| Dave Draper | |
| Birth Date: | 16 April 1942 |
| Birth Place: | Secaucus, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Death Place: | Aptos, California, U.S. |
| Birth Name: | David Draper |
| Other Names: | The Blond Bomber Uncle Slick |
| Occupation: | Bodybuilder, actor, author |
David Draper (April 16, 1942 – November 30, 2021) was an American bodybuilder, actor and author.
Draper was born in Secaucus, New Jersey on April 16, 1942.[1] His weight training began at the age of ten and was a well-formed habit by the time he was about 12, in the mid-1950s. In high school he participated in wrestling, gymnastics and swimming, but was most inspired by training with weights. In 1962, his physique having attracted the attention of Joe Weider, he began working at the Weider Barbell company in New Jersey as a part-time shipping clerk.[2]
At 21, he won the Mr. New Jersey title. Six months later he moved to Santa Monica, California, working for the Weider Barbell Company until 1969. Due to Weider magazine coverage and advertising, this shy, New Jersey native became an icon of the California beach and muscles lifestyle. “That I was a West Coast beach boy to a world of bodybuilding fans eluded me,” Draper wrote.[3]
In the early days of bodybuilding, Draper said "There wasn't a whole bunch of encouragement or inspiration from a society which considered you either stupid or egotistical and probably a sissy."
In California, Draper initially trained at a gym many called "The Dungeon", which he described as "a large, awful space dug out of the ground on the corner of 4th and Broadway", and later trained at the original Gold's Gym. He trained in the company of the world's top bodybuilders which included Frank Zane, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Franco Columbu, Mike Katz and Robby Robinson.
Draper was open about his past use of anabolic steroids: "I was ten years into my training, 235 pounds and already Mr. America before steroids came on the scene. I used them sparingly under a doctor's supervision and noticed marked improvement in my muscularity and separation."[4]
Draper was 6'0" (1.83 m) tall, and his bodybuilding competition weight was approximately 235 lb. (106,6 kg).
Appearing as David The Gladiator, Draper was a movie host on KHJ Channel 9 in Los Angeles, from 1964 to 1965. From 8–10 pm Saturday nights, he hosted a 'sword and sandal' movie from the 1950s and '60s.
Draper played himself in the 1967 episode of The Beverly Hillbillies titled, "Mr. Universe Muscles In," in which Granny thinks that he is ill with "the barbell bloat." The storyline included Draper suggesting that Ellie May is pretty enough to be "Miss Universe" which had the Clampetts thinking since he was Mr. Universe, that he wanted to marry Elly May, not understanding that "Universe" was not his last name.
He appeared in the 1967 movie Don't Make Waves, co-starring opposite Sharon Tate.
He appeared in The Monkees playing Bulk, in the October 16, 1967 episode "I Was a 99-lb. Weakling". He later appeared in Here Come the Brides in the December 19, 1969 episode, "Lorenzo Bush".
After a reported battle with alcoholism in the late 1970s and, with rehabilitation, gaining sobriety in 1983, Draper resumed his bodybuilding career to guest-pose at bodybuilding competitions and appear at exhibitions.[5]
Draper's nickname "The Blond Bomber" was bestowed on him by Joe Weider when Weider was pushing "muscle bombing" (intense weight-training) in his muscle magazines in the 1960s. Draper hated it at first but eventually embraced it.[6]
Draper continued to train with weights into his 70s, and to write, including a free weekly newsletter, emailed and published on his website until 2021. He died of congestive heart failure[7] on November 30, 2021, at the age of 79.[8] [9]