Mr. Olympia 1977: A New Era Of Competition

We’ve been recapping each year of the Mr. Olympia contest since its inception in 1965. Missed any of the years leading up to 1977? Find them all right here.

All year long, Muscle Builder/Power magazine hyped the 1977 Mr. Olympia contest in their pages. 

Robby Robinson was the odds-on favorite to win the Olympia that year in a landslide. He was the most exciting bodybuilder to come along since that guy named Schwarzenegger! 

Since his debut with the IFBB only two short years earlier, Robby had won the IFBB

• Mr. America
• Mr. World
• Mr. International
• Mr. Universe

Who would stop him from winning the coveted Mr. Olympia that year?

The Legends Prepare for Victory

The lead-up to the 1977 Olympia was nothing short of amazing, with hard work and determination a priority for everyone. Some of the biggest names in Golden Era bodybuilding history were determined to make this year, theirs.

Robby Robinson

As the 1977 Mr. Olympia got closer, Muscle Builder was there at Gold’s Gym in Venice, California to record Robby’s progress. Each month, Robby seemed to get bigger, more ripped, and more invincible. 

By the time he guest posed at the AAU Mr. America contest in July, Robby was unbelievably massive. His perfectly shaped body was bursting with muscle. 

From his peaked biceps to his wide, expanding lats all the way down to his hanging hamstrings, Robby just had too much firepower for anyone other than Arnold or Sergio at their best to stop. 

Franco Columbu

Last year’s winner of the Mr. Olympia, the late Franco Columbu, was quiet all year regarding his participation in the event. Franco seemed to be satisfied with winning the title that he could never wrest from his best friend’s grasp. Before 1976, Arnold was the title winner six years in a row. 

Now that Franco had finally won the Mr. Olympia himself, he didn’t feel the need to prove himself anymore.

A severe accident to his knee while performing in that year’s World’s Strongest Man competition knocked Franco out of the contest for good. He tore nearly every tendon and ligament surrounding his left knee while trying to run with a refrigerator on his back. 

It put Franco not only out of the Mr. Olympia that year, but maybe from competition ever again. 

Lou Ferrigno

The other bodybuilder that was receiving a lot of press in Muscle Builder was Lou Ferrigno. At only 25-years-old, Lou was already a two-time IFBB Mr. Universe winner and had placed second to Arnold at the 1974 Mr. Olympia. 

After taking a year off to try his luck at playing professional football, Big Lou decided to come back to the sport he loved by entering the Mr. Olympia again. He had made the move from Brooklyn, New York to sunny California at the beginning of the year. 

Lou was ready to work hard on his physique to win the Mr. Olympia in the fall. He wanted to be just like his idol, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and do what he had done for six years straight. 

Lou was looking better than ever by the summer of 1977. Many bodybuilding fans were anticipating a Ferrigno-Robinson showdown for the title that October. 

At 6’5”, Lou was planning on being much bigger than he was when he took third at the Mr. Olympia in 1975. 

He was also ready to display a ripped and refined physique, finally realizing the potential that his appearance in South Africa had only hinted at. 

Frank Zane

The quickly forgotten dark horse for the 1977 Mr. Olympia was Frank Zane. He had lost to Columbu by only half a point at the 1976 Mr. Olympia. The experts overlooked Zane as someone who was too small and not imposing enough to stand against Robby and Ferrigno. 

Zane, however, did not share that view. He had quit his full-time job as a schoolteacher in Venice to devote one full year of training to win the Mr. Olympia contest. The competition had eluded him for the last four years and he would not let it happen again.

His disappointing loss to Franco had initially forced Zane to consider retirement. Fortunately, he quickly got over the loss and decided to make 1977 his best year ever. He was so positive that this would be his year; he renamed the title on his mail-order books ad to 1977 – The Year of Zane. 

While Muscle Builder magazine focused most of their attention on Robby and Lou, Zane quietly stuck to his year-long plan to make improvements to his physique. He was determined to present the ultimate winning package on the day it counted, the day of the Mr. Olympia. 

It was an inevitable victory, in his eyes, destiny had finally arrived. Zane was absolutely convinced that when the dust settled, he would be the one holding onto the Sandow statue on October 1st, 1977 in Columbus, Ohio.

Ken Waller

Ken Waller was also intending on making his presence known at the 1977 Mr. Olympia. Waller won the Over 200 Pound Class one year earlier before losing the overall title to Franco Columbu in 1976. 

Waller was well aware that the 1977 Olympia would be much more competitive. As a result, Ken trained for the contest all year long. This was in big contrast to his normal three months of training to get ready for a competition. 

Waller was planning on being one of the biggest bodybuilders onstage at the 1977 Mr. Olympia. Privately, he also thought Robby was unbeatable. 

“The Big Red Machine” would give him and Ferrigno all they could handle by competing in the best condition of his celebrated bodybuilding career. 

Waller believed the 1977 Mr. Olympia contest would come down to a competition between the big men – Robby, Ferrigno, and himself. Zane and the others were too small to win the Olympia title. 

Ed Corney

Another “smaller” bodybuilder who was planning on creating shock waves at the 1977 Mr. Olympia was the late Ed Corney. Corney would be competing in his third Olympia. 

In 1975, he presented a strong challenge to Franco in the Under 200 Pound Class and took the runner-up position. However, Corney showed up out of shape one year later in 1976 and placed a disappointing fourth behind Franco, Zane, and Boyer Coe. 

Ed was motivated again to show up at his best for the 1977 Mr. Olympia. In January of that year, the movie “Pumping Iron” was released. Ed was featured prominently in that film as the training partner of Arnold Schwarzenegger. 

Because of his increased popularity because of the movie, Ed Corney was motivated again to compete in the 1977 Mr. Olympia at his all-time best.

The Mr. Olympia 1977

The stage was set for the 13th Mr. Olympia contest on October 1st, 1977 in Columbus, Ohio. 

Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jim Lorimer were set to promote their second Mr. Olympia contest and make this production bigger and better. There would be a new Mr. Olympia this year. 

Would it be the pre-contest favorite Robby Robinson, big Lou Ferrigno, The Big Red Machine Ken Waller, the greatest poser in the world Ed Corney or the dark horse, the quiet but determined Frank Zane? 

The Predictions Coming Early

1977 was “The Year of Zane” according to the ads placed in the back of the Muscle Builder magazines. The ads had been running each month, starting at the beginning of that year. 

Frank Zane was determined to make 1977 his year. Remember, he had placed second to Franco Columbu at the 1976 Mr. Olympia contest by only one point. 

A proponent of positive thinking and self-affirmations, Zane knew that he needed to manifest his destiny of winning the Mr. Olympia contest in his mind long before the actual event happened onstage. 

Franco would not be returning to defend his title. Still, Zane would have his hands full holding off top contenders like Robby Robinson and Lou Ferrigno. 

The Buildup to the Competition

Robby was the odds-on favorite to win the Mr. Olympia that year. His updated pictures each month in Muscle Builder magazine offered ample evidence that Robby was looking to be a lock for the title. 

Perhaps the most genetically gifted and exciting bodybuilder to come along since Oliva and Schwarzenegger held the title, Robby had taken bodybuilding by storm over the last two years. 

Since 1975, Robby had won the IFBB: 

• Mr. America
• Mr. World
• Mr. Universe
• Mr. International 

The only title left for him to dominate was the Mr. Olympia. His pictures indicated that no one could match him when he stepped onstage at the Mr. Olympia contest on October 1st, 1977. 

Lou Prepares but Doesn’t Compete

The other “big” name surrounding the Mr. Olympia contest was the hulking one himself, Lou Ferrigno. Lou had not competed in the Mr. Olympia since taking a disappointing third place behind Arnold Schwarzenegger and Serge Nubret at the 1975 Mr. Olympia. 

Lou left bodybuilding behind in 1976 after competing in ABC-TV’s Superstars competition. Proving himself to be a talented athlete in the televised competition, Lou accepted an offer to try out for the Toronto Argonauts football team in Canada. 

However, the experience didn’t turn out as expected for Lou. So, he followed his heart back to bodybuilding. This meant moving to California in 1977 to try to win the Mr. Olympia again. 

Lou trained hard all year in beautiful southern California and was getting into the best shape of his life. His physical potential was always evident from his early years in the sport and he was finally beginning to realize it. 

Unfortunately for bodybuilding fans, Lou got an offer from CBS television one month before the Mr. Olympia. He was going to star in a TV movie called The Incredible Hulk. Lou would have to sit out the contest and wait until next year. 

The Competition Begins in Ohio

On October 1st, 1977, the Mr. Olympia took place at the Veterans Memorial Auditorium in Columbus, Ohio. 

This was the second year that Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jim Lorimer had promoted the Olympia and they promised to make it even bigger and better than last year. 

ABC-TV’s Wide World of Sports was on hand to film all the action for the bodybuilding fans who couldn’t make it to Columbus. 

The Under 200 Class takes the Stage

When the bodybuilders in the Under 200 Pound Class walked out on stage at the prejudging on Saturday afternoon, the sold-out crowd erupted into cheers. This was the day that bodybuilding fans had waited for all year. 

Frank Zane was first in line and the crowd went crazy for their favorite bodybuilder. Zane was in even better shape than last year, bigger and just as ripped. 

Ed Corney was also a big hit with the fans. Ed was one of the stars of the movie Pumping Iron, which had been released that same year. 

Corney must have been motivated by the movie being shown all over the country because he was in the best shape of his life. He also showed the wild fans why he is considered the Master Poser as he gracefully moved from pose to pose during the prejudging.

Boyer Coe was competing in his second Mr. Olympia contest. Boyer was a four-time NABBA Mr. Universe winner and a five-time Mr. World. His arm poses were outstanding, and it was obvious that he would be a force to be reckoned with in this contest. 

Albert Beckles and Bill Grant rounded out the competitors in the Under 200 Pound Class. Beckles displayed amazing arm development and a very muscular back. Grant also showed off huge arms and ripped abdominals. 

The Over 200 Pound Class takes the Stage

The Over 200 Pound Class was next, and it was a vast improvement over the previous year when only Ken Waller and Mike Katz competed. 

This year, Waller was back, looking bigger and better than ever. He was joined by the much anticipated Mr. Olympia debut of Robby Robinson. The anxious crowd was so excited to see the Black Prince in person after all the pictures they had seen of him during the year in the magazines. 

Robby was big and impressive but he seemed to hold water underneath his skin. He was also sporting a big afro which seemed to diminish his incredible physique rather than compliment it.

 He wasn’t projecting that winning attitude to the audience that Frank Zane had in the previous class.

Dennis Tinerino was also making his first appearance in the Mr. Olympia. Dennis was a veteran competitor, having won the 1967 AAU Mr. America and the 1968 NABBA Mr. Universe. Dennis was in great shape and he would be a formidable competitor this year at the Olympia. 

Roger Walker from Australia was another competitor posing in his first Mr. Olympia. Roger had won the heavyweight class in the 1976 Mr. Universe and this contest was the start of his professional bodybuilding career. 

Let the Final Posedowns Begin

At the finals of the 1977 Mr. Olympia, the event began with each bodybuilder coming out on stage. However, the stage was lit so you could only see the silhouette of each bodybuilder. 

The knowledgeable bodybuilding fans instantly recognized each competitor as they hit their signature pose for the appreciative audience. 

The crowd went crazy for Zane, Coe, Corney, and Robby. 

However, when poor Ken Waller walked onstage, the audience erupted into boos. They portrayed him as the villain in the movie Pumping Iron who stole Mike Katz’s t-shirt. This led the fans to turn on Waller, who took it all in stride and grinned as he exited the stage. 

The highlight of the evening was when Ed Corney performed his posing routine for the standing room only audience. Back in 1977, the bodybuilders were not yet posing to their own music. 

Corney certainly didn’t need any music as the crowd screamed their approval as the Master Poser put on a demonstration of how posing should be performed. At the conclusion of his routine, the fans jumped to their feet and gave Ed a standing ovation, the second one he had received that day. 

Frank Zane seemed to have the crowd on his side when he came on stage to perform his posing routine. Acknowledging his sea of fans with an appreciative smile, Zane was poised and controlled on the posing platform. He nailed each of his signature Zane poses with certainty that he was the winner. 

And Then There Were Six

The final posedown included three competitors from the Under 200 Pound Class and the Over 200 Pound Class. 

The top six competitors in the 1977 Mr. Olympia lineup included: 

• Under 200 Pound Class
  • Zane
  • Corney
  • Coe 
• Over 200 Pound Class
  • Waller 
  • Robby
  • Tinerino

As ABC-TV’s cameras filmed the action, the audience went absolutely ballistic. Everyone in the auditorium was standing up, screaming, jumping up and down. 

It was like the craziest rock concert in history as the hardcore bodybuilding fans couldn’t hold back their unbridled enthusiasm. 

The legendary Reg Park was the emcee at the 1977 Mr. Olympia. He broke with tradition and announced the winner first instead of going backward from sixth to first. 

As the audience sat transfixed with all their eyes on the top six bodybuilders in the world awaiting Park’s announcement, Park made the anxious fans wait for the big announcement. 

Finally, with the sold-out auditorium sitting on pins and needles, Park shouted into the microphone

“FRANK ZANE!”

All the fans in the Veterans Memorial Auditorium leapt to their feet and screamed their approval! Frank Zane was the most popular man in Columbus, Ohio as the other five bodybuilders on stage reached out to him to congratulate the new Mr. Olympia winner. 

Stay tuned for our next installment as we look back on the happenings of the 1978 Mr. Olympia.

What was your favorite moment from the 1977 Mr. Olympia? Do you think Frank’s win was justified or do you feel someone else was a better fit for the title?