Cory Everson
Corinna "Cory" Everson (née Kneuer; born January 4, 1958) is an American female bodybuilding champion and actress. Widely regarded as the first superstar of female bodybuilding, Everson won the Ms. Olympia contest six years in a row from 1984 to 1989.
Also recorded as Corinna Everson
Cory Everson
- Name
- Corinna Everson
- Born
- 4 January 1958
- Birthplace
- Racine, Wisconsin, US
- Nationality
- United States
- Occupation
- actress · bodybuilder
- Education
- Deerfield High School
- Languages
- English
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Documentary summary
Corinna "Cory" Everson (née Kneuer; born January 4, 1958) is an American female bodybuilding champion and actress. Widely regarded as the first superstar of female bodybuilding, Everson won the Ms. Olympia contest six years in a row from 1984 to 1989.
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Cory Everson (born 1958) is an actor, actress and bodybuilder, among other activities, of American nationality. The actor was born in Racine. Cory Everson was educated at Deerfield High School. Languages used include English.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 26 September 2026
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In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Corinna Everson • Born — 4 January 1958 • Birthplace — Racine, Wisconsin, US • Weight — On-season: 155 - Off-season: 160 - • Firstproshow — IFBB North American • Firstproshowyear — 1982 • Bestwin — Ms. Olympia six consecutive times (undefeated) • Bestwinyear — 1984–1989 • Predecessor — Carla Dunlap • Successor — Lenda Murray • Yesorretiredyear — Retired 1989 • Full Name — Corinna Kneuer Everson
Education
Education
Corinna Kneuer was born in Racine, Wisconsin and attended high school in Deerfield, Illinois. She attended the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where she was a multi-sport standout (gymnastics, track & field and badminton).
Early career
Early career
While attending the University of Wisconsin–Madison, she met Jeff Everson, a competitive bodybuilder who worked there as a strength coach. They married in 1982. While they were married, the Eversons built a successful mail-order clothing business called Sampson and Delilah.
Bodybuilding career
Bodybuilding career
Everson began to train seriously as a bodybuilder after her graduation, and made rapid progress. In the early years, she and her husband trained at Ernie's Gym on Sherman Avenue in Madison. She won the Ms. Olympia bodybuilding contest at her first participation and remained undefeated from 1984 to 1989 when she retired from competition.
Contest history
Contest history
• 1980 Ms. Mid America - 1st (tall and overall) • 1980 American Couples - 3rd (with Jeff Everson) • 1981 Ms. Midwest Open - 1st (tall & overall) • 1981 Ms. Central USA - 1st (HW and overall) • 1981 Couples America - 1st (with Jeff Everson) • 1981 American Championships - 11th (MW) • 1982 Ms. East Coast - 1st (MW) • 1982 Bodybuilding Expo III - 2nd (MW) • 1982 Bodybuilding Expo Couples - 2nd (with Jeff Everson) • 1982 AFWB American Championships - 5th (HW) • 1982 IFBB North American - 1st (MW and overall) • 1982 IFBB North American Mixed Pairs - 1st • 1983 Bodybuilding Expo IV - 1st (MW and overall) • 1983 Bodybuilding Expo Mixed Pairs - 1st • 1983 U.S. Bodybuilding Championships Couples - 1st (with Jeff Everson) • 1983 AFWB American Championships - 8th (HW) • 1983 NPC Nationals - 2nd (HW) • 1984 American Women's Championships - 1st (HW and overall) • 1984 NPC Nationals - 1st (HW and overall) • 1984 IFBB Ms. Olympia - 1st • 1985 IFBB Ms. Olympia - 1st • 1986 IFBB Ms. Olympia - 1st • 1987 IFBB Ms. Olympia - 1st • 1988 IFBB Ms. Olympia - 1st • 1989 IFBB Ms. Olympia - 1st
Film and television career
Film and television career
After retiring from competition, Everson turned to acting with her first major movie appearance being Double Impact (1991) alongside Jean-Claude Van Damme. She took a minor role in Natural Born Killers (1994). Then in Ballistic (1995), she reprised the evil musclewoman role, losing the final fight to Marjean Holden playing an undercover cop. Everson has made a number of guest appearances in television series, most notably playing Atalanta on Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. She appeared in two episodes of The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. with her sister, Cameo Kneuer. In 1991, Everson appeared on To Tell The Truth game show. Everson was the original host of the fitness show BodyShaping, which she also produced. She also hosted her own exercise show on ESPN, Cory Everson's Gotta Sweat, for seven years.
Television
Television
• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 1991 — To Tell the Truth — Herself — Contestant • 1993 — The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. — Katrina Schwenke — Episodes: "No Man's Land" and "Steel Horses" • 1994 — Renegade — Aurora — Episode: "Muscle Beach" • Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman — Amazon Woman #1 — Episode: "Wall of Sound" • 1995-1998 — Hercules: The Legendary Journeys — Atalanta — Episodes: "Ares", "Let the Games Begin" and "If I Had a Hammer" • 1996 — Goode Behavior — Episode: "Goode Sport" • Tarzan: The Epic Adventures — Mara — Episodes: "Tarzan's Return: Part 1" and "Part 2" • Strange Luck — Physik Receptionist — Episode: "Wrong Number" • 1997 — Home Improvement — Herself — Episode: "Pump You Up" • 1998 — Mortal Kombat: Conquest — Sheeva — Supporting Role — 59 Episodes • 2005 — Charmed — Hulk Paige — Episode: "Hulkus Pocus"
Personal life
Personal life
She married Jeff Everson in 1982. They divorced in 1996; however, she continues to use Everson as her stage name. In 1998, she married Dr. Steve Donia, a dentist; they have two children whom they adopted from Russia. She became active with Nightlight Christian Adoptions, an adoption agency that brings orphans from Russia and Belarus to the US to stay with families looking to adopt a child. Everson's sister, Cameo Kneuer, is a two-time Ms. National Fitness champion and a mainstay of the TV game series Knights and Warriors
Film
• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 1986 — The Morning After — Miss Olympia • 1989 — The Girl from Outer Space — Lab Guard #1 • 1991 — Double Impact — Kara • 1994 — Natural Born Killers — TV Mallory Knox • 1995 — Ballistic — Claudia • 1996 — Felony — Sondra • 1997 — Sacred Trust — Grace Larson • 1999 — My Favorite Martian — SETI Guard — Uncredited
Awards and honors
In January 1999, Everson was inducted into the IFBB Hall of Fame as part of the inaugural group. She was inducted into the Muscle Beach Venice Bodybuilding Hall of Fame on September 5, 2005. At the 2007 Arnold Classic, she became the first woman to be presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award, and in 2008 she was inducted into the National Fitness Hall of Fame. In 2012, she was inducted into the International Sports Hall of Fame.
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Ravo, Nick. WORKING OUT WITH: Lenda Murray; Wonder Woman In the Flesh. New York Times. December 2, 1992.
- 2.Minneapolis Star Tribune. Bodies are her business. July 31, 1988.
- 3.Herman, Valli. Lines muscling in on fitness fashion. LA Daily News. March 20, 1991.
- 4.Mitos do Bodybuilding: Cory Everson.
- 5.International Federation of Body Building. Cory Everson bio.
- 6.International Federation of Body Building and Fitness. Hall of fame inductees for 1999.
- 7.Skrabacz, Ron. National Fitness Hall of Fame introduces Class of 2008. Daily Herald. April 18, 2008.
- 8.International Sports Hall of Fame. International Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2012.
- 9.Harrington, Richard. Double Impact. Washington Post. August 12, 1991.
- 10.Rushin, Steve. Are You Sweating Yet?. Sports Illustrated. July 17, 1989.
- 11.Stevens, Liz. The newest aerobic trend is a real kick. Ft. Worth Star-Telegram. April 16, 1998.
- 12.Stiefel, Steve. Cory's kids. Flex. 20. 10. December 2002.
References
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
institutional register
Wikidata, structured authority record Q439874: Cory EversonWikimedia Foundation
Unverified
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 15 August 2026.
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