Mike Sill was born in 1934 and died in 1994. At age 21 he was 6′1″ and 210 pounds with a 52″ inch chest, 29″ waist and 18″ biceps.
Mike Sill was truly a “golden boy,” a gifted athlete, sculptor, and graceful model whose work with several West Coast physique photographers (most notably, Dave Martin, Bruce of Los Angeles and Bob Delmonteque) cemented his popularity in the mid-1950s and resulted in numerous magazine covers.
Having suffered from rickets as a child, Sill began training with weights at age 14 to improve his body. Two years later, he won the Jowett World Body Building Trophy at age 16. During high school, he excelled in track and field events. In 1955, he was named Mr. Utah (Jr. division) and the following year was named Mr. Utah (Sr. division). In 1957, he won top honors in both the Mr. Rocky Mountain and the Mr. Western America competitions.
For two years, he attended the University of Utah, where he studied sculpture and swam on the university’s swim team. He later posed for the famous paintings that Arnold Freiberg created for Cecil B. DeMille’s film, “The Ten Commandments.” He also posed for Dr. Avard Fairbanks’ rendition of “Lycurgus,” located in Greece, and the Aaronic Priesthood statue located on Temple Square in Salt Lake City.
A member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Sill served a two-year mission in London during the late 1950s, where he was profiled and photographed for the physique magazine Popular Man (June 1959) by the physique photographer Domenique (William Domenique). In fact, Sill’s family was a prominent Mormon family. Sill’s father, Sterling W. Sill, was an elder of the church, the host of a radio show broadcast on Sunday evenings from Salt Lake City’s Temple Square, and the author of 30 inspirational books.
Photographer Dave Martin, who was credited with discovering Sill, said, “Mike Sill was my greatest success.” Bob Delmonteque, who also photographed Sill extensively, remembered him as a vivacious young man who, despite his religious convictions, was proud of his body and enjoyed baring it for his camera. Mike Sill died December 19, 1994 at age 60 of a heart attack.
Mike Sill Magazine Covers
Vim, December 1956
Tomorrow’s Man, January 1957
Body Beautiful, February 1957
The Male Figure, Vol. 4, Spring1957
Strength & Health, September 1958
Tomorrow’s Man, December 1959
MANual, March 1960
Art & Physique, Series 10, 1960
Mr. America, June 1961
The Young Physique, October 1961
The Male Figure, Vol. 26, 1962
Most of the photos here were shot by Bruce of LA. As a former Mr. America, I.M.D.B. credits Mike Sill as appearing in Cecil B. DeMille’s “The Ten Commandments” as “One of bearers of the Golden Calf.”
