'American Gladiators' Tower, Waterford native, in Netflix documentary
WATERFORD, Wis. - If you were watching television in the early 1990s you may remember Nitro and Laser and Ice from the show "American Gladiators," and how about Tower, a Waterford native. There is a renewed interest in the program these days.
In 1979, teenager Steve Henneberry saw a Muscle & Fitness magazine and saw his life's path stretch out in front of him. To pursue his dream of becoming a Mr. America, Henneberry knew he needed more than the physical training resources at Waterford High School.
Muscle & Fitness magazine
"I remember taking it upon myself in shop class, in our welding class to start building our own equipment," said Henneberry. "Myself and a couple of other guys, we started building our bench presses, our squat racks, our preacher curl benches, and then in woodshop, we upholstered them."
Want something, do something – that's Henneberry. He did become a Mr. America, moved to California, got a stake in a gym out there and then got an invitation to audition for a TV show called "American Gladiators."
Steve Henneberry
"The first question they asked me was, ‘Why do you think you should be on the show?’ And without being cocky or egotistical, I said, ‘Look around. What do you guys see?’ I said, 'They're all this height. They're all 5'7", 5'8". I'm 6'4".' I said, ‘I stand out, and I want to be the Tower.’ They looked and they go, ‘OK. You can go over there.' My first day on the set at Universal Studios, when they knocked on my door, and they said, ‘Tower, we need you on set,’ I was so excited. I put my jacket on. I mean, I put my warmup jacket on, and I go running out, and I run right into Arnold Schwarzenegger. When I'm done, I go knocking on his door, and he lets me in, and he goes, ‘Sit down,’ and he goes, ‘Get out of bodybuilding. No money.’ He goes, ‘Become a household name.’ Little did I know that four years later, we became a No. 1 show, and I became a household name."
Tower was a mainstay on the show and the American Gladiators Tour, from which he still has his tour jacket.
Steve Henneberry
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The show was on the air from 1989 to 1996, and now, Henneberry sells real estate in the Los Angeles area, differentiating himself in that crowded market with a Gladiators-themed listing presentation.
The show is currently the subject of a Netflix documentary.
"It almost had like, this cult following that, 30 years later, people can still quote my 110-0 record in joust. Never lost in joust."
Steve Henneberry
Henneberry's record in life is pretty good, too, from tiny North Cape and working his family's pancake business at State Fair Park to stardom in LA but still staying connected to his roots.
"My wife and I try to get back every year for a Badger game and a Packer game," said Henneberry. "Get back for the Wisconsin deer hunt as often as I can because, quite frankly, that's who I am. I was brought up hunting and fishing, and I'm not going to give that up just because I'm in California."
"American Gladiators"
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The documentary on Netflix about "American Gladiators" is called "Muscles and Mayhem" There is some truth to that title, but Henneberry has very fond memories of his time on the show and the doors it has helped open for him in life.