William Arnold Pearl (October 31, 1930 – September 14, 2022) was an American professional
bodybuilder
Bodybuilding is the practice of progressive resistance exercise to build, control, and develop one's muscles via hypertrophy. An individual who engages in this activity is referred to as a bodybuilder. It is primarily undertaken for aesthetic ...
and athlete. During the 1950s and 60s, he won many titles and awards, including winning the
Mr. Universe contest five times, and was named "World's Best-Built Man of the Century". He later became an expert trainer and author on bodybuilding.
Early life and competitive career

Pearl was born in
Prineville, Oregon
Prineville is a city in and the county seat, seat of Crook County, Oregon, United States. It was named for the first merchant to establish businesses in the present location, Barney Prine. The population was 10,429 at the United States Census 2010 ...
on October 31, 1930.
[Pearl, Bill and Shott, Kim (2003). ''Beyond the Universe-The Bill Pearl Story''. Bill Pearl Enterprises. p. 15. ] He grew up in Yakima, Washington, where his dad owned a restaurant. “We all helped out; it was kind of a family affair. Every day after school I'd lug 100-pound bags of grain and beans over and over, and that eventually built up my endurance,” he remembered.
While enlisted in the
United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...
, stationed at
San Diego Naval Air Station, he worked out at Leo Stern's Gym
which closed in 2024. Leo Stern, himself a champion bodybuilder, coached Pearl in his training and encouraged him to compete. In 1952, he competed in two local contests (3rd place in the Mr San Diego contest, followed by winning his first contest, Mr Oceanside). In 1953, he competed in 4 higher-level contests, and won them all. This included being crowned ‘Mr America’ and ‘Mr Universe’.
Pearl competed six times in two years, but then only competed twice in 1956, and then only once in the years 1961, 1967, and 1971. In all, he only competed in 11 contests, winning the overall in 9 of them. Of all the professional contests between 1956 and 1971, only
Jack Delinger defeated Pearl (1956 NABBA Pro Mr Universe). During that 18-year span, no bodybuilder was more successful. Even with his final Mr Universe win (at age 41), Pearl defeated
Frank Zane
Frank Zane (born June 28, 1942) is a retired American professional bodybuilder and author. Known as "the Chemist", Zane is a three-time Mr. Olympia winner, having won the competition every year from 1977 to 1979. He previously reigned as Mr. ...
,
Reg Park
Roy "Reg" Park (7 June 1928 – 22 November 2007) was an English bodybuilder, businessman, and actor. His first title was Mr. Britain in 1949. He then won Mr. Universe in 1951, 1958, and 1965. He went on to star in five films. Later in lif ...
,
Dave Draper
David Draper (April 16, 1942 – November 30, 2021) was an American bodybuilder, actor and author.
Early life
Draper was born in Secaucus, New Jersey, on April 16, 1942. His weight training began at the age of ten and was a well-formed habit by ...
, and
Sergio Oliva
Sergio Oliva (; July 4, 1941 – November 12, 2012), often known by his epithet 'The Myth' for his physique and performance, was a Cuban American bodybuilder and three-time Mr. Olympia winner.
Early life
Sergio Oliva was born on July 4, 1 ...
. Though he was arguably the world's best bodybuilder in the mid-'60s, Pearl never competed in IFBB
Mr. Olympia
Mr. Olympia is the title awarded to the winner of the professional men's bodybuilding contest in the open division at Joe Weider's Olympia Fitness & Performance Weekend—an international bodybuilding competition that is held annually and is sanct ...
(which has been held annually beginning in 1965) but did the NABBA Pro Mr. Universe instead. “I didn’t compete in the Olympia because I considered it a Mickey Mouse affair,” he said of the earliest Olympia contests.
In addition to competing, Pearl gave posing and strongman exhibitions all around the world. His strongman act included blowing up hot water bottles, bending tent spikes, breaking chains, and tearing up license plates. Pearl also ran two Bill Pearl gyms in California.
Vegetarianism
Pearl became a
vegetarian
Vegetarianism is the practice of abstaining from the Eating, consumption of meat (red meat, poultry, seafood, insects as food, insects, and the flesh of any other animal). It may also include abstaining from eating all by-products of animal slau ...
at age 39. His diet was
lacto-ovo
Lacto-ovo vegetarianism or ovo-lacto vegetarianism is a type of vegetarianism which forbids animal flesh but allows the consumption of animal products such as dairy product, dairy and Egg as food, eggs. Unlike pescetarianism, it does not include ...
vegetarian, which means he ate
dairy product
Dairy products or milk products are food products made from (or containing) milk. The most common dairy animals are cow, water buffalo, goat, nanny goat, and Sheep, ewe. Dairy products include common grocery store food around the world such as y ...
s and
eggs
An egg is an organic vessel in which an embryo begins to develop.
Egg, EGG or eggs may also refer to:
Biology
* Egg cell, the female reproductive cell (gamete) in oogamous organisms
Food
* Eggs as food
Places
* Egg, Austria
* Egg, Switzerland ...
. Pearl mentioned the benefits of vegetarian bodybuilding in his book ''Getting Stronger: Weight Training for Sports'', published in 2005.
Later career
Pearl is the author of the exercise book, ''Getting Stronger: Weight Training for Men and Women'', which has sold over 350,000 copies in the United States and has been translated into four other languages, including Chinese. His book, ''Keys To The INNER Universe'' contains 1,500 weight-training exercises, weighs five pounds, and has sold over 60,000 copies. Pearl had his own monthly question-and-answer column called "Pearl of the Universe" in the bodybuilding magazine ''
MuscleMag International
''MuscleMag International'' or ''Musclemag'' was a Canadian bodybuilding, fitness and men's magazine, considered one of the top magazines in its field. It was established in Canada in 1974 by Robert Kennedy, an immigrant to Canada and leading e ...
'' as well as one in ''Muscle Builder'' (later ''Muscle & Fitness'') magazine, titled "Wisdom of Pearl" in the 1970s and 1980s. In 2003 with co-author Kim Shott, Pearl published his autobiography, ''Beyond the Universe: The Bill Pearl Story''.
During the 1980s, Pearl served as a mentor, trainer, and training partner to many of the top professionals that were still competing, including
Mr. Olympia
Mr. Olympia is the title awarded to the winner of the professional men's bodybuilding contest in the open division at Joe Weider's Olympia Fitness & Performance Weekend—an international bodybuilding competition that is held annually and is sanct ...
Chris Dickerson. In 2004, Pearl was awarded the
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger (born July30, 1947) is an Austrian and American actor, businessman, former politician, and former professional bodybuilder, known for his roles in high-profile action films. Governorship of Arnold Schwarzenegger, ...
Classic Lifetime Achievement Award for significantly impacting the world of bodybuilding. In November 2004, Pearl acted as Master of Ceremonies for Sri Chinmoy's Weightlifting celebration, in New York. In 2011 Pearl appeared in the documentary ''
Challenging Impossibility'' describing when he hosted the 2004 strength exhibition by spiritual teacher and peace advocate
Sri Chinmoy
Chinmoy Kumar Ghose (27 August 1931 – 11 October 2007), better known as Sri Chinmoy, was an Indian spiritual leader who taught meditation in the United States after moving to New York City in 1964.[Tribeca Film Festival
The Tribeca Festival is an annual film festival organized by Tribeca Enterprises. It takes place each spring in New York City, showcasing a diverse selection of film, episodic, talks, music, games, art, and immersive programming. The festival ...]
.
Personal life and death
As of 2009, Pearl lived in
Phoenix, Oregon
Phoenix is a city in Jackson County, Oregon, Jackson County, Oregon, United States. The population was 4,538 at the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census. Phoenix is a part of the Medford Medford metropolitan area, Oregon, Metropolitan Statisti ...
. He was diagnosed with
Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease (PD), or simply Parkinson's, is a neurodegenerative disease primarily of the central nervous system, affecting both motor system, motor and non-motor systems. Symptoms typically develop gradually and non-motor issues become ...
in 2016.
On April 7, 2022, Pearl was involved in an accident where he and his rider mower tumbled down an embankment, resulting in the mower landing on top of Pearl, who was "face-down in the grass." His initial diagnosis was a "compression fracture of his T-10 Vertebrae, among other things." Another neck fracture was discovered a few days later. Pearl died on September 14, 2022, at his home in
Phoenix, Oregon
Phoenix is a city in Jackson County, Oregon, Jackson County, Oregon, United States. The population was 4,538 at the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census. Phoenix is a part of the Medford Medford metropolitan area, Oregon, Metropolitan Statisti ...
. He was 91.
Bodybuilding titles and awards
*1952 Mr. San Diego, 3rd place (San Diego, California)
*1952 Mr. Oceanside (Oceanside, California)
*1953 Mr. Southern California (Los Angeles, California)
*1953 Mr. California (Los Angeles, California)
*1953 A.A.U., Mr. America (Indianapolis, Indiana)
*1953 N.A.B.B.A., Mr. Universe Amateur (London, England)
*1956 Mr. U.S.A., Professional (Los Angeles, California)
*1956 N.A.B.B.A., Mr. Universe, Professional, Tall Man's Class (London, England)
*1961 N.A.B.B.A., Mr. Universe, Professional (London, England)
*1967 N.A.B.B.A., Mr. Universe, Professional (London, England)
*1971 N.A.B.B.A., Mr. Universe, Professional (London, England)
*1974 W.B.B.A., World's Best-Built Man of the Century (New York, New York)
*1978 Entered into W.B.B.A., Hall of Fame (New York, New York)
*1978 Elected the I.F.B.B. National Chairman of the Professional Physique Judges Committee (Acapulco, Mexico)
*1988 Entered into Pioneers of Fitness Hall of Fame
*1992 Entered into Gold's Gym Hall of Fame
*1994 Guest of Honor of the Association of Oldetime Barbell & Strongmen 12th Annual Reunion
*1994 Entered into The Joe Weider Hall of Fame
*1995 A.A.U. Lifetime Achievement Award
*1995 Oscar Heidenstam Foundation Hall of Fame
*1996 American Powerlifters Federation Hall of Fame
*1997 International Chiropractors Association Sports & Fitness Man of the Year
*1999 I.F.B.B. Hall of Fame Inductee
*2000 Spirit of Muscle Beach Award
*2001 World Gym Lifetime Achievement Award
*2001 Society of Weight-Training Injury Specialists Lifetime Achievement Award
*2002 Canadian Fitness Award for 60+ Years of Inspiration to the Industry
*2002 National Fitness Trade Journal Lifetime Achievement Award
*2003 Iron Man magazine Peary & Mabel Radar Lifetime Achievement Award
*2004 Arnold Schwarzenegger Lifetime Achievement Award
*2006 PDI Night of Champions Lifetime Achievement Award
[Pearl, Bill and Shott, Kim (2003). ''Beyond the Universe-The Bill Pearl Story''. Bill Pearl Enterprises. p. 8. ]
*2010 National Fitness Hall of Fame Inductee & NFHOF "Lifetime Achievement Award" Recipient
Books
*''Beyond the Universe'' – The Bill Pearl Story
*''Getting Back in Shape'': 32 Workout Programs for Lifelong Fitness
*''Getting in Shape'': 32 Workout Programs for Lifelong Fitness
*''Getting Stronger'': Weight Training for Men and Women (Revised Edition)
*''Getting Stronger'': Weight Training for Men and Women
*''Getting Stronger: Weight Training for Sports''
*''Keys to the INNER Universe''
Videos
*"Pearls of Wisdom – Bill Pearl a Bodybuilding Legend" (DVD, 150 minutes)
*"Bill Pearl & Dave Draper Seminar" (DVD, 75 minutes)
See also
*
List of male professional bodybuilders
This is a list of male professional bodybuilding, bodybuilders.
A
* Fouad Abiad
* Manohar Aich, "Pocket Hercules"
* Abdulhadi Al-Khayat
* Achim Albrecht
* Troy Alves
* Charles Atlas
* Art Atwood
* Dayo Audi
B
* Jim Badra
* William Bankie ...
*
List of female professional bodybuilders
This is a list of female professional female bodybuilding, bodybuilders. All people listed here have an International Federation of BodyBuilding & Fitness, IFBB pro card.
{{incomplete list, date=January 2025
A
* Heather Armbrust
* Lisa Auklan ...
References
External links
Official website''Pearls of Wisdom'' video clip
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pearl, Bill
1930 births
2022 deaths
American male bodybuilders
American vegetarianism activists
Devotees of Sri Chinmoy
Military personnel from Oregon
People associated with physical culture
People from Phoenix, Oregon
People from Prineville, Oregon
American professional bodybuilders
Strength training writers