60 Year History of the NABBA Universe: Part 4

Reminiscences by Ivan Dunbar – as he said… “A Tremendous Time”.  (NOTE: This DVD set is the updated version of the 50 Year Universe History video. Updated by Ivan shortly before his death in 2009.)

The video is loaded with historic VIDEO CLIPS of the action that is being talked about at the time.

Highlights from 2009 NABBA U (22 minutes)
End credits

EXTRAS:

Malcolm Whyatt discusses Ivan
Sammy Ioanidis discusses his NABBA history
Graeme Lancefield discusses his NABBA history
1993 OHF Awards night – Ivan’s speech
2001 OHF award to Ivan
50 Year celebration dinner – Ivan’s speech
Robert Kennedy talks NABBA Universe
David Webster OBE discusses NABBA History in interview

NABBA is the first and original international bodybuilding association. Commencing in 1950, NABBA’s first Mr Universe contest was won by Steve Reeves who defeated Reg Park.
Some of the other great legends of the sport besides Reeves who won the Mr Universe title include Reg Park, Bill Pearl and Arnold Schwarzenegger (four-times winner).

The 1948 Universe was sponsored by Health & Strength magazine and it was staged by its Health Strength League. It was won by John Grimek who defeated Steve Reeves.

Ivan Dunbar

This fantastic trip down memory lane is narrated by IVAN DUNBAR who is the only person to have attended every single Universe contest from 1948 to 2008. Ivan was World President of NABBA International till he sadly passed away 10th August, 2009.

Ivan talks of the highlights over the years, with interesting and amusing stories about many of the famous names.

Names such as John Grimek, Clarence Ross, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Chet Yorton, Dave Draper, Charles Clairmonte (four-times winner pictured lower right), Bill Pearl, Frank Zane, John Citrone, John Terilli, Lance Dreher, Ed Kawak, Eddy Ellwood and many more.

Ivan Dunbar is pictured large image front cover above with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Dave Draper at the 1970 NABBA Pro Universe.

There have been so many great champions it was difficult selecting the cover images. However all champions are included in the PHOTO GALLERY.

*SPECIAL NOTE RE UNAVAILABILITY OF EARLY UNIVERSE FOOTAGE.

As it was not permitted by Oscar Heidenstam to shoot film of the contest in the early years prior to 1970, no Universe film record exists of great champions such as Grimek, Reeves, Mickey Hargitay, Earl Maynard, Enrico Thomas, Bruce Randall, Ray Routledge, Joe Abbenda, Bruce Randall and many more.

In 1970 Wayne broke the mould so to speak and convinced Oscar that it was a good idea to shoot the contest highlights on film for the sake of posterity, and for recording the NABBA Universe history for future generations. He has done this recording on film and video ever since.

In this DVD set, we have used some old film clips of champions such as Grimek, Reeves, Park and others from various contests in USA to show how these stars looked at the time they won the Universe. We are fortunate to even have some footage of Arnold shot from the NABBA Universe audience in the 60s!
Where possible or where photos were available to us, we have tried to show images of as many of the Universe champions as possible.

The first UK run Mr Universe contest was held on Friday, August 13th, 1948 at the Scala Theatre.  The first NABBA Universe was held at the Scala Theatre in London at 7PM on June 24th, 1950.

This DVD set is dedicated to the memory of Ivan Dunbar.  Without his oral history, help and support, this DVD set probably would not have existed.

The NABBA Council is also thanked (see list below) for keeping the tradition going and making  the NABBA Universe the longest running and most famous amateur and professional contest in the world.
SPECIAL NOTE: Our first video was originally released as “History of the NABBA Universe: 1948 to the Present – The first 50 years”. Reminiscences by Ivan Dunbar, NABBA Chairman as at the time of release of this video and approved by the NABBA Council.

It still includes the 1948 Universe reference of course and this initial version has been retitled to become Disc #1 in the 2 DVD set covering all years from 1948 to 2009 inclusive, see content details below.

The initial  interviews with Ivan were recorded in Birmingham on the 2nd and 3rd of October 1997 on the eve of the 1997 Universe. They cover the Universe contest from 1948 to 1996 inclusive.
We updated the interviews with Ivan at the October 2008 Universe in Southport, taking up from the 1997 Universe onwards. The special tribute to Ivan Dunbar by Nigel Gordon-Rae at the 2009 NABBA Universe is included in Disc #2, followed by posing clips of all of the 2008 and 2009 Universe winners.

There is also a special tribute to Reg Park by Arnold Schwarzenegger. Reg was Arnold’s inspiration in his bodybuilding career. (See photo left.)

2 DVD NABBA UNIVERSE SET CONTENTS:

Disc #1: The First 50 Years  161 mins.  INCLUDES THE PHOTO GALLERY.
Disc #2: The 10 years to 2009  139 mins
Extra Scenes Disc #2:  66 mins

EXTRA SCENES (in no particular order)
Photo Gallery
50th Universe Anniversary Dinner intro, 1998
Tribute by Malcolm Whyatt
OHF Award to Ivan Dunbar in 2001
Interviews with Graeme Lancefield and Sammy Ioannidis, 2008
Ivan at the Reg Park OHF Award 1993
David Webster interview
Universe tribute by Bob Kennedy

John Citrone pictured left with Arnold at the 1966 NABBA Universe.

Photos courtesy Ivan Dunbar, Malcolm Whyatt, Lorraine McCune, George Greenwood, H&S, Alex Mac, Wayne Gallasch, Gene Mozee.

My sincere thanks to all of the members of  the NABBA Council over the last 40 years who have afforded me the honour and privilege to capture on film and now video the Universe contest, every year since 1970.  Wayne Gallasch, GMV Productions.   See http://www.nabba.co.uk/ for all your NABBA UK contest information.
This DVD is also a tribute to the many NABBA Council members who have organised and worked so hard over the last 60 years to help produce this fantastic contest every year.

*****************************************************************

NABBA UK Council Members as at May 2010

Bryan Robinson  Chairman
Tony Sullivan Judges Chairman
Paul Jeffreys Vice-Chairman, North East Rep
Mike Richards Treasurer, Wales Rep
Val Charles  Secretary
Jim Charles  Midlands Area Rep NABBA Universe Show Manager
Michael Sullivan North West Area Rep
Eddy Ellwood  North Area Rep
Daniel Breen  South East Area Rep
Tony Turner  West Area Rep
Ian Lawrence Scotland Area Rep
Dave Warner N. Ireland Rep

*****************************************************************
Customer Testimonial

Hi Wayne,

I wanted to thank you for your efforts, your passion and perseverance, energy and determination in recording the NABBA Universe for 40 years and then for sharing  this history with all of us to enjoy on DVD.
You have been a living witness to some of the greatest bodybuilders in history from Grimek, Pearl, Park and Reeves to Arnold, Zane and Chet Yorton to the modern era with guys such as Charles Clairmonte, Eddy Ellwood, John Citrone etc up to Martin Kasal in 2009. You are the man who is our link to the past in recording and storing history for future generations.
Please keep up the good work at the UK Universe for many more years.

Paul Moor,
Texas, USA