1977 AAU Mr America and 1977 AAU Mr USA

Classic USA Contests

’77 AAU Mr. America – See the full posing routines of the top 9 men, just as the judges saw them. You’ll see: Don Peterson, Tom Platz, Ron Teufel, Dave Johns, Doug Beaver, C.F. Smith, Clint Beyerle, Pete Grymkowski and Manuel Perry. Includes some compulsories from the Prejudging.

Massive 44 image Photo Gallery

There are fantastic posedowns of all the top men from each class, and intense “side-by-side” muscle battles. DAVE JOHNS won the title and later went on to win the NABBA Amateur Mr Universe crown in 1978.
MAE WEST presented the trophy to Dave Johns in what was we believe her final public appearance. What a shame we were not able to record her priceless comments to Dave and the other place-getters.  This segment runs for 40 mins. (Dave Johns, right hand photo above, by Joe Valdez in 1977)

See sidebar for V-157-DVD which is the longer and quite different, 60 mins version of this contest. It includes the same footage as above plus an extra 20 mins of other competitors such as the young Lance Dreher, Dave Rogers and Andreas Cahling, plus Dave Johns and more. It is the Platinum Edition!

 TOM PLATZ PHOTO GALLERY.

RON TEUFEL PHOTO GALLERY

’77 AAU Mr. U.S.A. – You’ll see these stars of the 70’s: Rod Koontz (pictured above left), Billy Arlen, Richard Baldwin, Joe Means, Floyd Odom, and C.F. Smith.

C.F. SMITH CONTROVERSY

This was an intense battle, with Smith being disqualified by the judges for continual posing during the “stand relaxed” instruction from the judges. C. F. Smith did not do much wrong by today’s standards. He was hitting various quick poses when he was supposed to be standing relaxed. It may have been during the quarter turns of the prejudging but most likely it was during the final lot of comparisons as it happened after he had posed. It continued on, even after he was asked by by the head judge to stop flexing.  Arnold got away with exactly the same thing at the 1980 Mr Olympia in Sydney!

After a short time, the head judge’s patience ran out over this extra flexing. He stopped the prejudging and banished Smith from the stage. He was officially now out of the competition!

It was a most controversial decision as SMITH was exceedingly popular with the huge crowd who felt some what cheated by his harsh exclusion. ROD KOONTZ won the overall title which possibly may have gone to Smith if it had not been for this incident! Draw your own conclusions from the RESULTS below. What amazes me is that Smith was listed as the class winner (disqualified) in the official results that I have. Normally his placing would be excluded and not revealed if this happened today. Maybe it was to make a point. C.F. Smith was a Medical Doctor, see cover photo below courtesy MD.

This amazing USA contest segment runs approx 15 mins. Too bad I was not able to record the original sound track and words from the head judge!

Only known film records

These 2 Classic Contests were filmed by Wayne Gallasch on silent Super 8 film, transferred to video with background music added. They are the only known film records of these 2 wonderful events. See Results and Photos below.  We regret that it was not possible to film every single competitor in every class. In general only the top guys have been recorded.

1977 AAU Mr America –  Results:

Overall Winner Dave Johns 

Tall Class
1   Manuel Perry
2   Clint Beyerle (Photo Gallery)
3   Pete Grymkowski
4   Dave Rogers
5   Dave Dupree
6   Saladin Ibn El Amin
7   Floyd Odom
8   Dennis Holmes
9   Louie Perotta

Medium Class
1   Dave Johns
2   C. F. Smith
3   Douglas Beaver (Photo Gallery)
4   Lawrence Gordon
5   Patrick Ruelle
6   Charles Amato
7   Dominick Coroniti
8   Robert Reis
9   Lance Dreher (Photo Gallery)
10  Nathan LeBlanc
11   Vic Seipke
12   Alan Katoa
13   Alex McNeil
14   William Chapoton
15   Tom James
16   Benny Crawford
17   Sam Sanchez
18   James Pittman

Short Class
1   Ron Teufel  (Photo Gallery)
2   Tom Platz  (Photo Gallery)
3   Don Peterson
4   Andreas Cahling
5   Ron Neff
6   Robert Jodkiewicz
7   Bill Register
8   Bob May
9   Larry Gordon
10   Dominick DiBetta
11   Donald Dawson

Most Muscular Man Award
1   Dave Johns
2   Ron Teufel  (Photo Gallery)
3   Clint Beyerle  (Photo Gallery)

 1977 AAU Mr USA – Results:

Overall Winner Rod Koontz 

Tall Class
1   Rod Koontz
2   Floyd Odom
3   Ron McBeath

Medium Class
1   C. F. Smith (Disqualified)
2   Billy Arlen  (Photo Gallery)
3   Richard Baldwin (Photo Gallery)

Short Class
1   Anthony Pandolfo (Photo Gallery)
2   Mike Arnold
3   Robbie Gore

Wayne subsequently shot videos with many of the stars from these 2 events and they included :
MANUEL PERRY
CLINT BEYERLE
PETE GRYMKOWSKI
RICHARD BALDWIN
DOUG BEAVER
LARRY GORDON
LANCE DREHER
RON TEUFEL
TOM PLATZ
BILLY ARLEN
TONY PANDOLFO