Ric Drasin - Young Adulthood

Young Adulthood

Drasin's work in the fitness industry began in 1962, when he taught classes in nutrition and exercise at the Bakersfield YMCA. Also in Bakersfield, he was an instructor at Babe's Gym (1963–1964), then manager of Joseph's Gym (1965–1967).

Professional wrestlers who came to Bakersfield for wrestling shows fueled his dream of becoming a professional wrestler. Following their advice, he drove to Los Angeles in 1965 and introduced himself to the management of the Grand Olympic Auditorium, a major venue for professional boxing and wrestling. Because of Drasin's excellent physical condition, he was given the opportunity to prove that he could carry through with the rigorous training required by old school wrestling. Old school wrestlers were true wrestlers, who also learned the skills of ring presence, how to work the audience into a frenzy, and how to "work holds" (giving the appearance of inflicting and suffering excruciating pain).

Drasin was assigned to train with Johnnie Mae Young, a National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) United States Women's Champion. Young, at 5’4” and 180 pounds, was known as one of the toughest wrestlers in the business. Drasin, at 6’0”, 215 pounds, and 21 years younger, was the recipient of many bumps, bruises, rope and mat burns during his six-month training period. Each training session lasted two to three hours, and Drasin received thorough training in collegiate, professional, American- and Mexican-style wrestling. While in training, Drasin was a commuter, driving 216 miles round-trip between his home in Bakersfield and the Grand Olympic Auditorium four or five times a week.

Drasin's first professional appearance was as “Dick Alan,” a “baby face” (good guy). The year was 1965, and his opponent was Buddy "Killer" Austin. Austin won the match.

Drasin moved to Los Angeles County, California, in 1969 and has lived there ever since. He first lived in Torrance, California, for about a year and trained at Bill Pearl's Gym. He then moved to Santa Monica, California, where he remained until 1978.

In addition to wrestling, from 1968-1970 Drasin also worked as a salesman, going from store to store, for Kellogg's Cereals. For about 18 months in the early 1970s, he was the vice president and art director for Micro Sign Products, a sign and plastic letter company located in Marina del Rey, California. He left the company when it relocated to Carson, California.

Drasin started a mail order T-shirt business called Expressions in 1975, a venture he operated out of the bedroom of the apartment where he was living in Santa Monica. Expressions specialized in cartoon-like bodybuilding designs. Proficient at airbrush and silk screening, Drasin did all his own artwork. He advertised his products in various bodybuilding publications, and his business flourished.

In 1975 Drasin also started a business called West Coast Wrestling Promotions. He faced great opposition from the National Wrestling Alliance, and Drasin ceased operations after a few shows.

After moving to Santa Monica, he kept in shape for his professional wrestling matches with weight training at the world famous original Gold's Gym at 1006 Pacific Avenue in Venice, California. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who had come to the United States in September 1968, also trained at Gold's Gym. He and Drasin were training partners for four years (1970–1974). Schwarzenegger's English was so poor at the time that he would sometimes have Drasin accompany him on dates. Drasin has said, "He wanted somebody to go along so he wouldn't feel awkward, so I'd go with him."

In 1971, Schwarzenegger and Drasin had just completed a run on Venice Beach when they were approached by a man and woman from Habush Casting who asked them to audition for a television commercial. Both Schwarzenegger and Drasin were selected for the “Heavy Chevy” commercial, as were six other athletes. Among them were bodybuilders Charles “Chuck” Fautz and Jim Morris and strongman Steve Merjanian. The commercial marked the beginning of Drasin's long, ongoing career in commercials, films, television, and print advertisements.

In 1972, he had his first film role, playing "George," a gym manager who is attacked by rats in the movie Ben.

Drasin has personal favorites from his many appearances in front of the camera. Among them are the “Heavy Chevy” commercial, his 1981 television appearance as “Chuck Wilde/Mr. Galaxy” in the “Mr. Galaxy” episode of Charlie's Angels, and his television role as a vicious criminal named “Pipe” in two episodes of The Shield: “Pilot” (2002) and “Fire in the Hole” (2004).

Ironically, Drasin received no screen credit for one of his most visible roles, known variously as the “Middle Hulk,” “Hulkette, or the “Demi Hulk,” in two episodes of the television series The Incredible Hulk. Drasin played the half-transformed Hulk in “Prometheus: Part 1” (1980) and “Prometheus: Part 2” (1980). The fully transformed Hulk was played by Lou Ferrigno, a 6’5” bodybuilder who weighed 285 pounds.

In 1978, Drasin played an Olympic weightlifter in the film Sextette, where he traded quips with the legendary Mae West in her final screen performance.

Drasin frequently ate lunch with fellow bodybuilders Arnold Schwarzenegger and Ken Waller at the now closed Zucky's Delicatessen Coffee Shop at 431 Wilshire Boulevard in Santa Monica, California, an eatery favored by bodybuilders. During lunch one day in 1973, Waller, the manager of the original Gold's Gym, mentioned the idea of creating a logo for Gold's Gym to use on T-shirts. Using a napkin for paper, Drasin drew a bald weightlifter holding a barbell, a design that soon was used on athletic wear that was sold around the world.

In 1978, World Gym also asked him to design a logo, and he created the World Gym gorilla logo, still in use today.

For about a decade, Drasin competed in and either won or placed in several bodybuilding contests. The Mr. Venice Beach contest, which he won in 1972, was known for the high quality of contestants because of its proximity to Gold's Gym.

However, during that era bodybuilding was an expensive, time-consuming endeavor for most participants, with little hope of financial gain. So Drasin continued to put his muscles to serious work in the professional wrestling ring, while pursuing competitive bodybuilding as a sideline. Drasin's career as a wrestler took him all over the United States, including Hawaii, and to Canada. Many of his bouts were televised.

During that era, Dianabol and Primobolan Depot were two of the most popular steroids with bodybuilders. Drasin freely admits to taking steroids, as has Arnold Schwarzenegger, both reminding critics that steroids were legal during that era, requiring only a doctor's prescription.