| Ted Arcidi | |
| Birth Name: | Theodore Arcidi |
| Birth Date: | June 16, 1958 |
| Birth Place: | Buffalo, New York, U.S. |
| Names: | Ted Arcidi, Strongest Man in the World |
| Height: | 5 ft 11 in[1] |
| Weight: | 285 lbs |
| Billed: | Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Trainer: | Tony Altomare |
| Debut: | December 1985 |
| Retired: | 1990 |
| Alma Mater: | |
Theodore (Ted) Arcidi (born June 16, 1958) is an American former professional wrestler, actor, and powerlifter. He is known to be the first man in history to bench press over 700 pounds in competition, establishing an official world record.[2]
Arcidi was born in Buffalo, New York, and grew up in Concord, Massachusetts. The son of a nurse, Anne Arcidi and orthodontist, Doctor Joseph M. Arcidi. Ted was raised Roman Catholic and attended parochial schools with his 6 siblings, 3 brothers and 3 sisters. Throughout elementary and high school, Ted was active in all sports, particularly Ice hockey.[3] Ted received a BS from Norwich University and went on to Graduate School at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine.[4] While he was obtaining more science credits to get into dental school he taught junior high and high school biology. That was cut short when his power lifting talent was good enough to compete at a world class level.[3]
Ted Arcidi bench pressed 705.5 pounds (320 kg) on March 3, 1985 at Gus Rethwisch's Hawaii International Powerlifting Championships in Honolulu, Hawaii for an APF & USPF world record, to become the first man to bench 700 pounds in an officially recognized powerlifting competition.[1] [5] [6] Then, after being 5 1/2 years away from competition due to his wrestling career, he made a comeback. Weighing 291 pounds, Arcidi set another world record with a 718.1 lbs bench press at the APF Bench Press Invitational on September 30, 1990, in Keene, New Hampshire.[7] On September 14, 1991, at a Mr. Olympia contest, he squared off face to face with his greatest rival Anthony Clark to determine who the greatest bench presser of the world was. Arcidi defeated the much bigger Clark (5'8", 375 lbs) by pressing 725 pounds off his chest to establish a new world record, but was disqualified when judges deemed he failed to lock out his elbows.[8]
Arcidi's 705 pound all-time world record bench press was performed in one of the earliest bench shirts - an original pre-prototype supportive bench press shirt, which was 50% polyester and 50% cotton and only one layer thick.[9] [10] It was thus later categorized as "equipped", although it did not improve his bench by much, if anything.[9] It was an equivalent to a modern day Under Armour shirt. In 1984 Arcidi had benched an official 666.9 pounds (302.5 kg) at 286.0 pounds bodyweight completely raw, without a bench shirt, elbow or wrist wraps at the Hawaii International Powerlifting Championships as well.[11] He is considered to be one of the strongest bench pressers of all time.[12]
Done in official powerlifting full meets:
→ current all time completely raw (unequipped using no wrist wraps, no elbow wraps or a bench shirt) benchpress world records in the 308lb and 275lb class[15] Done in official bench-only invitational meet:
→ former all-time bench press world record regardless of weight class and equipment
Arcidi lifted for several years and eventually was sought by and debuted in Vince McMahon's World Wrestling Federation (WWF) in late 1985.[1] Arcidi faced other "strongmen" such as Tony Atlas, Big John Studd, and Hercules Hernandez during his stint and made a single appearance at WrestleMania 2 in the WWF/NFL Battle Royal.[1] [17] In 1986, he wrestled Big John Studd for the main event at the Boston Garden. He was the first WWF wrestler to hold the moniker of "The World’s Strongest Man".[18] His final match was against Jake Roberts on February 14, 1987 in Calgary, Alberta.[19]
Arcidi was immortalized as a wrestling doll when WWF brought out a line of Wrestling Superstars toys in 1987.[20] [8]
After his WWF run, he went to Calgary and briefly worked for Stu Hart's Stampede Wrestling, where Arcidi turned heel. After that, Arcidi moved on the World Class Championship Wrestling in Dallas, Texas, where he was known as "Mr. 705" (referring to his world record bench press). He was managed by Percival Pringle III and was part of a stable of wrestlers including Rick Rude, the Dingo Warrior and Cactus Jack Manson. Arcidi captured that organization's Texas Heavyweight Championship on August 31, 1987 and held it until he lost to Matt Borne on November 10 that same year.[21]
After leaving Pro-Wrestling, Ted created a vitamin supplement company called Arcidi Strength Systems. Among these are his ownership of New England's largest women's gym in Manchester, New Hampshire, and a gym equipment company called Weightlifters Warehouse.[3] Later, Arcidi bought the building with his father. Ted purchased Ryefield Farm, a 125-acre corn and hay farm located near Route 101A in Milford, NH.[4]
Arcidi started focusing on his acting career in 1997, with parts in films and shows such as Law & Order, a small part in The Equalizer 2, and in several commercials. He participated in numerous acting classes and casting director workshops on a weekly basis, engaging with both the New York City and Boston markets. During this period, he also seized opportunities to act in various student films and low-budget projects, collaborating with institutions such as Emerson College, Boston University, Boston College, and New York University.[3]
The table below comes from IMDb.[24]
| Year | Title | Role | Type | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | The Chair Company | Building Super | TV series | |
| 2020 | Defending Jacob (miniseries) | Kingston | TV mini series | |
| 2020 | Ray Donovan | Ricky Ronsen | TV series | |
| 2019 | Blue Bloods (TV series) [25] | Robbie Gold | TV series | |
| 2018 | The Equalizer 2 [26] | Big Ernie | Movie | |
| 2018 | The Path | The Super | TV series | |
| 2017 | Born Guilty | Larry | Movie | |
| 2016 | Donald Cried [27] | Corey | Movie | |
| 2014 | The Leftovers | Tow Truck Driver | TV series | |
| 2013 | The Family | Tommy (Mobster) | Movie | |
| 2013 | Standing Up | Mr. Falco | Short | |
| 2011 | The A Plate | Chuck | Movie | |
| 2011 | Prison Guard #1 | TV series | ||
| 2011 | Nurse Jackie | Driver | Movie | |
| 2011 | 30 Rock | Tony | TV series | |
| 2010 | Smark | Eddie Rocket | Movie | |
| 2010 | The Fighter | Lou Gold | Movie | |
| 2010 | The Town | Cedar Junction C.O. | Movie | |
| 2010 | The Imperialists Are Still Alive! | Don | Movie | |
| 2009 | Don McKay [28] | Officer Randall | Movie | |
| 2008 | Lipstick Jungle | Cop | TV series | |
| 2005 | Commitment | Sully | Short | |
| 2005 | Losers of the Year | Larry the Cop | Video | |
| 2004 | Heart of Spider | Jimmy | Short | |
| 2000 | Prince of Central Park | Construction Worker | Movie | |
| 2000 | H&G | Cooking show cook | Short | |
| 1999 | The Good Man's Sin | George | Short | |
| 1998 | Law & Order | Landlord | TV series | |
| 1998 | Bobby Loves Mangos | Mr. Coine | Short | |
| 1987 | Jake the Snake Roberts | Ted Arcidi | Video |
