Early Life and Influence:
– Gypsy Boots, born Bootzin, was born in San Francisco, California, to Russian Jewish immigrants.
– Raised in a vegetarian household by his mother, Mushka, and broom salesman father, Max.
– The death of his brother from tuberculosis led him to adopt a natural living lifestyle.
– He dropped out of high school in 1933 to wander California with a group of vagabonds.
– Founded the Nature Boys group, living off the land in Tahquitz Canyon near Palm Springs in the 1940s.
Career Highlights:
– Gypsy Boots appeared on Groucho Marx’s TV show ‘You Bet Your Life’ in 1955.
– Advocated clean living, exercise, and healthy eating.
– Made appearances with the Spike Jones musical-comedy troupe promoting health foods.
– Regular guest on American TV talk shows in the 1960s, including ‘The Steve Allen Show.’
– Released a record album, ‘Unpredictable,’ on Sidewalk Records in 1968.
Literary Contributions:
– Authored books such as ‘Bare Feet and Good Things to Eat’ (1965) and ‘The Gypsy in Me’ (1993).
Legacy and Lifestyle:
– Operated a health food store, Health Hut, popular among Hollywood celebrities in the early 1960s.
– Advocated for organic foods and endorsed Kyolic garlic.
– Maintained his childhood vegetarian lifestyle with his family.
– Showed avid support for sports teams like the USC Trojans and attended various games.
– Made appearances in movies and music festivals.
References and Further Reading:
– References to Bootzin’s birth and obituaries.
– Recommendations for further reading such as Jonathan Kauffman’s ‘Hippie Food: How Back-To-The-Landers, Longh’ (2018).
– Additional resources related to vegetarianism and related figures like eden ahbez and William Pester.
Gypsy Boots (August 19, 1915 – August 8, 2004), born Robert Bootzin (also known as Boots Bootzin), was an American fitness pioneer, actor and writer. He is credited with laying the foundation for the acceptance by mainstream America of "alternative" lifestyles incorporating elements such as yoga and health food. He is also known for his vegetarian guide Bare Feet and Good Things to Eat and his memoir The Gypsy in Me.
Gypsy Boots | |
|---|---|
 Bootzin in Los Angeles, 1986 | |
| Born | Robert Bootzin August 19, 1915 |
| Died | August 8, 2004 (aged 89) Camarillo, California, U.S. |
| Other names | Boots Bootzin |
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