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Charles Gaines, whose 1970s book and documentary Pumping Iron helped motorboat Arnold Schwarzenegger’s career, died July 21. He was 84.
Schwarzenegger announced nan news connected his societal media channels pinch a heartfelt tribute to nan writer and person of outdoor pursuits whom he described arsenic “a lifelong friend.”
Born successful Jacksonville, Florida connected January 6, 1942, Gaines spent his puerility and adolescence successful Birmingham, Alabama. He took up bodybuilding arsenic a teen and past pursued his emotion of penning aft schoolhouse pinch a BA from Birmingham-Southern College and an MFA successful penning from the University of Iowa.
Across his career, Gaines wrote much than 25 books and besides contributed to a assortment of magazines including Harper’s, GEO, Sports Illustrated, Town & Country, Playboy and Outdoor Life.
He is champion known for his 1974 non-fiction best-seller Pumping Iron exploring nan world of master bodybuilding, which was past spun into nan 1977 docudrama of nan aforesaid sanction centering connected nan title betwixt Schwarzenegger and main rival Lou Ferrigno for nan title of Mr. Olympia.
Written and narrated by Gaines, and directed by George Butler and Robert Fiore, nan movie is credited pinch having put master bodybuilding and Schwarzenegger connected nan mainstream map.
“He climbed mountains, trekked crossed ice, fished, and hunted connected almost each continent, penning astir each escapade successful a measurement that captured people’s hearts and minds. He was willing successful everything – and his liking was contagious,” Schwarzenegger wrote of Gaines successful his societal media post.
“I’m fortunate that he was ever looking for caller frontiers, because that’s really he recovered maine and our niche athletics of bodybuilding. That’s really nan book and nan movie Pumping Iron launched maine into nan mainstream – he wrote that book and past worked relentlessly connected nan documentary and introduced bodybuilding to millions and millions of people. It’s really I collapsed into Hollywood pinch my first large domiciled successful Stay Hungry – a movie Charles besides wrote.”
Based connected Gaines’ 1972 caller of nan aforesaid name, which he adapted successful 1976, Stay Hungry starred Jeff Bridges arsenic a able layabout who is becomes embroiled successful a mobster strategy to bargain a beloved section gym truthful nan onshore tin beryllium redeveloped, pinch Schwarzenegger appearing arsenic nan venue’s prima bodybuilder.
In different accomplishment successful his varied career, Gaines is besides credited pinch inventing nan squad athletics of paintball successful nan early 1980s pinch Wall Street trader Hayes Noel pursuing a statement complete whether city-dwellers had nan aforesaid endurance instincts arsenic group who grew up adjacent nature, pursuing activities specified arsenic hunting, sportfishing and building cabins.
Inspired by nan discussion, Gaines, who was surviving connected a workplace successful New Hampshire astatine nan time, devised a endurance crippled utilizing sheep-marking dye pellets, hosting nan first loop successful woods connected his onshore successful June 1981.
Gaines is survived by his wife, nan creator Patricia Ellisor Gaines, whom he joined successful 1963, arsenic good arsenic his 3 children, Latham, Greta, and Shelby Gaines.
