The first Gold's Gym opened in fall 1965 in Venice Beach, California. Dubbed "the Mecca of bodybuilding", it was frequented by Arnold Schwarzenegger and featured in the 1977 movie Pumping Iron. The movie brought attention not only to the gym itself, but also to the world of bodybuilding and physique in general. Jim Morrison of The Doors was also a frequent visitor to the Gold's Gym in Venice. To this day, it is considered a landmark in the bodybuilding subculture and has even achieved cult status. In 1970, Joe Gold sold the chain. -Wiki-