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Arthur Jones Biography
Arthur Jones: A Biography of an Inventor and Adventurer
Arthur Jones, the famed inventor of the Nautilus exercise machines and the high intensity training system, he was born in 1926 and died in 2007. During his eighty years, he not only invented one of the most notable training machines, the Nautilus, but he also became one of the 400 richest people in the world according to Forbes magazine.
Arthur Jones Wild Cargo
But before becoming one of the richest men in the world due to his enormously popular Nautilus machines and training system, he opened a zoo in Slidell, Louisiana, an interest that would follow him his entire life. In the mid-fifties, he also made a number of films for the ABC network, which included his famous series "Wile Cargo." After an unsuccessful stint in Rhodesia where the local government took over his wild game business, he moved back to the United States and founded the company that made him millions.
Arthur Jones Founder of Nautilus
After selling his first Nautilus machine in 1970 after a spectacular unveiling at a Mr. America contest, Arthur Jones spent time traveling the world, being an adventurer of sorts. While adventuring, he focused on his collection of reptiles and poisonous arachnids. He even went as far as attempting to grow an alligator to record size. He kept these animals in the Nautilus, Inc. building as his own personal zoo. Furthermore, he founded the Jumbolair, which contained 350 acres of land for orphaned elephants, among other animals.
Using the television equipment for Nautilus, Arthur Jones re-recorded several episodes of his show "Wild Cargo." These episodes were found in a storage locker after his death along with much of the original "Wild Cargo" footage. After selling the Nautilus company for 23 million dollars, he moved on to his wildlife preservation and founding a new company, MedX, which focused on equipment for those with back pain.
Arthur Jones Zoo
With the money he earned from his high-grossing exercise equipment, Jones purchased over 600 acres of land in Florida for his own personal zoo. This became one of the largest personal zoos known in the world. Not only did it contain ninety elephants, but it also had over 4,000 different species of reptiles, including alligators, snakes, crocodiles, among others.
Despite being well-known for the Nautilus machines and the high intensity training system, what is often overlooked in Arthur Jones's life was his love and dedication to animals. From his own zoos to his various shows including "Wild Cargo," Arthur Jones led a full and varied life that included changing the way we view bodybuilding and fitness training equipment.
Arthur Jones Biography