Bonomo was born to Esther and Albert Bonomo, Sephardic Jewish immigrants from Smyrna, Turkey.[2] His mother emigrated to the United States in 1890 or 1893 and his father in 1894; both lived for a time in France before sailing to their respective emigrations. As a child Bonomo built himself into a strongman, winning the "Mr. Modern Apollo" contest of 1921, for which the prizes included a ten-week movie contract.[3]
Bonomo took interest in dieting and physical culture. His 1954 book Power Plus Cable Course was endorsed by Bernarr Macfadden. In 1951 he authored Calorie Counter and Control Guide, which sold 17 million copies.[5]
^Baxter, John. Stunt: The Story of the Great Movie Stunt Men, p. 82, Doubleday, 1974.
^Schneider, Jerry L. Edgar Rice Burroughs and the Silver Screen Vol. I The Silent Years
^Smith, Andrew F. (2017). Food in America: The Past, Present, and Future of Food, Farming, and the Family Meal, Volume 1. ABC-Clio. p. 97. ISBN978-1-4408-4731-8
Bonomo, Joe Strongman: A True Life Pictorial Autobiography of the Hercules of the Screen Kessinger Publishing, 2007.
