Grand Prize for Best Documentary Feature at the 2023 Golden State Film Festival. The documentary was set to be released in English-speaking areas on Apple, Amazon, Google Play, and VUDU on October 6, 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." This is a pose where a bodybuilder pulls their stomach in very tightly. He could do this in many different poses. He was also known for having the best shoulder-to-waist ratio in bodybuilding. This means his shoulders were very wide compared to his narrow waist, creating a V-shape.

Competition History

See also

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