Steve Reeves International Society

Actor/Movie Entertainer

Steve started his career in the entertainment field during his mid teenage years. When you think about how he competed on stage for various bodybuilding contests and making personal appearances he was in fact gaining performance experience.

He really gained notoriety when he won the Mr. America contest and was asked to inter into an entertainment contract almost immediately thereafter. He struggled between acting and bodybuilding for the next three years but came to the conclusion he had accomplished everything he wanted in competition bodybuilding and then focused on the entertainment field.

Working from Los Angeles to New York he started his adventure on Stage and TV from 1947 until he got his first big break and starred in "Hercules" which was filmed in 1957.

Yes, he was in two movies "Jail Bait" a 1953 Ed Wood's low budget film which gave Steve at least his Screen Actors Card. Then "Athena" in 1954 with Debbie Reynolds & Jane Powell but those two films really didn't really do much for his career. It wasn't until the daughter of an Italian director/produces saw "Athena" and she told her dad that she had found his "Hercules".

What his stage and TV work provided was the tools he would need to break into the film business even if it was in the foreign market. Believe me when I tell you it was not that easy for an American to handle the travel necessary not to mention the skills to work under the many foreign languages that were being spoken on set. His skill set of studying scripts and knowing his parts and those of his fellow actors and actresses allowed him to react correctly to what was being said even if he didn't understand a word they were saying in the early films.

Our film book "Steve Reeves His Legacy In Films" goes much deeper into the stage and TV areas. You can get your copy at our store.

Steve did not escape the notice of filmmakers. One of the first to contact the young bodybuilder, fresh from his win at 1947 Mr. America contest, was Cecil B. De Mille, the famous director of screen epics. He needed someone to play the Biblical hero Samson in his next extravaganza, and Steve seemed just the one for the job. As time went on Steve did not play Samson but it did give him a chance to see what it was going to be like in the film industry.

Steve made quite a bit of news over the years. Although he never won an American awards for acting, he was the most highly paid actor of his day. Success is measured by many yardsticks - Steve's philosophy was that if he was working and enjoying iwhat he was doing, than that was success.

My book "Steve Reeves - His Legacy In Films" can be purchased at our store which is filled with all of his film work below. Over 270 pages packed full of information and photos both in black and white and color. Dont wait get your book today from our store.

Steve Reeves International Society first newsletter was published in January of 1995 and was only 8 pages long. Over the years the publication has developed and at the end was 32 pages of fascinating stories of Steve Reeves' public and private life -- as well as being a news source for members and an information source for those who seek to live the type of healthy lifestyle advocated by Steve Reeves.

After working hard for many years on the newsletters I made the decision of writing books because I could fill the pages of the books with more detail and focus on particular areas of interest. I hope you'll find the story in each issue as engrossing and entertaining as I did when first hearing them.

Last year I wrote the book "Steve Reeves A Moment In Time" his Biography. This book has over 240 pages of great stories that most people have not heard about the great Steve Reeves. It's filled with photos that support the story as you read along giving you the added feeling as if you were there. You can order the book from our store.

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