The Earle Liederman Story
Part 4
by Kenneth Terrell
The Physical Culture Carnival of 1922, calculated to top any show of its kind ever presented, filled the original Madison Square Garden to capacity eery night for a week.
Two large platforms, between which stood an over-sized boxing ring, occupied the length of the main floor. The platforms served as stages upon which were presented a number of the more sensational vaudeville and circus acts of the day. The ring was reserved for exhibition strength feats and lifting contests. A number of booths, occupied by manufacturers of training equipment and athletic goods, health food processors, and others in the field of health and body building, lined the outer edges of the floor. Some of these exhibits were, in themselves, special attractions, not only from the stand-point of decoration; but because of the individual 'side-shows' presented by the advertisers, for the customers' education and amazement.
In so perfect a set-up Liederman would have none of advertising; he was too interested in the main show; and in pulling for his proteges, of whom he had at least one in each event. I learned that a number of these people were in New York as his guests.
Equivalent to our Mr. ... and Miss ... contests of today, the Apollo and Venus contests, then proved to be the main attraction.
The huge stage at the East end of the Garden was devoted exclusively to tableaux posed by the contestants of these events. There were thirty male and thirty female finalists in this competition. Each sex group was divided into six groups of five models each, each smaller group then assuming in unison, a routine consisting of five different poses; the poses were patterned after famous paintings and statues. Each group was thoroughly rehearsed in order to, as nearly as possible, make its poses exact duplicates of the classics meant to be copied. The curtain was held for ten seconds on each pose.
The contestant-models posed on square, black draped pedestals; the stage setting was also black; the models were individually flood-lighted from overhead. The men wore brief white trunks; the girls, white silk trunks and brassiere tops (white). In all, the effect was one of considerable beauty -- particularly on the part of the girls, whose tableaux I managed to see -- and, not too bad on the masculine part when you remember that among our models were such figures of manly perfection as: Charles Atlas, Clevio (Tony) Massimo, Anton Matysek, Joe Bonomo (for a time, he had a movie contract and had to withdraw before final judging), Nat Pendleton, Bill Boyce, and Eddie Siemsen.
Judging was by a group of noted artists and sculptors who took the contestants, one by one, into a well lighted room; there, placing the victim on the block, so to speak, they gave him a thorough check of measurements, definition, bone structure, face, feet, hair, skin, posing ability, everything. Such a going over gives a guy goose-pimples however warm the room.
But I was a past-master at goose-pimple farming so great had my stage-fright been before each posing session. It was a rough experience for a green country boy. But for Liederman I should have fled the show the first night; instead, he saw me to the finish, he was there, well down front every night; and as the curtain parted on each pose he coached audibly; "Come on Ken, give out! -- Raise that right elbow a bit, that's it. -- Bring your rib box up, Ken. -- Look pleasant, kid. -- Hold it just like that. -- Attaboy, Ken." Well, a fellow just has to stick it out with that kind of support.
The audience was generous with applause for each pose, and again, when after the tableaux, we were all marched out into the center ring to be individually introduced.
The Venus contest was won by Dorothy Knapp, a Miss America, who was immediately starred by Earl Carroll. Maybe it was puppy love on my part, but I'm sure I've never seen so beautiful a woman, all departments.
We won the only Honorable Mention awarded. I say 'we' because, more than anything I had to do with it, it was Earle's faith and enthusiasm that got us that far. But I felt that I had let him down. He said: "Nonsense, I knew no one would have a chance against Atlas as he looked in the show; but we did keep him on his toes, didn't we?" So far as he was concerned that was the end of it; and, there'd be other opportunities. But - I still argue with him that he could have taken Atlas, that he should have been in the show. Surely the judges would have had a lot tougher job between the two, Liederman and Atlas. Trying in imagination, I could find nothing wrong with either of them.
Matysek took the strength title with amongst others, a 2,500 lb. back lift. He had very little competition since Jowett, his most formidable opponent, had, because of a shoulder injury, had to withdraw before the finals. Vitale, however, did set a new iron-jaw record of 550 lbs. Said he could have done more but he had a sore neck.
I, for one, believe that our present shows would be infinitely more interesting if, after the old formulas, back, harness, and specialty lifts were included along with the AAU standard lifts. These spectacular stunts are mighty impressive to lay audiences.
It occurs to me that in trying to give you a picture of the sort of person Liederman is, I have thus far talked as much or more of myself. This has seemed necessary in view of the fact that what a man is, is as important as what he does, or has done; and what he is has much to do with how and why he does things the way he does them. A man cannot be known as an exact man until his actions have been observed in a number of situations; under a variety of circumstances; in various types of company. I tell of my experiences in association with Liederman with no squeamishness over the use of the pronoun "I," because I have been privileged to have so much pleasant association with him. His consistent behavior in these associations is the story. The reader will, in any case, form his own conclusions. . . .
The remaining years of the so-called Roaring 20s saw the Earle Liederman System become the widest known body-building course in the world. I met Liederman pupils wherever I traveled. Small wonder, since they numbered well over a half million. And here, a bow to the system itself, or perhaps it should go to the Liederman salesmanship; I never met a Liederman pupil who failed to express his gratitude for what the course, and Liederman, did for him. Those who failed to get what they wanted from it have freely admitted that it was due to no fault but their own that they did fail.
After facing the audiences in the Garden and, in a small measure, tasting applause, it became increasingly difficult for me to continue working in the office, figuring profits for somebody else. As busy as he was, Earle found time to help me build a vaudeville act with a partner I had found. Knowing the ropes from his own vaudeville past, he made it possible for us to avoid a lot of mistakes and to start in fairly fast company instead of spending years playing small time theatres.
In the wish to repay him for his efforts in my behalf, I asked him if he cared to use my photograph and testimonial in his advertising. He would, only so long as I thought it did me no harm professionally. How about that? Publicity is publicity, ain't it? Even in this gesture, mine was the greater gain; for suddenly, after two years on tour, I had the following telegram: "Judges board, from photographs and record of measurements in my files, declare you to be winner of first prize, five hundred dollars, gold medal and diploma, as my best developed pupil. Prizes also include all expense trip to New York. If acceptable, and your route permits, will also forward tickets for your partner. Wire collect. Signed, Earle."
Acceptable? Huh! - At the time we were stranded in Florida and considering hitchhiking back to New York!
The same thing happened the following year, only we weren't stranded this time. Fair returns, I think, for doing nothing. And in both instances Liederman acted as though I was doing him the honor. How? By doing what came naturally?
Having made the grade, so to speak, on the stage, our work now kept us in New York the greater part of each theatrical season. It was going to be swell, I thought, since now I would having an occasionally full purse be able to play host and invite him out to paint the town a dull pink, at least. But many of my invitations went unaccepted. Obligations to one side, I should have scratched him off my list had he not always managed to be on hand, lending his support whenever I had an important opening: So, he'd been busy; that was understandable in view of the proportions to which his business had grown.
In addition to running his business, however, how was I to know that most of his spare time was being devoted to writing? Above all, Liederman prefers the title, Educator. His many comprehensive volumes: Here's Health; Endurance; Science of Wrestling; Science of Strength; Science of Jiu Jitsu; as well as philosophical and sex works, many of which you have read, some seventy in all, would seem to give him fair claim to the title. . . .
Most of us who have gone beyond the average in strength and bodily development; who have become outstanding in the various fields of sport, have done so because of an urge born of inadequacies in childhood. We got tired of the bullies pushing us around; wanted to be too strong and tough for them. Then once our aims were accomplished, we discovered that no demonstration was necessary; that our tormentors could sense our prowess; they laid off.
Pfui on those small minds. Who think that super strength takes away from one's aggressiveness; it makes it unnecessary. To those little people, those envious people who say, "Strong back - weak mind," another laudable Bronx cheer! - Great strength of body and strength of mind and spirit walk hand-in-hand; no increase of one can be experienced without some increase being made in all three. It takes character to develop a body to its utmost; and in so doing, more character is developed. Not only that, but it breeds gentility. Who has ever known a strong man, a champion in any line who wasn't the gentlest of people?
In this department, Liederman is, again, a shining example. In the mid twenties he started a morning Physical Culture radio program which soon became one of the most popular morning features on the Eastern networks. One morning, feeling, no doubt, that all was particularly right with the world he signed off with a few lines of an ad-lib rhyme. It hit a responsive chord in the hearts of his many listeners who wrote in legion, requesting copies; there being no copies, Liederman wrote them; the customers asked for more; soon there were enough to form a book, and another, all of which the listeners bought eagerly, as fast as they were printed.
Requests for an entire program of the inspirational verse and philosophical commentary in which vein these works ran, brought forth a half-hour program which soon, on a national hook-up, became a career in itself. In view of the public's silly attitude toward anyone possessing a muscle, Earle decided to divorce the two careers; he wrote and broadcast under various nom de plumes.
Came the depression. The public would sacrifice the physical side in favor of a word of moral encouragement. Demand for more and more of the Liederman type of philosophy brought about his temporary retirement from physical culture; that is, from active management of the Liederman System. He became Morale Builder, instead of Body Builder. Not so, however, as far as he himself was concerned.
Always feeling that the ocean did something for him, both physically and mentally, he removed to Atlantic City. There he could write to the rhythm of the surf; do his broadcasting; and yet live the fuller physical life.
I spent many of my open weeks with him and what a routine we went through! Up at seven to join him for a session with the weights in his living room; a four mile hike on the board-walk, or beach, followed by a swim. Then he'd retire to his typewriter to prepare a program and answer questions from his listeners, questions that couldn't well be done over the air -- such problems as were thrown at him, yet every one got a sincere answer.
I have always had the arrogant idea that anyone a half hour older than I was a relic, obviously, being such a terrific athlete, no one older could beat me at anything. Liederman changed that way of thinking nearly every afternoon. With ease he beat me at golf -- he's won many trophies in fast company -- at bowling, swimming, miniature golf, heck, at everything except perhaps Chinese checkers and contract bridge!
I never say any average in trying to outlift him, he knew better, I guess; tumbling and hand-balancing, however, was my department, I'd have him there. Yeah? - He hadn't tumbled in years; but after a warm-up, his standing forward, and back somersaults were a shade higher than mine. His flip-flaps (backhand-springs) were in better form. He did one-hand-stands, either hand; I never managed on any but the right. Moral: Don't challenge Teacher. By way of contrast: I have seen him defeat champions at chess, and with such dispatch that it seems a very fast game instead of the slow, methodical mental work-out that it is. So what. I can still beat him at contract bridge, Chinese checkers, and . . .
Having kept abreast of times, going from my original hand-balancing, lifting and posing act to various comedy routines, vaudeville had been dead for some time before I realized, and began to feel it. When it finally dawned on me, it was a serious blow; I hurried to Liederman for counsel. He advised: "Take it easy, now. No panic, take stock. You know you have to find something else. Decide what it is, and have confidence, you can do it!" I decided the answer was Motion Pictures, and came to California. I found an agent who just happened to have been a satisfied Liederman pupil; he knew of a strong-man part coming up at M-G-M; took me to see the director; he too, proved to have been guess? - a pupil I was in, thanks to the long arm of Earle Liederman.
Concluded next month
PHOTO CAPTIONS
- EARLE LIEDERMAN An old photo taken around the time when plenty of active wrestling was done and when I weighed around 180 lbs. Photo was taken around 1905 or so.
- Earle Liederman performing a bent press with live weight [a person]. The old-time snap shot was found in an old average trunk and was taken when Your Editor was about 16 years of age, at which time he became deeply interested in one arm bent pressing. The fellow being pressed overhead in the above picture weighted about 165 lbs. A few years later I worked up to a trifle over 200 lbs. in this lift. I believe I weighted around 160 lbs. myself at the time.
- The Author, Kenneth Terrell, one of Liederman's most famous pupils and top notch stunt man in the movies, shows the ideal proportions which made him one of the most perfectly developed men of his time.