Descriptive Summary
Abbye (Pudgy) Stockton Collection
1922-2006
7 Boxes, 407 Folders, 1 Oversized Magazine Box, 1 Flat File, 11
Artifacts: 2476 Items
Stockton, Abbye (Pudgy) Eville, 1922-2006
Abbye “Pudgy" Stockton played a central role in popularizing
physical culture and exercise for women in the central decades of the Twentieth Century. She was born Abbye Eville
on August 11, 1917 and lived primarily in Santa Monica, CA during her long life. In the late 1930s she began working
out with friends at Muscle Beach and quickly became famous for her rare combination of beauty, strength and muscularity.
Her husband, Les Stockton, who served in WW II, was also a member of the Muscle Beach community and later a gym owner.
Pudgy Stockton is also remembered as the author of “Barbelles" a monthly column about weight training and women that
appeared in Strength and Health magazine from 1944-1954.
H.J. Lutcher Stark Center for Physical Culture and Sports, The University of Texas at Austin
Biographical Note
Abbye “Pudgy" Eville Stockton (1917-2006) and Les Stockton (1916-2004)
Abbye “Pudgy" Stockton played a central role in popularizing physical culture and exercise for women.
She was born Abbye Eville on August 11, 1917 and grew up in Santa Monica, CA. Upon her graduation from Santa
Monica High School in 1935, Pudgy became a telephone operator for the local phone company, spending many hours
each day sitting down. As a result, she began to gain a little more weight than she wanted. Her boyfriend and
later her husband, Les Stockton, born October 29, 1916, performed as a gymnast on the UCLA Team and suggested
that she start lifting weights, unheard of for women in the 1930s. After some initial reluctance, Abbye agreed
and began using Les’ York Barbell Co. weights. Soon she transformed herself into an athletic dynamo and joined
Les at the Original Muscle Beach in Santa Monica. There she participated in acrobatics, weightlifting and adagio
(the throwing and catching of acrobats). Pudgy became one of the first women to ever lift weights to achieve
fitness in the United States. She and Les married on July 14, 1941.
Pudgy quickly became a sensation and graced the covers of many magazines, including Bob Hoffman’s (United States
weightlifting coach and founder of York Barbell Co.)
Strength and Health
. In 1944, Pudgy began writing a column entitled Barbelles in
Strength and Health dedicated solely to weight training for
women, an idea never before tried. In addition, Les became a sales representative for York Barbell Co. on the
West Coast. Pudgy helped to organize the first ever weightlifting meet for women in the United States, held on
February 28, 1947. Another fitness magazine of the time, Physical Culture
, founded by Bernarr Macfadden, ran a Miss Physical Culture
Venus contest which Pudgy won in 1948. Also in 1948, Pudgy and Les became proprietors of the Salon of
Figure Development, a women’s gym inside Walt Marcyan’s Marcy House of Health. In 1950, the Stocktons opened
side by side men’s and women’s gyms on Pico Blvd. in Los Angeles, expanding to another men’s gym with partner
(Mr. America and
Mr. World 1950) John Farbotnik in Pasadena, CA, in 1952. Pudgy left the gym business from 1953 to
1960 to be with her and Les’ daughter, Laura Jeanne Stockton, born in May, 1953. From 1960 until 1983,
Pudgy worked at Bruce Conner’s (fellow lifter and Muscle Beach acrobat) and later Al Hinds’ gym, retiring
at the age of 66.
In the 1960s, Pudgy and Les began hiking in the hills surrounding Santa Monica and
collecting butterflies, amassing one of the largest collections in the world. Pudgy received the Spirit of
Muscle Beach Award on September 6, 1996 from Muscle Beach, Venice, CA. Les received a Muscle Beach Venice
Award as well for sharing Pudgy with the world and being known as “Mr. Pudge." She and Les were also members
of the (Original) Muscle Beach Alumni Association effort to get rings and other equipment reinstalled on the
site in 1999. Les passed away on April 19, 2004, followed by Pudgy on June 26, 2006. Their Papers are a treasure
trove of exciting people, places, times and events.
Scope and Content
7 Boxes, 407 Folders, 1 Oversized Magazine Box, 1 Flat File,
Scope and Content 11 Artifacts: 2476 Items (1922-2006).
The Abbye “Pudgy" and Les Stockton Papers contain 636 magazines, newspapers, and newsletters (1922-2006) [314 of
them are
Strength and Health’s from 1933-1966], 90 loose photographs
(1946-1952) [2 with dedications from 1947-1948], 50 loose clippings (1939-1950), 29 programs (1944-1989), 17 pieces of
ephemera (1952-1991), nine books (1931-1951), eight strength and sports pamphlets (1922-1948), two military pamphlets
(1935-1943), and an undated equipment publication.
The correspondence encompasses within it a “meatball file" (also smaller “ego" and “screwball" files) for letters
that Pudgy felt were strange (at times she responded with a form letter, while sometimes she did not dignify them with
a response). The significant correspondence embraced in the Papers is as follows: 128 items with miscellaneous people
(1941-1960), 87 with “meatball" corresponders (1947-1951), 79 between Pudgy Stockton and potential
Barbelles subjects (1944-1955), 41 with “egotistical," “nuts,"
or “screwball" writers (1948-1952), 41 between Pudgy and Jim Murray (an editor at
Strength and Health), 30 with Ray Van Cleef (at
Strength and Health, gym owner) (1939-1963), 26 between the Stocktons
and John Grimek (1947-1967), 25 pieces of correspondence between Pudgy and Siegmund Klein regarding his
Stars of Strength show, in which Pudgy and Les appeared in November,
1947, 20 with Mr. America 1947 Steve Reeves (1947), and seven between
the Stocktons and Mr. America 1948 George Eiferman (1952). Much of the
material is stamped with received and answered dates.
The Papers also comprise 102 subject folders (including 137 pieces of correspondence from the 1980s-2000s) started
by Pudgy and Les Stockton during a filing project, eleven publicity clipping binders (1934-1999), 14 photo binders
(1937-1999): including a binder about the Salon of Figure Development and the Stockton Studios (1948-1955) run by
Pudgy and Les, another detailing Pudgy and Les’ April, 1949 Hawaii trip (on which they were accompanied by Reeves
and Eiferman); a Santa Monica Muscle Beach Acrobatics and Handbalancing photo binder, a publicity binder for
Five Years of Awards and Recognition (1993, 1996-1999), and a binder containing the original photo albums (1946-1947)
that Pudgy referred to in her form letters and sent to fans.
A binder of Pudgy Stockton’s
Barbelles columns in
Strength and Health from 1944-1949 is also herein
(she wrote columns from 1944-1954). Many of the photos portray amazing acrobatic feats on the
“Original Muscle Beach" in Santa Monica. Moreover, there exist 11 Publicity Binders full of Pudgy and
Les Stockton articles from magazines and newspapers. Each binder comprises an index to guide researchers
through its contents. Within the Papers reside 51 oversized photographs and five oversized magazines,
placed in an oversized magazine and photo box; and 25 posters and signs (1945-1952), stored in a flat file.
Furthermore, the Papers include two trophies (including The Spirit of Muscle Beach Venice, CA in 1996),
two wooden bowls stating “Aloha" (one to Pudgy, one to Les (broken) from their Hawaii trip), three plaques,
a glass plate, framed photos of Pudgy and Les and a smaller-than-normal 5 foot Olympic barbell used by her
for training and exhibitions.
Access
Access to the Stockton Papers is restricted to visitors of the H.J. Lutcher Stark Center for Physical
Culture and Sports and must be requested in writing prior to arrival at the Center. The research request/proposal
should explain the proposed project, the expected outcome, and institutional affiliation, if any. Requests should
be sent to: Dr. Jan Todd at j.todd@austin.utexas.edu. For additional
information, please phone 512-471-0993. No digital copies of the papers are available.
Restrictions on Use
The Stockton family retains the right to limit the use of the Stockton Papers under certain conditions.
No copies of any materials in the collection may be made without permission.
Copyright
The user is cautioned that the publication of any of the contents of this collection may be construed
as constituting a violation of literary property rights. These rights derive from the principle of common
law, affirmed in the 1976 copyright act, that the writer of an unpublished letter or other manuscript has
the sole right to publish the contents thereof for the duration of the copyright. Unless he or she affirmatively
parts with that right; the right descends to his or her legal heirs regardless of the ownership of the physical
manuscript itself. It is the responsibility of an author or his publisher to secure permission of the owner of
literary property rights in unpublished writing.
This material may by protected by copyright law
(Title 17, U.S. Code).
Right to Privacy: Sensitive Materials Statement
Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information
that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations. Researchers are advised that the
disclosure of certain information pertaining to identifiable living individuals represented in this collection without
the consent of those individuals may have legal ramifications (e.g., a cause of action under common law for invasion
of privacy may arise if facts concerning an individual's private life are published that would be deemed highly
offensive to a reasonable person) for which the H.J. Lutcher Stark Center and the University of Texas at Austin
assumes no responsibility.
Processed by:
Geoff Schmalz, 2009-2010
To contact Geoff about the content of the collection, please write him at
geoffschmalz@mail.utexas.edu
or call 512-471-4890.
Text converted and EAD tagging provided by:
Brent Sipes, 2011
To contact Brent, please write him at
brent@starkcenter.org
or call 512-471-4890.
Preferred Citation
The Abbye (Pudgy) and Les Stockton Papers, H.J. Lutcher Stark Center for Physical Culture and Sports,
The University of Texas at Austin. [There is no space between H.andJ.]
Subject Index
Key Names:
Abramson, Dave: page 130
Adelman, Joe: page 69
Adler, B. Carl: page 88
Allen, Floyd: page 80
Allen, Mrs. W.L.: page 89
Allred, Ronald: page 69
Andrews, Richard: page 80
Ansorge, Harold: pages 61-62; 99
Ansorge, Jean: pages 48; 61-62
Atkin, Henry J.: page 101
Atlas, Charles: page 61
The Atlas Trio: pages 48; 53; 60
Aumann, Larry: pages 130-131; 190
Bachelor, Mac: page 198
Bacon, Jules: pages 160; 197
Barrs, John: pages 70; 102
Barry, Edward J.: page 89
Bell, Margaret: page 163
Berger, Venus De Milo: pages 62-63
Bisciglia, Gene: page 89
Black, Anne: pages 187-190
Black, Jane: pages 127-128
Blanc, Jean: pages 90-91
Boelsems, Hal: page 129
Boelsems, Paula (Unger): pages 129; 161; 177
Boff, Ann: page 125
Boff, Vic: pages 124-125; 155; 183
Bonofiglio, Vincent: page 131
Bramlett, “Chow": page 80
Brashing, Ange: page 106
Brassell, Joyce: page 53
Briggs, David K.: page 123
Brooks, Ted: page 90
Brown, Ray: page 90
Bryan, Louis C.: pages 62; 90; 131
Buck, Josh: page 132
Buckley, E.S.: pages 80-81
Carter, Joe: page 81
Chadwick, Walter L.: page 81
Chambers, Claire: page 164
Chansky, Irving: page 91
Chapman, David: pages 132; 154
Chief Gum Shoe: page 81
Chowder, Ken: pages 33; 154; 161; 185
Christensen, Vera: page 68
Clemens, Joan: page 81
Coates, George: page 133
Coates, Tuesday: page 133
Cohen, Arthur: pages 116-117
Collins, Shirley June: page 82
The Condons: page 49
Conner, Bruce: pages 14; 73; 76; 105; 111; 180; 182
Coon, Corky: page 56
Courtois, Mrs. Phil: page 53
Dardennes, Mady: page 53
Davis, David: pages 133; 157; 177
Dayton, Laura: page 133
De Gennaro, Val: page 197
Delapoza, Bobbie: pages 53-54; 56
Dell, Marie: page 63
Dellinger, Jack: page 198
DePietro, Joe: page 196
Dersch, Dolores: pages 166-167
DeSoto, Joann: page 198
Di Medio, Carl M.: page 91
Dix, Michael: pages 69; 82
Dodson, Clayton D.: page 91
Doersam, Irene: page 82
Donatt, Doris: pages 63; 90-91
Dunlap, Sam: page 197
Dunning, Arthur: page 91
Duval, Henry L.: pages 177; 179
Eckert, Charles: page 69
Edmundson, James “Duke": pages 150; 185
Ednie, J.R.: page 92
Edwards, Corrine: page 82
Eiferman, George: pages 15; 73; 134; 141; 151; 184; 198-199
Eliason, Alton: page 69
Enerio, Darrow O.: page 82
Erdman, Charles: page 134
Erhard, Hosea: page 82
Essmaker, Roland: page 197
Evans, Arthur: page 163
Evans, Mrs. Ruth A.: page 92
Farbotnik, John: pages 14; 44; 197
Fay, Mrs. John M.: page 82
Fay, Norman: page 73
Ferris, Carol: page 64
Flanagan, Ruth C.: pages 54; 64; 82-83
Forbes, Mary: page 134
Ford, Linda: pages 144-146
Ford, Steve: pages 144-148; 162; 169-175
Foster, Dolores: page 170
Franklin, Melanie: page 149
Franklin-Moran, Barbara: page 172
Fritshe, John: page 110
Frueh, Joanna: pages 148-149; 160
Fuller, Bud: pages 92-93
Ganzen, Lynwood: page 198
Gauthier, Robert C.: page 162
Gill, Harriet: page 73
Glazner, Elizabeth: page 186
Gold, Joe: pages 142; 183
Gomez, Griffin L.: page 69
Goodrich, Bert: pages 44; 125; 197
Gorden, Adaline: page 93
Gotta, Jane: pages 134-135
Grahame, Gloria: pages 93; 115
Gray, Kenneth: page 93
Greenwood, George: page 101
Gressett, John D.: page 93
Grimek, John: pages 16; 30; 74-76; 121; 125; 135; 137; 155; 160; 180; 198-199
Grosscup, Clyde: page 163
Grosscup, Lee: page 164
Gurley, Ann: page 105
Gutman, Walter K.: page 83
Hadley, Nancy: page 48
Halsey, Jesse L.: pages 93-94
Harb, George H.: pages 83; 94
Hargitay, Mickey: page 141
Harlan, Bruce: page 198
Harmon, Josephine: page 83
Hart, Sylvia: page 56
Hawkins, Avon L.: page 94
Hawkins, Grace: page 94
Hearn, Bonnie: pages 186- 189
Heggan, Lloyd: page 94
Herr, Unknown first name: pages 69-70
Hickey, Matthew: page 165
Hilligenn, Roy S.: pages 64-65; 198
Hoesly, Marie: pages 54; 65
Hoesly, Mark: page 54
Hoffman, Bob: pages 13; 30; 34-41; 55; 83
Hofmeister, Fred: page 110
Holderman, Mrs. Bert: page 94
Horowitz, Albert: page 83
Howard, Bill: pages 150-151
Howser, Huell: pages 130; 173
Howsly, Steven: page 84
Hubbard, Carson C.: pages 94-95
Huffman, R.: page 84
Hynde, Wilma: pages 49-50
Italiano, Joseph; page 84
Janoch, Ann: page 104
Jantzen, Gene: page 197
“Joes" of Service Battery 77th Field (Division): page 95
Johnson, Joseph R.: page 116
Jones, Robert L. (Bob): pages 45; 76
Jowett, George F.: pages 21; 46; 61
Jubinville, E.: pages 110; 197
Kane, Joan E.: pages 161-162
Keen, Patricia E.: page 73
Keirn, Karris: page 184
Keppler, Mr. and Mrs. Ted: page 50
Kerwath, Mary D.: page 95
Khoen, Ho Peng: pages 65-66; 96
Klein, Siegmund: pages 15; 43; 58-59; 76-79; 110; 120; 177; 193
Knox Trio, The: page 198
Kobel, Bernard L.: page 79
Koen, Sannie: pages 54-55; 63-64
Koizumi, Henry: page 95
Kolk, Lucille: pages 49; 55
Kono, Tommy: page 198
La Forest, Rudolph: page 111
LaLanne, Jack: page 189
Leahy, Jane: page 164
Leight, Frank: page 197
Leventhal, Elaine: pages 151-152
Leventhal, Ken: pages 151-152
Liberatore, Frank V.: page 84
Llewellyn, Duke: page 135
Long, Verna: page 152
Loprinzi, Sam: page 198
MacDonald, George J.: page 84
Macfadden, Bernarr: pages 14; 26; 31-32; 105
Malcolm, Dorothy: pages 114-115
Mansam, Mrs. George: page 84
Marcyan, Roberta: page 198
Marcyan, Walter: pages 14; 68; 109; 197
Martinez, Gloria: page 95
Marz, Joe: page 70
Matlin, David: pages 123-124
Mattioni, Gloria: page 142
Matzer, Marla: pages 162; 164-165
McCune, Bob: page 194
McPhie, Freddie: page 193
McRae, Relna Brewer: pages 62; 64; 89; 134-135; 157; 161; 168-169; 178
Mehling, Bud: page 84
Mezzanotte, Lou: pages 135-136
Mikall, Mike: pages 84-85
Miller, Cynthia: page 66
Miller, Rosemarie: page 50
Mocko, Andy: page 136
Morley, John: page 197
Morris, Roland: page 85
Morosky, Tim: page 85
Moss, Charles: page 143
Mow, Leaw Shih: page 85
Munerol, Ms. (Betty): pages 55-56
Murray, Jim: pages 15; 102-105
Naylor, Roy E.: page 152
Neece, Steve: page 152
Nelson, Ms.: page 50
Newman, George: pages 95-96
Ng, Gay W.: page 136
Nicholson, Robert: page 85
Nicolosi, John: page 137
Page, Floyd: page 198
Pallady, L.J. (Johnnie): page 96
Paris, Virg: page 85
Perkins, Rick: page 137
Peters, John J.: page 105
Pettinger, Josephine: page 49
Phelan, Charles J.: page 96
Phillips, JW: pages 85-86
Pineda, Alba Lopez: page 106
Porter, Grover L.: pages 137-138
Pressman, George: pages 106-107
Price, Charles: page 86
Proto, L.: page 197
Pulliam, Jr., J.B.: page 86
Rader, Mabel: page 138
Rader, Peary: pages 26-28; 138; 181
Raughty, Hank: page 96
Redpath, George: pages 138-139; 168
Reeves, Steve: pages 15; 34; 44; 68; 77; 107-108; 110-112; 137; 159-160; 176; 180; 196-198
Reynolds, Fred G.: page 86
Richardson, J. Lee: pages 101-102
Roark, Joe: pages 32-33; 108; 110-114; 117
Robinson, Marion: page 86
Roeder, Earl: page 139
Roeder, Edith: pages 139; 195-196; 198
Rogers, Jack: page 86
Rosenthal, Charles: page 68
Ross, Clarence (Clancy): pages 44; 97; 107-109; 162; 196-197
Rothschild, Andy: pages 149-150
Rowley, Richard: page 152
Rowley, Ruth (Gesch): pages 139; 152
Ruscoe, William K.: page 96
Russell, Jack: page 105
Saderhoff, Sandy: pages 115; 195-196
Sanders, Jim: page 162
Sanders, L.: page 101
Sang, Lim Su: pages 73-74
Scavino, P.: page 197
Schubert, Cynthia: pages 139-140
Schwarzenegger, Arnold: page 171
Schwenke, Vernon: pages 108; 111
Senapali, Dr. J.M.: page 96
Shearer, Fred S.: pages 86-87
Shearer, Marlene “Kit": pages 55-56
Silverethanne, Billy: page 97
Simonson, Margaret A.: page 87
Sinderoff, Everett: page 198
Smalley, James: page 97
Smith, Evalynne: pages 90; 178
Smith, Gloria: pages 195-196; 199
Smith, June: page 163
Smith, Margaret (Marge): pages 55; 66-67
Smith, Roy L.: pages 111-112
Spack, Stan: page 197
Spearman, Don: page 97
Stagg, Alyce: page 107
Stanko, Steve: page 197
Stanley, Jack: pages 47; 113
Stanzcyk, Stan: page 197
Stephan, Alan: pages 113-114; 197
Stern, Bettye: page 144
Stern, Leo: pages 43; 97; 117; 139; 142-143; 197
Stewart, Miss Bobby: page 87
Stockton, Abbye (Pudgy) Eville
Stockton, Laura: pages 76; 100; 104; 112; 115; 118; 131; 157; 167; 179-183
Stockton, Les
Strand, Mel: pages 50-51
Strittmatter, Shirley (Klinzing): page 56
Sullivan, Mary: page 163
Sundby, Glenn; pages 26; 111; 165-174; 180
Sundby, Wayne: page 111
Swain, Rebecca: page 87
Talmadge, Gerald: page 87
Tanny, Armand: page 198
Tanny, Vic: pages 43; 74; 112
Taylor, Charles: page 87
Taylor, Jim: page 87
Teeples, Sid: pages 87-88
Terlazzo, John: page 114
Terlazzo, Tony: pages 47; 141
Terlazzo, Vivian: pages 141; 163
Terpak, Johnny: page 115
Terry, Jacqueline: page 51
Thomas, Al: pages 50; 52; 57; 85; 115; 117
Thompson, Frank J.: page 49
Titus, E.F.: page 99
Todd, Jan: pages 135; 141; 148; 153-159; 176
Todd, Terry: pages 153-159; 181
Tomeo, Betty: pages 152-153
Tomeo, Harold: pages 152-153
Treloar, Al: pages 99; 112
Trusdell, Dick: pages 64-65; 70; 100; 107-108; 113
Turner, George W.: page 99
Udemans, Miss Gwennie: page 51
Unknown last name, Billy: pages 69; 80
Unknown last name, Carmen: page 132
Unknown last name, Clela and Carson: page 91
Unknown last name, Fay and Eric: pages 133-134
Unknown last name, Mike: page 49
Urban, Al: page 117
Van Cleef, Ray: page 16; 117-119
Van Cleef, Virginia: pages 117-119
Vandenbroele, Rudolf: page 88
Van Herik, Doria: pages 55-56; 67-68
Varaleau, Jack: page 56
Venables, Gord: pages 116; 120
Viking, Alice: page 70
Villegas, Manuel: pages 120-121
Walker, Dolly: page 198
Walsh, Stanley B.: page 99
Walton, Jan E.: page 88
Warchuck, Tania: page 178
Wdowczyk, Mrs. John: page 100
Weber, Carol Ann: page 1410
Weber, Rhinehardy: page 88
Weider, Joe: page 25; 29; 42; 107; 120; 132; 140; 183
Wheeler, Beverly Jocher: pages 141-142
Whitworth, Ms.: page 52
Wilkins, Jr., Howard: page 100
Willard, Ann: pages 56; 121-123
Willard, Jess L.: pages 121-122
Wilson, Annie: page 57
Wise, Ken: pages 153; 189
Wise, Marian: page 153
Wolf, Jean: page 100
Wooden, Shirl: page 100
Yarick, Ed: pages 43-44; 104; 197
Yates, Orval: pages 112-113
Yeakel, Forrest: pages 70-72
Young, Allan C.: pages 129-130
Zimmerman, George: page 124
Zinkin, Harold: pages 135; 137; 154; 186-191; 198
Zwarts, The: page 52
Zygowicz, Loretta: pages 49; 81
Organizations
Amateur Athletic Association (AAU): page 123
Amazon Correspondence Club: page 100
The Association of Oldetime Barbell and Strongmen (AOBS):
pages 18-20; 123-127; 155; 198
Beach Improvement Group (B.I.G.): pages 169; 172; 174
E and Y Kenneth Leventhal’s Relay and Bike Ride: page 133
The Event (Academy of Bodybuilding and Fitness Awards) in California (Reunions of bodybuilding’s pioneers): pages 142-143
Harrison Publications: page 101
Muscle Beach Alumni Association (MBAA): pages 15; 29-30; 45; 48; 145; 161; 164-170
New Museum of Contemporary Art, New York City: pages 148-149; 160
Salon of Figure Development: pages 14; 16; 47; 68; 109; 191
Santa Monica Heritage Museum: pages 138-139
Stockton Studios: pages 16; 102; 138; 191
Universal Newsreel: page 116
World Gym: pages 24; 142; 146
YMCA: pages 43; 123-124; 199
York Barbell Company: pages 14; 63; 96; 114; 116; 119; 134; 140; 155
Publications mentioned in Correspondence
Body Culture: page 100
Elle (Italy): pages 141; 184
Esquire: pages 102-103
Flex: pages 133; 182-183
Iron Game History (IGH): pages 154-160
Man’s World (England): page 101
Mechanics Illustrated: page 91
MuscleMag International: pages 151; 175
Muscular Development: pages 76; 134-135; 187
Physical Culture: pages 89; 105; 175-177; 196
Physical Culture and the Body Beautiful by Jan Todd: pages 159-160
Remembering Muscle Beach
Ripped: page 154 by Harold Zinkin: pages 135; 137; 154; 186-187; 190
Smithsonian: pages 129; 154; 185-186
Strength and Health: pages 61; 64; 68-69; 74;
89; 91; 97; 100-102; 104; 117; 119; 133; 135-136; 157; 177-178; 193
Vigour (England): pages 70; 101-102
Wahine: page 186
Publication Types
Magazines: pages 16-42
Books: pages 45-46
Ephemera: pages 47-48
Oversized items: pages 193-199
Pamphlets: page 46
Photographs: pages 48-56
Programs: pages 42-45
Television shows
California Gold: pages 130; 151
Extra: page 189
Health Diary: page 145; 149; 184
Modern Marvels: pages 146; 160; 165
Collection Arrangment
Box 1: 36 Folders: Archo-Health Review, 1922-2006(158 items)
11 Acro, 2004 (1 item)
12 Acrobat, 1949 (5 items)
13 Acro-Chat, 1950 (3 items)
14 Arena and Strength, 1933-1934 (5 items)
15 Arena News, 1940 (1 item)
16 Association of Oldetime Barbell and Strongmen Newsletter, 1998-1994 (23 items)
17 Association of Oldetime Barbell and Strongmen Newsletter, 1995-1997 (14 items)
18 Association of Oldetime Barbell and Strongmen Newsletter, 1998-2000 (13 items)
19 Atletik (Sweden), 1948 (1 item)
110 Beautify Your Figure, 1940 (1 item)
111 Body and Power, 1983 (1 item)
112 Body Builder (Chicago), 1947-1948 (12 items)
113 Body Builder (Chicago), 1949-1950 (10 items)
114 The Body Builder (George F. Jowett), 1936-1937 (8 items)
115 Bodybuilding (Japan), 1978 (1 item)
116 Body Culture (England), 1949-1951 (8 items)
117 Body Moderne (Walt Baptiste), 1947 (1 item)
118 Bombs Away, 1944-1945 (16 items)
119 British Amateur Weightlifter and Bodybuilder, 1950 (3 items)
120 Californian’s Hungarian Sporting Life, (Hungarian) 1958 (1 item)
121 Classic Physique, 1998 (4 items)
122 The Core (World Gym), 2004 (1 item)
123 Correct Eating-Strength, 1930 (1 item)
124 Elle (Italy), 1998 (1 item)
125 Fight (South Africa), 1947 (1 item)
126 Flex (Joe Weider), 1997 (1 item)
127 Flex (Joe Weider), 1999 (1 item)
128 Flex (Joe Weider), 2000 (1 item)
129 Flex (Joe Weider), 2000 (1 item)
130 Flex (Joe Weider), 2000 (1 item)
131 Forca e Saude (Brazil) (in Portuguese), 1949-1951 (5 items)
132 Health and Beauty (Hong Kong) (in Chinese), nd, 1949-1952 (3 items)
133 Health and Strength (England), 1940-2002 (6 items)
134 Health Culture, 1940 (1 item)
135 Healthkeeping, 1940 (1 item)
136 Health Review (Bernarr Macfadden), 1950 (1 item)
Box 2: 27 Folders: International Gymnastics Hall of Fame Newsletter- Physical Culture, 1940-2002, (101 items)
21: International Gymnastics Hall of Fame Newsletter (Glenn Sundby) 1991 (1 item)
22: IronMan (Peary Rader) 1941-1944 (11 items)
23: IronMan (Peary Rader) 1945 (10 items)
24: IronMan (Peary Rader) 1948-1949 (7 items)
25: IronMan (Peary Rader) 1950-1967 (6 items)
26: IronMan 1993-1996 (2 items)
27: IronMan 2000-2001 (2 items)
28: Los Angeles Magazine 2002 (1 item)
29: Los Angeles Times Magazine 1998-1999 (3 items)
210: Mr. America 1965 (2 items)
211: Muscle and Fitness (Joe Weider) 1999 (1 item)
212: Muscle Beach Alumni Association Newsletter 1987-1993 (18 items)
213: MuscleMag International (Robert Kennedy) No. 118 4/1992 (1 item)
214: MuscleMag International (Robert Kennedy) No. 176 2/1997 (1 item)
215: MuscleMag International (Robert Kennedy) No. 220 10/2000 (1 item)
216: MuscleMag International (Robert Kennedy) No. 223 1/2001 (1 item)
217: MuscleMag International (Robert Kennedy) No. 245 11/2002 (1 item)
218: Muscles (Belgium), 1946-1949 Publication in French(4 items)
219: Muscular Development (Bob Hoffman) 1967 (1 item)
220: Oxygen 1999-2000 (2 items)
221: Pennsylvania Heritage Journal 1999 (1 item)
222: Physical Culture (Bernarr Macfadden) 1935-1945 (4 items)
223: Physical Culture (Bernarr Macfadden) 1945-1946 (5 items)
224: Physical Culture (Bernarr Macfadden) 1946-1947 (4 items)
225: Physical Culture (Bernarr Macfadden) 1947-1948 (4 items)
226: Physical Culture (Bernarr Macfadden) 1948 (4 items)
227: Physical Culture (Bernarr Macfadden) 1948-1951 (3 items)
Box 3: 31 Folders: Physical Power- Strength and Health, Part 2, 1933-2002, (162 items)
31: Physical Power 1960-1965 (2 items)
32: Physiculture (South Africa), 1947 (1 item)
33: The Roark Report (Joe Roark) 1985-1989 (15 items)
34: Sante et Developpement Physique (Canada), 1946-1947 Publication in French(3 items)
35: Skill (England), 1962 (1 item)
36: Smithsonian 1998 (1 item)
37: Sports Illustrated for Women 2002 (1 item)
38: The Sportsman 1952 (1 item)
39: Steve Reeves International Society Newsletter 1995-1996 (7 items)
310: Strength 1922 (1 item)
311: Strength and Health (Bob Hoffman) Vol. 1 1933 (8 items)
312: Strength and Health (Bob Hoffman) Part 1 Vol. 2 1933-1934 (6 items)
313: Strength and Health (Bob Hoffman) Part 2 Vol. 2 1934 (6 items)
314: Strength and Health (Bob Hoffman) Part 1 Vol. 3 1934-1935 (6 items)
315: Strength and Health (Bob Hoffman) Part 2 Vol. 3 1935 (6 items)
316: Strength and Health (Bob Hoffman) Part 1 Vol. 4 1935-1936 (6 items)
317: Strength and Health (Bob Hoffman) Part 2 Vol. 4 1936 (6 items)
318: Strength and Health (Bob Hoffman) Part 1 Vol. 5 1936-1937 (6 items)
319: Strength and Health (Bob Hoffman) Part 2 Vol. 5 1937 (6 items)
320: Strength and Health (Bob Hoffman) Part 1 Vol. 6 1937-1938 (6 items)
321: Strength and Health (Bob Hoffman) Part 2 Vol. 6 1938 (7 items)
322: Strength and Health (Bob Hoffman) Part 1 1939(6 items)
323: Strength and Health (Bob Hoffman) Part 2 1939(6 items)
324: Strength and Health (Bob Hoffman) Part 1 1940(6 items)
325: Strength and Health (Bob Hoffman) Part 2 1940(6 items)
326: Strength and Health (Bob Hoffman) Part 1 1941(6 items)
327: Strength and Health (Bob Hoffman) Part 2 1941(6 items)
328: Strength and Health (Bob Hoffman) Part 1 1942(6 items)
329: Strength and Health (Bob Hoffman) Part 2 1942(6 items)
330: Strength and Health (Bob Hoffman) Part 1 1943(6 items)
331: Strength and Health (Bob Hoffman) Part 2 1943(6 items)
Box 4: 23 Folders: Strength and Health, 1944, Part 1 – Strength and Health, 1959, Part 1, 1944-1959, (129 items)
41: Strength and Health (Bob Hoffman) Part 1 1944(6 items)
42: Strength and Health (Bob Hoffman) Part 2 1944(5 items)
43: Strength and Health (Bob Hoffman) Part 1 1945(6 items)
44: Strength and Health (Bob Hoffman) Part 2 1945(6 items)
45: Strength and Health (Bob Hoffman) Part 1 1946(5 items)
46: Strength and Health (Bob Hoffman) Part 2 1946(6 items)
47: Strength and Health (Bob Hoffman) Part 1 1947(5 items)
48: Strength and Health (Bob Hoffman) Part 2 1947(6 items)
49: Strength and Health (Bob Hoffman) Part 1 1948(5 items)
410: Strength and Health (Bob Hoffman) Part 2 1948(5 items)
411: Strength and Health (Bob Hoffman) Part 1 1949(5 items)
412: Strength and Health (Bob Hoffman) Part 2 1949(6 items)
413: Strength and Health (Bob Hoffman) Part 1 1950(5 items)
414: Strength and Health (Bob Hoffman) Part 2 1950(6 items)
415: Strength and Health (Bob Hoffman) Part 1 1951(5 items)
416: Strength and Health (Bob Hoffman) Part 2 1951(5 items)
417: Strength and Health (Bob Hoffman) Part 1 1952(6 items)
418: Strength and Health (Bob Hoffman) Part 2 1952(5 items)
419: Strength and Health (Bob Hoffman) Part 1 1953(6 items)
420: Strength and Health (Bob Hoffman) Part 2 1953(5 items)
421: Strength and Health (Bob Hoffman)1954(7 items)
422: Strength and Health (Bob Hoffman)1958(7 items)
423: Strength and Health (Bob Hoffman) Part 1 1959(6 items)
Box 5: 40 Folders: Strength and Health-Your Physique, Photographs, Ephemera, Loose Clippings, 1939-2003, (305 items)
51: Strength and Health (Bob Hoffman) Part 2 1959(6 items)
52: Strength and Health (Bob Hoffman)1960(4 items)
53: Strength and Health (Bob Hoffman)1962(6 items)
54: Strength and Health (Bob Hoffman) Part 1 1963(5 items)
55: Strength and Health (Bob Hoffman) Part 2 1963(4 items)
56: Strength and Health (Bob Hoffman) Part 1 Vol. 32 1963-1964 (6 items)
57: Strength and Health (Bob Hoffman) Part 2 Vol. 321964(6 items)
58: Strength and Health (Bob Hoffman) Part 1 Vol. 331965(4 items)
59: Strength and Health (Bob Hoffman) Part 2 Vol. 331965(4 items)
510: Strength and Health (Bob Hoffman) Part 1 Vol. 341966(5 items)
511: Strength and Health (Bob Hoffman) Part 2 Vol. 341966(5 items)
512: Time 2006(1 item)
513: Vigour (England) 1947-1948 (4 items)
514: Vim 1940-1941 (3 items)
515: Vim (New Zealand)1947(6 items)
516: Wahine 2000(1 item)
517: Weightlifter and Bodybuilder (England)1951(8 items)
518: The West Indian Sportsman (Jamaica)1948(1 item)
519: Your Physique (Joe Weider) 1942-1947 (7 items)
520:Programs for Shows In which Pudgy Stockton appeared 1944-1950 (21 items)
521:Programs for Shows in which Pudgy Stockton did not appear 1946-1989 (9 items)
522:Good Barbell Company Equipment Publicationno date (1 item)
523-31:Booksnd, 1931-1952(9 items)
532:Strength and Sports Pamphletsnd, 1922-1948 (8 items)
533:Military Pamphletsnd, 1935-1943(2 items)
534:Ephemerand, 1952-1991(16 items)
535:Dedicated 8" x 10" Photographsnd, 1947-1948 (12 items)
536:Photographsnd, 1946-1951(32 items)
537:Barbelles Photographsnd, 1947-1952 (34 items)
538:Barbelles Mock-upsnd, 1948-1949 (21 items)
539:Nature Photosnd, (5 items)
540:Loose Clippingsnd, 1939-1950 (50 items)
Box 6: 148 Folders: Correspondence, nd,1939-1961 (705 items)
61:Correspondence from famous Fitness people no date (9 items)
62-13:Potential Barbelles 1944-1955 (79 items)
614:Business Correspondence of Pudgy and Les Stockton 1950 (7 items)
615:Vera Christensen to Pudgy Stockton 1948 (1 item)
616:Ego, Nuts, Screwball file nd, 1948-1952 (41 items)
617:George Eiferman (Mr. America 1948) to Pudgy and Les Stockton 1952 (7 items)
618:Norman Fay (San Francisco, CA gym owner) and Pudgy and Les Stockton 1946 (3 items)
619:Figure Course clients and Pudgy Stockton nd, 1961 (9 items)
6=:John Grimek (Mr. America 1940-1941, worked at Strength and Health) and Pudgy and Les Stockton nd, 1940-1941, 1947- 1967 (26 items)
621:Robert L. Jones (publisher of balancing books) to Pudgy and Les Stockton1945-1952 (5 items)
622:Siegmund Klein (physical culturist gym owner) and Pudgy Stockton 11/14/1947 Stars of Strength Show, Diploma 1947 (25 items)
623:Bernard L. Kobel (photographer) to Pudgy Stockton 1946-1947 (3 items)
624-76:“Meatball" file odd or strange requests nd, 1947-1951 (87 items)
677-126:Miscellaneous Corresponders and Pudgy (Eville) Stockton and Les Stockton nd, 1941-1960 (128 items)
6127:Souvenir correspondence Amazon Correspondence Club to Pudgy Stockton nd, 1959 (2 items)
6128:Miscellaneous Magazines and Pudgy Stockton 1946- 1953 (9 items)
6129:Jim Murray (an editor at Strength and Health) and Pudgy Stockton nd, 1952-1954 (41 items)
6130:Physical Culture (Bernarr Macfadden) and Pudgy (Eville) Stockton nd, 1941-1948 (12 items)
6131:Alba Lopez Pineda (Honduran Ministry of Public Health and Social Assistance) to Pudgy Stockton 1960 (2 items)
6132:Attorney George Pressman and Pudgy and Les Stockton 1946-1947 (9 items)
6133:Steve Reeves (Mr. America 1947) and Pudgy and Les Stockton nd, 1947 (20 items)
6134:Clarence Ross (Mr. America 1945) and Pudgy and Les Stockton 1947 (13 items)
6135:Salon of Figure Development in the Marcy (Walt Marcyan) House of Health no date (2 items)
6136:Show Correspondence Pudgy (Eville) Stockton and Les Stockton and various gym owners nd, 1940-1947 (24 items)
6137:Jack Stanley (Akron, OH gym owner) and the Stocktons nd, 1947-1953 (9 items)
6138:Alan Stephan (Mr. America 1946) and Pudgy and Les Stockton nd, 1946-1947 (9 items)
6139:Stockton Studios nd,1952-1953 (17 items)
6140:Johnny Terpak (York Barbell Co. weightlifter) and Pudgy and Les Stockton 1951-1952 (9 items)
6141:Universal Newsreel and Pudgy Stockton nd, 1947 (12 items)
6142:Al Urban (Photographer) and Pudgy Stockton 1946 (3 items)
6143:Ray Van Cleef and Virginia Van Cleef and Pudgy (Eville) Stockton and Les Stockton nd, 1939-1963 (30 items)
6144:Gordon Venables (Managing Editor Strength and Health) and Pudgy Stockton nd, 1946-1947 (6 items)
6145:Manuel Villegas (Photographer) and Pudgy Stockton nd, 1946 (4 items)
6146:Joe Weider (Your Physique) to Pudgy Stockton 1947 (3 items)
6147:Ann Willard (woman who worked out with weights) and Jess L. Willard (Ann’s husband) and Pudgy Stockton nd, 1946-1948 (21 items)
6148:YMCA and AAU and Les and Pudgy Stockton 1943- 1947 (11 items)
Box 7: 102 Folders: Subject Folders, nd,1982-2001 (798 items)
71: The Association of Oldetime Barbell and Strongmen (AOBS) (Vic Boff)1988-2001 (50 items)
72: Jane Black, Female Weightlifter, Atlanta, GAnd, 1993-1998 (24 items)
73: Paula (Unger) Boelsems, Muscle Beach adagio performernd, 1996-1998 (10 items)
74: California Gold on KCET Los Angeles (Huell Howser)1999(1 item)
75-40: Recent Correspondence with Pudgy and Les Stockton1982-2000 (137 items)
741: Elle (Italy) article by Gloria Mattioni1998(5 items)
742: The Event (Academy of Bodybuilding and Fitness Awards) in California (Reunions of bodybuilding’s pioneers)1991-1994 (26 items)
743: Correspondence with Steve Fordnd, 1995-2000 (25 items)
744: Steve Ford (same Steve Ford as the bodybuilder), The Car Guy1995-1999 (14 items)
745: Joanna Frueh, the Modern Amazon exhibit at the New Museum of Contemporary Art, New York City, and Stocktonsnd, 1998-2000 (22 items)
746: Health Diary Program on Minnesota PBS (Andy Rothschild)nd, 1999 (3 items)
747: Bill Howard, Muscle Beach Venice, CA, 1996 Awards to Pudgy and Les Stocktonnd, 1996-1999 (35 items)
748: Internet Printouts 1999-2001; Mr. America Lists 1999-2001; 1939-2000, 1954, 1999-2001(8 items)
749-59: Iron Game History (IGH) (Jan and Terry Todd) and Pudgy Stocktonnd, 1991-2001(81 items)
760: Joan E. Kane (Florentine Films) PBS Project (taken over by Ken Chowder in 1998)nd, 1996 (17 items)
761: Los Angeles (LA) Times Magazine story by Marla Matzernd, 1997-2000 (38 items)
762: Modern Marvels: Fitness History Channel (Matthew Hickey)nd, 1998 (14 items)
763-73: Muscle Beach Alumni Association (MBAA) (Glenn Sundby)nd, 1986-1998 (56 items)
774-83: New Muscle Beach Project: Steve Ford (Bodybuilder and Auto Columnist who helped Glenn Sundby with New Muscle Beach)no date 1986-1998 (53 items)
784: Physical Culture Venus and $1000 prize won by Pudgy in 1948nd, 1947-1948, 1999-2000 (14 items)
785: Pioneer Award from the Steve Reeves International Society (George Helmer) to Pudgy Stockton1995-1998 (5 items)
786: Relating to the Edna Rivers Project; Photocopies by Henry L. Duvalno date; 1991-1997 (27 items)
787-97: Joe Roark, International Federation of Bodybuilding (IFBB) Men’s Historian; publisher of Roark Report1985-1999(62 items)
798: Smithsonian Magazine Article 11/1998 by Ken Chowder: Muscle Beachnd,1998-1999 (17 items)
799: Wahine Magazine Elizabeth Glazner (Editor), Article: Girls of Muscle Beachnd, 1999 (2 items)
7100: Zinkin Book Project (Remembering Muscle Beach)nd, 1944, 1992-2000 (43 items)
7101: Harold Zinkin Remembering Muscle Beach copies sent out by Pudgy and Les Stockton: Written dedications nd, 1999(3 items)
7102: Multimedia CD of tribute song to Harold Zinkin (Muscle Beach invented Universal Machine)2003(1 item)
26 Publicity and Photo Binders, 1934-1999 (26 items)
81-5:Publicity Binders (Indices in each binder)1934-1950(5 items)
86-10:Publicity Binders (Indices in each binder)1950-1999(5 items)
811:Publicity Binders (Indices in each binder)1999-2000(1 item)
81-3:Photo Binders (Indices in each binder),1937-1952(4 items)
84-7:Photo Binders (Indices in each binder),1938-1950(4 items)
88-14:Photo Binders (Indices in each binder), Barbelles Articles1938-1999(5 items)
812-14:Photo Binders (Indices in each binder), Barbelles Articles1946-1999(4 items)