There is a detail in which fellow bodybuilder Lou Ferrigno won the game.
Before action movie star Arnold Schwarzenegger became “The Terminator,” fought a “Predator” and told “True Lies” under the auspices of director James Cameron, he starred as himself in the 1977 documentary “Pumping Iron.” . In his quest to be a full-time actor, Schwarzenegger brought his burly, muscular frame to the studio to audition for roles as the lead character in the superhero series “The Incredible Hulk.”but the role ultimately went to fellow bodybuilder Lou Ferrigno.
In 1977, “The Incredible Hulk” was a television movie starring Bill Bixby as Dr. David Banner, a scientist who, after purposely exposing himself to gamma radiation, transforms into a huge green monster (Ferrigno and his muscles) when experiencing extreme stress and anger. After the TV movies, the series produced 80 episodes over five seasons from 1978 to 1982 on CBS, and made Ferrigno a cultural icon. The actor reprized the role in three more “The Incredible Hulk” sequels on NBC in 1988, 1989 and 1990, and voiced the character in the UPN animated series “The Incredible Hulk” from 1996 to 1998. He even made a cameo appearance in the MCU, playing a security guard (and voicing the Hulk, once again) in the 2008 version of “The Incredible Hulk.”
Schwarzenegger – who made his first steps as an actor in films like 1970’s “Hercules in New York” – had to wait a little longer for his screen career to materialize. However, things started to pick up steam. in 1982, when Schwarzenegger played the main character of “Conan the Barbarian”. And while the television series “The Incredible Hulk” came to an end that same year, it’s interesting to think how much the role would have changed Schwarzenegger’s career path had he been cast instead of Ferrigno.
According to the book “American Comic Book Chronicles”, Schwarzenegger was thought to star as Bixby’s monstrous alter ego in the television series “The Incredible Hulk”, but At 6’3″, writer-producer Kenneth Johnson felt the actor was too short for the role. James Bond actor Richard Kiel, who was over 6 feet tall, was offered the role instead, but eventually the producers replaced him with the 6-foot-3 Ferrigno because Kiel didn’t have the muscle for the role. However, as the YouTube mini-documentary “The History of The Incredible Hulk” shows, Kiel appeared in 18 frames of the pilot episode of “The Incredible Hulk” in an aerial shot of the character.
The irony of Ferrigno besting Schwarzenegger for the role, as “The Hulk Story” points out, was that Ferrigno placed second to his rival in the 1974 Mr. Olympia contest (via Old School Labs). But while the two bodybuilders were competitors, Ferrigno looked at Schwarzenegger with admiration. In a 2016 post on his official Facebook page, Ferrigno posted photos of himself and Schwarzenegger at the 1974 Mr. Olympia contest – which was also documented in “Pumping Iron” – and wrote, “I looked up to Arnold and was so excited for him.” being on stage with him. In a year I went from being Mr. America to competing in Mr. Olympia. I knew I wasn’t in my best shape, but this competition really raised the bar for my career.”
Source: Fotogramas
Camila Luna is a writer at Gossipify, where she covers the latest movies and television series. With a passion for all things entertainment, Camila brings her unique perspective to her writing and offers readers an inside look at the industry. Camila is a graduate from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with a degree in English and is also a avid movie watcher.
