They were encouraged to move to California in 1979 to see if they could break into show business and have success attained by bodybuilders-turned-actors including Arnold Schwarzenegger and Lou Ferrigno.
Their public strength feats included 500-pound reverse-grip bench presses (by David), 150-pound dumbbell cheat curls for reps (by Peter), and 315-pound presses behind the neck for reps.[2] In 1982, David and Peter Paul were featured in magazines including Powerlifting USA, Muscle & Fitness, and a high-profile, 8-page Sports Illustrated article [3] along with a segment on Showtime's What’s Up, America?.
This led to David and Peter Paul's role in 1983's D.C. Cab as muscular cab drivers appearing with Mr. T. They appeared in supporting cameo roles in films including films such as The Flamingo Kid playing beefy lifeguards and on television in an episode of Knight Rider entitled "Knight of the Drones"[4] and a 1985 episode of Hollywood Beat alongside star John Matuszak.
The Pauls would continue to do live appearances, TV show interviews, and were featured in a July 1986 photo spread in Playgirl magazine.
The pair made news by being the first nominees to attend the Golden Raspberry Awards in which they were nominated for a Razzie in the category of "Worst New Star" though losing to David Mendenhall for his work in Over the Top.
David and Peter were filmed for a small part in Oliver Stone's Natural Born Killers in which they are in a bodybuilding public gym milieu being interviewed by Robert Downey Jr.'s character; but the scene was edited out.
They met fitness celebrities there, including Pete Grymkowski and Joe Weider, and received encouragement to move to California for better opportunities.
[13] They made personal appearances at various gyms, bodybuilding competitions as celebrity judges or autograph sessions, and at high profile locations including Disneyland.