Darth Vader & The Inch Dumbbell

[Hubgeezer]

Part I of the story. Prowse over dinner Friday night. First, a few words about Prowse and Wilhem. Prowse was a weightlifter, and blah blah blah blah... Okay that is the background.

At some point after dinner, Bruce Wilhelm's name comes up. Prowse just light up and smiles: Bruce Wilhelm? He then goes into a lengthy story. I cannot do it justice, as he is an excellent story teller. I guess Wilhelm contacted Prowse to give him some training lessons. I don't know if they were writing or phoning, but Prowse was traveling. He said he "feigned illness" so that the plane took an unscheduled stop in San Francisco. I guess 40 years ago, if you were 6 foot 7 and a professional actor, you could pull something like that off. I cannot imagine that happening today. So Wilhelm picks him up at the airport and takes him to his house, where he lived with his mother. Prowse thought it was "near San Jose", which is 50 miles South of San Francisco. The airport is around 15 miles South of San Francsico. So, Prowse wants to give Wilhelm a lesson, Wilhelm says, "I don't want to workout today", takes off, leaves Prowse with Wilhelm's mother. Prowse keeps telling more and more little incidents like this, where you are wondering just what Wilhelm is doing. Prowse is making him sound like a reckless irresponsible character, and we of course are loving it, as he is sorta of like America's Strongest Wildman. He doesn't want to workout. He goes to bed. He leaves. He is not being much of a host for his Trainer. Somewhere in there was a tough workout or two, and Wilhelm wanted to sleep a lot, and Prowse wanted to go places.

Prowse articulated that he had always wanted to see San Francisco, and repeatedly asked to visit. Finally, one night, Wilhelm says, "I'll take you to San Jose". You have to understand that 40 years ago, long before San Jose became "Silicon Valley", that it was not exactly a cultural center. Prowse continues, "So he takes me to a STRIP CLUB called 'The Pink Poodle' in San Jose". The place laughs, and my son (who lives in San Jose) says, "It's still there!" He looks at the women at the table and says, "Or so I have heard". So Prowse and Wilhelm are sitting down at the place where they are looking up at the girls dance, Wilhelm puts his head down on the table and promptly goes to sleep. Prowse cannot really revive him. He is out like a light. After a while, Prowse starts talking to one girl, says some nice things to her, and goes home with her. He wakes Wilhelm up to tell him he is leaving, Wilhelm says okay and goes back to sleep.

Prowse pretty much lost touch with whatever happened to Wilhelm. He said he knew he went on to become a great weight lifter, but I am not sure he knew he became a WSM. He was now smiling, and said, "will he be here tomorrow night?". At that point, I said "Absolutely!"

The next night, I saw Prowse before the big dinner, and he told me he saw Bruce that morning. He smiled broadly, and I have no idea what that was all about.

Somewhere around 10:30, the Saturday night dinner was still going. I noticed David Prowse sitting at the back table, sleeping.

Tomorrow night: Part II: Bruce's Version

It has been more than a day or two, but...

Part II of story.

Saturday night, after the dinner, after 80% of the people have left. There are only a few die-hards bending horseshoes in the hotel lobby. There are a few multi-year attending old timers chatting outside the meeting room still. Then in the bar, are younger guys, drinkers, and the 60 something year old teenager, Bruce Wilhelm. I was not there, but this was told to me by my son...

A few guys are talking with Bruce as he thumbs throught the Girlie Calendar some nutrition company handed out earlier in the day. Bruce enthusiastically comments on the different assets of the models as he thumbs through. My son brings up the subject of Dave Prowse. "I hadn't seen him or thought about him in _____years!"... "The workouts that guy put me through, all I wanted to do was sleep!" "All he wanted to do was ________(not sure the exact words, but have to do with chasing women, going to strip clubs, etc etc").

"He ran off with some stripper for several days. My Mom didn't like that too much".

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That's it. The stories are pretty much the same. Except Prowse tells it like Wilhelm was an irresponsible kid. Wilhem tells it like the esteemed well-respected gentleman wanted to do nothing but chase women at tittie bars.

After 40 years, I'd say their stories are remarkable in how similar they are.

Mike

[notmarr2000]

I know Prowse better as the body guard and assistant to the demented old man in "A Clockwork Orange." Prowse looked like a tall muscular version of "Austin Powers" with his thick horn rim glasses and reddish wavy hair.

Julian Clockwork Orange

[dhartnet]

Mike,

Nice write-up. We had a good time.

Prowse was very friendly, a cool guy.

It was great meeting MIke and his son Andy (I guess we were the drinkers) :>)

Anyways, looking forward to next year...