Joe Weider

Made millions from a fitness empire and mentored a young Austrian bodybuilder who went on to become a major movie star and governor of California. Weider was born Nov. 20, 1920, in Montreal. He first dreamed of power as a young teenager living in a gang-infested ghetto there. When he was 13, he crafted crude dumbbells and then worked out until he was able to stand down bullies who beat him up. He created the Mr. Olympia event in 1965. Two years later, Weider discovered Schwarzenegger at a body-building contest in Europe. He soon invited Schwarzenegger to move to California and funded the young bodybuilder's first apartment in Santa Monica, giving him enough money to make ends meet. Weider also orchestrated Schwarzenegger's first acting role in a TV movie. While he had staunch supporters, Weider's critics complained about his outsized ego and bruising business style. Weider at times called himself the Jesus Christ, the Mahatma Gandhi and the Karl Marx of his field. He is survived by his wife, Betty Weider.