Joe Gold

Joe Gold (born Sydney Gold; March 10, 1922 in East Los Angeles, California, – July 11, 2004 in Marina del Rey, California) was an American bodybuilder and businessman. He was the founder of Gold's Gym and World Gym. He has been credited with being the father of the bodybuilding and the fitness craze.

Joe Gold was the son of Abram Mordechai Goldglejt and Zelda Fieierman, residing in Boyle Heights, Los Angeles.

Joe Gold began his interest in bodybuilding at the age of 12, when he saw his sister-in-law's design for strengthening her arms. She had attached a filled bucket to each end of a broom handle and was using them as lifts. Joe and his brother, Robert Gold, got the idea for building their own equipment from scrap obtained from Robert's scrap yard. As a teenager he headed for Muscle Beach in Santa Monica.

As a machinist, he served in the United States Merchant Marine during World War II where he was injured in a torpedo attack as well as serving in the Korean War.

As a professional bodybuilder, he auditioned for Mae West with a group of musclemen. West approved, "I'll take all of you." Joe Gold toured the country in her revue. He also appeared as an extra in two epic movies: The Ten Commandments and Around the World in 80 Days, both in 1956.

In 1965 Joe Gold opened the first Gold's Gym in Venice, California. It quickly became a landmark for local bodybuilders despite the dirty fixtures of its first incarnation. Joe Gold was known for the personal encouragement he gave trainers, although delivered in sarcastic jabs at their faults.

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