Career
Born in Philadelphia in 1925, He served in the Navy during World World War II and entered into the sport of bodybuilding afterwards. In 1942, on his 17th birthday, Eiferman decided to join the United States Navy. During this time, he began lifting weights seriously and ended up putting on 40 pounds of muscle until his departure on his 21st birthday in 1946.
He then joined Fritshe"s gym in Philadelphia.
He later moved to California where he worked out regularly at Muscle Beach. During this time, Eiferman made a movie called The Devil"s Sleep and the 1960s George of the Jungle cartoon character was created by the cook on his mine sweeper during the war by combining his likeness and the Tarzan character.
Having a number of prestigious titles, he began traveling the country and giving speeches at high schools on living a healthy lifestyle and the benefits of weight training for the Nationwide School Assemblies of America organization. He came to my high school in Twin Falls, Idaho in 1953.
He talked about sailors who didn"t have enough strength to pull themselves up into a rescue boat in the war.
He was not just about body building for show. Strength was important too. I went into the United States Marine Corps with six months of weight lifting and it served me well, doubling my strength - inspired by his lecture back then
Few athletes did lifting in 1962, not even the Marine football team! My high school history teacher told us that George told him it took five years before he saw any difference in his build.
Finishing his lecture, he demonstrated a pullover while on a bench with a 110-pound barbell. I know now that the pullovers make your lower pecs well defined, and he had them.
I talked with him on the phone when he was in Las Vegas at his gym in 1995 and was able to thank him for putting me on the right course for being strong and healthy. He also opened up his own gyms in Hawaii, Vista, California, and Las Vegas.
In the 80"s George had a television show in Vegas called Take 5 for fitness on Fox 5 in Las Vegas.
As a trainer, nutritionist, and fitness ambassador, he worked with and enjoyed relationships with everyone from Steve Reeves, Lou Ferrigno, and Arnold Schwarzenegger to Mae west, Debbie Reynolds, Liz Taylor and Marilyn Monroe. He also helped train celebrities like Rock Hudson, Sylvester Stallone, and even Elvis in the early 70"s when he was having weight/health issues. George was inducted into the IFBB Hall of Fame in 2000.
