'Pumping Iron' Author Charles Gaines Dies at 84

Charles Gaines, who wrote the 1970s book and film "Pumping Iron" that turned Arnold Schwarzenegger from a bodybuilder into a movie star and later California's governor, died July 21, 2026, at 84. His daughter, Greta Gaines, confirmed the death to The Guardian and AP. No cause was shared. Schwarzenegger posted an Instagram tribute.