Jake Steinfeld

"Body by Jake" redirects here. For the Roseanne episode, see Body by Jake (Roseanne).
Jake Steinfeld
Steinfeld speaks during an award ceremony in Holbrook, east of Sedona, Arizona in 2016
Born (1958-02-21) February 21, 1958 (age 66)
Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
Occupations
  • Actor
  • fitness personality
  • entrepreneur
  • producer
Years active1979–present
SpouseTracy Steinfeld[1]
Children4
RelativesHailee Steinfeld (niece)

Jake Steinfeld (born February 21, 1958) is an American actor, fitness personality, entrepreneur, and producer, known for his Body by Jake brand.[2] He is the uncle of actress/singer Hailee Steinfeld.

Early life

Born in the Sea Gate neighborhood of Brooklyn in western Coney Island,[3] Steinfeld grew up in Baldwin, New York which is near Queens on Long Island.[4] He attended the State University of New York at Cortland, dropped out, and moved to Los Angeles.[5]

Career

Steinfeld develops brands and businesses as chairman and CEO of Body by Jake. Before that, Steinfeld created FitTV, a 24-hour fitness lifestyle network, which he later sold to News Corp.

After the sale of FitTV, Steinfeld launched ExerciseTV, a fitness on-demand television network, with partners Comcast, New Balance, and Time Warner.[6][7] He co-founded Major League Lacrosse (MLL), the first professional outdoor lacrosse league in 2001. MLL had six franchises in North America; the championship trophy was named the Steinfeld Cup.[8] In 2020, the MLL merged with the Premier Lacrosse League. He is the founder of the World Series of Youth Lacrosse which provides (U13) youth players a lacrosse experience like that of a professional. The event features teams from the U.S., Europe, Canada, Israel, Iroquois Nation, and others competing to play in the championship game aired live on ESPN2 on the Fourth of July.[9] Teaming with Universal Music Enterprises (UMe), a division of Universal Music Group, Steinfeld formed a music label called Body by Jake Music.[2]

Steinfeld became chairman of the California Governor's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports under Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2006 and served until 2011 under Governor Jerry Brown.[10][11] He was named chairman of the National Foundation for Governors' Fitness Councils in 2012. Through the cooperation of public and private partnerships, the NFGFC rewards "Don't Quit" fitness centers to elementary and middle schools who show innovative ways to promote fitness and nutrition in their schools and communities across the United States.[12]

Steinfeld was an official Olympic torch bearer for the 2012 Summer Olympics.[13] He served as the honorary mayor of Pacific Palisades from 2013 to 2016.[14]

Television and film

Steinfeld began as a personal trainer with clients including Steven Spielberg and Harrison Ford, whom he trained for Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.[15] Later he starred on a sitcom on the Family Channel called Big Brother Jake.

Other television credits include King of the Hill, Movin' Mountains, Dream On, The Tracey Ullman Show, Shaping Up, and Simon & Simon. In addition, he appeared in the fourteenth season of Hell's Kitchen as a guest in episode 12's dinner service.[15] He made his film debut in the 1979 film Americathon. He acted in the lead role of the killer in the early slasher film Home Sweet Home (1981).[16] Other film roles include Cheech and Chong's Next Movie (1980), Into the Night (1985), The Money Pit (1986), and Coming to America (1988). He supplied the voice of Git, a lab rat in the Disney animated feature Ratatouille and was the voice of the Fish Seller in the 2011 English version of From Up On Poppy Hill.[15]

Steinfeld is executive producer of the film The Grizzlies, which won the DGC award for Best Director in Feature Film as well as Audience Awards in the Calgary, Minneapolis, and Palm Springs Film Festivals.[17]

Writing

Steinfeld is a New York Times and Wall Street Journal best-selling author. He has written and co-authored books including Body by Jake (1984); Don't Quit; Get Strong! Body by Jake's Guide to Building Confidence, Muscles and a Great Future for Teenage Guys (2002); I've Seen a Lot of Famous People Naked and They've Got Nothing on You! (2005); and Take A Shot!, A Remarkable Story of Perseverance, Friendship, and a Really Crazy Adventure (2012).

Personal life

Steinfeld is married to Tracy and they have four children.[18] He is of Jewish descent and the uncle of actress/singer Hailee Steinfeld.[19]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1979 Americathon Act
1980 Cheech and Chong's Next Movie Womba
1981 Home Sweet Home Jay Jones
1982 Movie Madness Bodyguard
1985 Into the Night Larry
1986 The Money Pit Duke
1986 Odd Jobs Mick
1986 Tough Guys Howard
1988 You Can't Hurry Love Sparky
1988 Coming to America Cab Driver
1990 Repossessed Self
1991 Rock-a-Doodle Farmyard Bully / Max the Bouncer Voice
1998 Susan's Plan Self
1999 Aimée & Jaguar Eberhard
2007 Ratatouille Git (Lab Rat) Voice
2011 From Up on Poppy Hill Fish Seller

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1982 Simon & Simon Bernard Episode: "Art for Arthur's Sake"
1983 The Invisible Woman Attendant Television film
1984 Shaping Up Jery 2 episodes
1984 Mr. Success Officer Winston Simon Television film
1985 Amazing Stories The Hulk Episode: "Remote Control Man"
1986 All Is Forgiven Bouncer Episode: "Mother's Day"
1989 The Tracey Ullman Show Fitness Trainer / Conductor 2 episodes
1990–1994 Big Brother Jake Jake Rozzner 81 episodes
1994 Dream On Mack Episode: "Martin Tupper in 'Magnum Farce'"
1995 Burke's Law Burt Douglas Episode: "Who Killed the Hollywood Headshrinker?"
2000 The Wonderful World of Disney Self Episode: "Model Behavior"
2008 King of the Hill Thunder Episode: "Dia-BILL-ic Shock"
2016, 2017 Lopez Jake / Jake Steinfeld 2 episodes

References

  1. ^ "Trendsetter to Know: Jake Steinfeld of Arizona Get Fit". www.arizonafoothillsmagazine.com.
  2. ^ a b "Jake Steinfeld Adds Music To His Body By Jake® Fitness Empire". UMe. 2012-10-18. Retrieved 2019-10-15.
  3. ^ "Jake Steinfeld, Personal-Fitness Guru, Gives Tips to Keep Kids Fit". 21 August 2012.
  4. ^ "Lacrosse Stop on LI is Special for Steinfeld".
  5. ^ "Jake Steinfeld". 2 July 2005.
  6. ^ "Comcast and Jake 'Body by Jake' Steinfeld Launch Exercisetv". Comcast. January 18, 2006. Retrieved August 12, 2019.
  7. ^ Sean Hyson (9 May 2015). "How Fitness Guru Jake Steinfeld Made Fitness Fun". Men’s Journal. Retrieved August 12, 2019.
  8. ^ "About MLL". MLL. Archived from the original on July 27, 2019. Retrieved July 27, 2019.
  9. ^ "History of the WSYL". WSYL. Archived from the original on 2019-10-15. Retrieved 2019-10-15.
  10. ^ "Governor's Council Shines Spotlight on California's 2010 Fitness Champions". www.businesswire.com. 2010-09-17. Retrieved 2019-10-15.
  11. ^ "Governor Brown And Fitness Council Chairman Jake Steinfeld Announce California's 2011 Champions for Youth Fitness". Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. Retrieved 2019-10-15.
  12. ^ "Meet Jake | National Foundation for Governors' Fitness Councils". Retrieved 2019-10-15.
  13. ^ "Coca-Cola Selects 22 Inspiring Americans to Carry the Olympic Flame in the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay". www.businesswire.com. 2012-05-29. Retrieved 2019-10-15.
  14. ^ graphics (2013-06-20). "Honorary Mayor Steinfeld Says 'Don't Quit'". Palisadian Post. Retrieved 2019-10-15.
  15. ^ a b c "Jake Steinfeld". IMDb. Retrieved August 12, 2019.
  16. ^ Sueyres, Thomas (2014-11-27). "Heinous for the Holidays: HOME SWEET HOME (1981)". Video Junkie. Retrieved 2014-11-28.
  17. ^ "'The Grizzlies': Film Review | Palm Springs 2019". The Hollywood Reporter. 9 January 2019. Retrieved 2019-10-15.
  18. ^ "Question - Jake "Body by Jake" Steinfeld". Philadelphia Weekly. January 23, 2002. Retrieved August 12, 2019.
  19. ^ Riley, Jenelle (December 13, 2010). "A Girl With 'Grit'". Backstage. Archived from the original on December 23, 2010. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
Preceded by Honorary mayor of Pacific Palisades, California
2013–present