Robert Kennedy (publisher)
| Robert Kennedy | |
|---|---|
| Born | 18 May 1938 Munich, Germany |
| Died |
(aged 73) Caledon Hills, Ontario, Canada |
| Cause of death | Cancer |
| Residence | Caledon Hills, Ontario, Canada |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Other names | Bob Kennedy, Wolfgang Kals |
| Education | Culford private school |
| Alma mater | Norwich University College of the Arts |
| Occupation | Publisher |
| Years active | 1972–2012 |
| Known for | Founder and Owner of Robert Kennedy Publishing |
| Home town | Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Spouse(s) |
Tosca Reno (March 16, 2004 -2012); (his death) |
| Children | 1 daughter, 3 step-daughters, 1 son (deceased) |
Robert Kennedy (April 18, 1938 – April 12, 2012) was the founder of Robert Kennedy Publishing, based in Mississauga, Ontario.
The son of an Austrian father and an English mother, William and Doris Kennedy, both school teachers. He attended Culford School and Norwich University College of the Arts in Norfolk, England. After living in London and teaching art at the Tottenham Technical College for eight years, Kennedy moved to Canada in 1967, where he taught art for five years in Brampton, Ontario.
In 1972 Kennedy went into business for himself, selling courses of instruction by mail on nutrition, bodybuilding and fitness. In 1974 he started his first magazine, MuscleMag International, with an initial print run of 110,000. He had no previous experience with magazine publishing and MuscleMag would not turn a profit for 15 years - forcing Kennedy to dodge creditors and even sell his home and his car to finance it. The magazine ceased publication on June 7, 2013 after Robert Kennedy Publishing declared bankruptcy.
In addition to MuscleMag International, Kennedy has also written 53 books, including several New York Times bestsellers; Hardcore Bodybuilding, Reps!, RockHard!, Beef It!, and Pumping Up! He eventually decided to become a book publisher himself, and under Robert Kennedy Publishing, the company has published hundreds of books.
In the 1976, Kennedy opened a chain of fitness stores called MuscleMag International, the first of which opened in downtown Toronto on Yonge Street. Kennedy soon followed with stores in Miami, New York, Las Vegas, and California, eventually reaching 28 stores. He also created a fitness clothing line (Faremon) and supplement line (Formula 1). Most of the stores were eventually closed, while the clothing and supplement line was sold or discontinued to concentrate on the core business of book and magazine publishing.
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