Virgil Runnels
Known for: Acting
Born: October 12, 1945
Died: June 11, 2015
Place of birth: Austin, Texas, USA
Virgil Riley Runnels, Jr., better known as "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes, was an American professional wrestler, booker/writer, and trainer who most notably worked for the National Wrestling Alliance, NWA Championship Wrestling from Florida, Jim Crockett Promotions (JCP), and WWE. Rhodes is considered one of the greatest wrestlers and talkers in the history of professional wrestling. Rhodes was a three-time NWA World's Heavyweight Champion, and during his time in Jim Crockett Promotions' Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling, later known as World Championship Wrestling (WCW), he was a NWA United States Heavyweight Champion, and multi-time NWA World Television, NWA Tag Team and NWA World 6-Man Tag Team Champion. He also won many regional championships, and is one of seven men inducted into each of the WWE, WCW, Professional Wrestling, and Wrestling Observer Newsletter Halls of Fame. His sons, Dustin and Cody, both pursued careers in professional wrestling, performing for WWE and AEW. Following his retirement from wrestling, he made occasional on-air appearances on WWE television and pay-per-views and worked as a backstage booker/writer and producer in WWE's NXT developmental territory. Billed as "the son of a plumber", Rhodes did not have a typical wrestler's physique; his character was that of the "common man", known for the personality exhibited in his interviews. WWE chairman Vince McMahon remarked that no wrestler "personified the essence of charisma quite like Dusty Rhodes".
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Filmography
212 movies · 25 TV shows, newest first
7.1
Bray Wyatt: Becoming Immortal
2024
7.8
American Nightmare: Becoming Cody Rhodes
2023
7.2
WWE Rivals
2022
7.4
Biography: WWE Legends
2021
6.7
You Cannot Kill David Arquette
2020
7.7
A Future WWE: The FCW Story
2020
10.0
Randy Savage Unreleased: The Unseen Matches of The Macho Man
2018
7.1
Nature Boy
2017
10.0
WWE Unreleased: 1986-1995
2017
7.5
Scooby-Doo! and WWE: Curse of the Speed Demon
2016
10.0
TNA: Best of the Asylum Years, Vol 2
2016
9.2
WWE: The U.S. Championship: A Legacy of Greatness
2016
7.3
Sting: Into the Light
2015
7.0
Dusty Rhodes: Celebrating the Dream
2015
9.2
ECW - Unreleased Vol. 3
201510.0
WWE Tribute to the Troops 2014
2014
7.0
WWE Rivalries
2014
10.0
WWE United We Slam: The Best of The Great American Bash
2014
NR
WCW'S Greatest Pay-Per-View Matches Volume 1
2014
NR
Wrestlemania Rewind
2014
7.1
WWE Battleground 2013
2013
9.3
Legends of Mid-South Wrestling
2013
10.0
WCW War Games: WCW's Most Notorious Matches
2013NR
WWE WrestleMania 29 Kickoff
2013NR
The JBL and Cole Show
2012
8.5
WWE: The Attitude Era
2012
7.2
nWo: The Revolution
2012
7.5
The Best of WCW Clash of the Champions
2012
NR
WWE: Starrcade - The Essential Collection
2012
10.0
ROH: Ring of Hardcore
2012
8.3
WWE: Top 50 Superstars of All Time
2010
6.7
WWE NXT
2010
7.2
The Rise & Fall of WCW
2009
10.0
Macho Madness - The Randy Savage Ultimate Collection
2009
10.0
Jeff Jarrett: King of the Mountain
2009
7.5
WWE: The Best of Saturday Night's Main Event
2009
6.0
Nature Boy Ric Flair - The Definitive Collection
2008
NR
Life In The Fast Lane
2007
NR
Mid-South Wrestling Giants, Midgets, Heroes & Villains vol. 1
2007
6.3
WWE The Great American Bash 2007
2007
5.9
Ric Flair & The Four Horsemen
2007
8.6
WWE Hall of Fame 2007
2007
8.0
WWE Royal Rumble 2007
2007
7.1
WWE Survivor Series 2006
2006
6.5
WWE Cyber Sunday 2006
2006
7.9
WWE: Hulk Hogan: The Ultimate Anthology
2006
8.0
WWE: 20 Years Too Soon - The Superstar Billy Graham Story
2006
4.3
The American Dream: The Dusty Rhodes Story
2006
7.9
WWE Royal Rumble 2006
2006
NR
TNA Wrestling: Enigma - The Best of Jeff Hardy
2005
7.8
The Greatest Wrestling Stars of the '80s
2005
8.0
TNA Lockdown 2005
2005
7.3
WWE Hall of Fame
2005
8.0
TNA Destination X 2005
2005
6.5
TNA Against All Odds 2005
2005
8.5
TNA Final Resolution 2005
2005
7.5
TNA Turning Point 2004
2004
7.0
TNA Victory Road 2004
2004NR
NEW Renegades Rampage
2004
7.1
TNA iMPACT!
2004NR
HUSTLE-3
2004
9.0
WWE: The Ultimate Ric Flair Collection
2004NR
FIP Return Of The Dream
2003
NR
ROH: The Epic Encounter
2003NR
Major League Wrestling: Underground TV
2003NR
3PW Legends Collide
2003
NR
MLW King of Kings
2002
9.0
WCW Greed
2001
NR
ECW Hardcore Heaven 2000
2000
NR
ECW Wrestlepalooza 2000
2000
NR
ECW Living Dangerously 2000
2000
8.9
ECW on TNN
1999
6.5
WCW Road Wild 1999
1999
10.0
WCW Bash at the Beach 1999
1999
NR
WCW The Great American Bash 1999
1999
8.0
WCW Slamboree 1999
1999
7.4
WWE Friday Night SmackDown
1999
10.0
WCW Spring Stampede 1999
1999
8.0
WCW Uncensored 1999
1999
NR
WCW SuperBrawl IX
1999
7.0
WCW Souled Out 1999
1999
9.0
WCW Starrcade 1998
1998
8.0
WCW World War 3 1998
1998
10.0
WCW Halloween Havoc 1998
1998
9.0
WCW Fall Brawl 1998
1998
7.7
WCW Road Wild 1998
1998
8.5
WCW Bash at the Beach 1998
1998
8.0
WCW The Great American Bash 1998
1998
8.0
WCW Slamboree 1998
1998
8.3
The Unreal Story Of Pro Wrestling
1998
10.0
WCW Spring Stampede 1998
1998
10.0
WCW Uncensored 1998
1998
7.0
WCW SuperBrawl VIII
1998
10.0
WCW Souled Out 1998
1998
7.4
WCW Thunder
1998
5.0
WCW Starrcade 1997
1997
7.5
WCW World War 3 1997
1997
7.5
WCW Halloween Havoc 1997
1997
NR
WCW Fall Brawl 1997
1997
5.5
WCW Clash of The Champions XXXV
1997
5.7
WCW Road Wild 1997
1997
9.0
WCW Bash at the Beach 1997
1997
9.0
WCW The Great American Bash 1997
1997
8.0
WCW Slamboree 1997
1997
9.0
WCW Spring Stampede 1997
1997
6.5
WCW Uncensored 1997
1997
8.8
WCW SuperBrawl VII
1997
10.0
nWo Souled Out 1997
1997
NR
WCW Clash of The Champions XXXIV
1997
8.0
WCW Starrcade 1996
1996
4.5
WCW World War 3 1996
1996
9.0
WCW Halloween Havoc 1996
1996
9.0
WCW Fall Brawl 1996
1996
NR
WCW Clash of The Champions XXXIII
1996
7.0
WCW Hog Wild 1996
1996
8.8
WCW Bash at the Beach 1996
1996
NR
WCW The Great American Bash 1996
1996
NR
WCW Slamboree 1996
1996
4.5
WCW Uncensored 1996
1996
7.1
WCW SuperBrawl VI
1996
9.0
WCW Clash of The Champions XXXII
1996
9.0
WCW Starrcade 1995
1995
NR
WCW World War 3 1995
1995
7.0
WCW Halloween Havoc 1995
1995NR
WCW: Ric Flair - 2 Decades of Excellence
1995
7.0
WCW Fall Brawl 1995
1995
8.3
WCW Monday Nitro
1995
5.0
WCW Clash of The Champions XXXI
1995
2.7
WCW Bash at the Beach 1995
1995
NR
WCW The Great American Bash 1995
1995
NR
WCW Slamboree 1995
1995
2.0
WCW Uncensored 1995
1995
NR
WCW Clash of The Champions XXX
1995
NR
WCW All Nighter 1995
1995
7.0
WCW Starrcade 1994
1994
NR
WCW Clash of The Champions XXIX
1994
NR
WCW Fall Brawl 1994
1994
NR
WCW Clash of the Champions XXVIII
1994
6.3
WCW Bash at the Beach 1994
1994
NR
WCW Clash of The Champions XXVII
1994
7.0
WCW Slamboree 1994
1994
9.0
WCW Spring Stampede 1994
1994
5.0
WCW SuperBrawl IV
1994
NR
WCW Clash of The Champions XXVI
1994
6.8
Burke's Law
1994
9.0
WCW Starrcade 1993
1993
6.0
WCW BattleBowl
1993
NR
WCW Clash of the Champions XXV
1993
7.0
WCW Halloween Havoc 1993
1993
NR
WCW Fall Brawl 1993
1993
NR
WCW Clash of the Champions XXIV
1993
10.0
WCW Beach Blast 1993
1993
NR
WCW Clash of The Champions XXIII
1993
10.0
WCW Slamboree 1993
1993
7.2
ECW Hardcore TV
1993
NR
WCW SuperBrawl III
1993
10.0
WCW Clash of The Champions XXII
1993
6.8
Raw
1993
6.7
WCW Starrcade 1992
1992
9.0
WCW Clash of The Champions XXI
1992
9.5
WCW Halloween Havoc 1992
1992
NR
WCW The Great American Bash 1992
1992
NR
WCW Clash of The Champions XIX
1992
8.0
WCW Beach Blast
1992
6.0
WCW WrestleWar 1992
1992
NR
Paradise Park
1992
8.0
WCW SuperBrawl II
1992
6.0
WCW Clash of The Champions XVIII
1992
NR
WCW/New Japan Supershow II
1992
8.0
WCW Starrcade 1991
1991
NR
WCW Clash of The Champions XVII
1991
7.0
WCW Halloween Havoc 1991
1991
7.0
WCW Clash of The Champions XVI: Fall Brawl '91
1991
3.3
WCW Clash of the Champions XV: Knocksville USA
1991
6.0
WCW SuperBrawl 1
1991
8.0
WCW WrestleWar 1991
1991
7.0
WCW Clash of The Champions XIV: Dixie Dynamite
1991
7.1
WWE Royal Rumble 1991
1991
7.7
WWE Survivor Series 1990
1990
NR
WWE Hottest Matches
1990
6.9
WWE SummerSlam 1990
1990
NR
Battle of the WWE Superstars
1990NR
WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: June '90
1990
8.4
WWE WrestleMania VI
1990
NR
WWE The Ultimate Challenge Special: The March to WrestleMania VI
1990
6.1
WWE Royal Rumble 1990
1990
7.8
WWE Survivor Series 1989
19895.9
WWE Survivor Series Showdown '89
1989
6.7
WWE SummerSlam 1989
1989
NR
Fan Favorites
1989NR
PWF Homecoming
1989
7.0
NWA Starrcade 1988
1988
NR
NWA Clash of The Champions IV: Season's Beatings
1988
7.0
NWA Clash of The Champions III: Fall Brawl '88
1988
NR
NWA The Great American Bash 1988: Greensboro
1988
6.0
NWA The Great American Bash 1988
1988
8.5
NWA Clash of the Champions II: Miami Mayhem
19887.0
The Third Annual NWA Jim Crockett Sr. Memorial Cup Tag Team Tournament
1988
8.4
NWA Clash of the Champions
1988
NR
Clash of the Champions
1988
6.0
NWA Bunkhouse Stampede
1988
5.9
NWA Starrcade 1987
1987
NR
NWA Wrestling The Danger Zone
1987
7.0
NWA The Great American Bash '87: War Games
1987
NR
The Second Annual NWA Jim Crockett Sr. Memorial Cup Tag Team Tournament
198710.0
NWA Super Towns on The SuperStation
1987
7.5
NWA Starrcade 1986
1986
6.8
WWF Wrestling Challenge
1986
NR
NWA The Great American Bash '86: Livin' in the Promise Land
1986
NR
NWA The Great American Bash '86 Tour: Greensboro
1986
NR
NWA The Great American Bash '86 Tour: Charlotte
1986
10.0
The First Annual NWA Jim Crockett Sr. Memorial Cup Tag Team Tournament
1986
NR
NWA Battle of The Belts II
19868.5
NWA Superstars on The SuperStation
1986NR
AWA/NWA Night of Champions II
1985NR
Pro Wrestling USA Star Wars: December 1984
1985
7.7
NWA Starrcade 1985
1985
NR
NWA World Championship Wrestling
1985
NR
Mid-South WrestleFest '85
1985
NR
NWA The Great American Bash 1985
1985
6.4
I Like To Hurt People
1985
8.3
WWE Saturday Night's Main Event
1985
5.6
NWA Starrcade 1984
1984
NR
NWA Lords of The Ring
1984
NR
NWA Night of Champions
1984
NR
NWA Boogie Jam
1984
7.3
NWA Starrcade 1983
1983
NR
WCW Arena Shows
1983
4.4
Gold Raiders
1982NR
NWA Sam Muchnick Retirement Show
1982
NR
Mid-South Wrestling
1981
NR
Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling
1981
NR
NWA The Last Tangle in Tampa
1980
NR
The Super Bowl of Wrestling
1978
NR
WWF All-Star Wrestling
1975
5.0
The Wrestler
1974
NR
WWE Old School
1973