This 1940s home movie shows the Original Muscle Beach in Santa Monica in the mid-to-late 1940s. In the mid-1930s, the Works Progress Administration (WPA) installed exercise equipment south of the Santa Monica Pier. The area soon attracted bodybuilders and hosted gymnastic and acrobatic exhibitions. A platform on the beach was also located nearby, with weight lifting equipment. Hollywood soon got into the act, promoting what had been simply a Santa Monica park as “Muscle Beach”. Some of the personalities who worked out at Muscle Beach included the Vic Tanny, Jack LaLanne, and Joe Gold. The Original Muscle Beach closed in 1958, as a result of a scandal involving weightlifters and some underage girls.
XD60444 THE ORIGINAL MUSCLE BEACH SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA ACROBATIC EXHIBITION PHYSICAL FITNESS
About Us
Thanks for your interest in the Periscope Film stock footage library. We maintain one of the largest collections of historic military, aviation and transportation in the USA. We provide free research and can provide viewing copies if you can let us know some of the specific types of material you are looking for. Almost all of our materials are available in high quality 24p HD ProRes and 2k/4k resolution.
Our material has been licensed for use by:
