Virgil Runnels
Biography
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".
Personal Details
Also Known As
Movies (44)
American Nightmare: Becoming Cody Rhodes
as Self (Archival Footage)
2023
You Cannot Kill David Arquette
as Self (archive footage)
2020
A Future WWE: The FCW Story
as Himself
2020
Randy Savage Unreleased: The Unseen Matches of The Macho Man
2018
Nature Boy
as Self (archive footage)
2017
WWE Unreleased: 1986-1995
2017
Scooby-Doo! and WWE: Curse of the Speed Demon
as Dusty Rhodes (voice)
2016
TNA: Best of the Asylum Years, Vol 2
as Dusty Rhodes
2016
WWE: The U.S. Championship: A Legacy of Greatness
as Dusty Rhodes (archive footage)
2016
Sting: Into the Light
as Dusty Rhodes
2015
Dusty Rhodes: Celebrating the Dream
2015
ECW - Unreleased Vol. 3
as Dusty Rhodes
2015
WWE Tribute to the Troops 2014
Executive Producer (Production)
2014
WWE United We Slam: The Best of The Great American Bash
as Dusty Rhodes
2014
WCW'S Greatest Pay-Per-View Matches Volume 1
as Dusty Rhodes
2014
WWE Battleground 2013
as Dusty Rhodes (Ringside)
2013
Legends of Mid-South Wrestling
as Dusty Rhodes
2013
WCW War Games: WCW's Most Notorious Matches
as Dusty Rhodes
2013
WWE WrestleMania 29 Kickoff
as "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes
2013
WWE: The Attitude Era
as Dusty
2012
nWo: The Revolution
2012
The Best of WCW Clash of the Champions
as Dusty Rhodes
2012
WWE: Starrcade - The Essential Collection
as Dusty Rhodes
2012
ROH: Ring of Hardcore
as Dusty Rhodes
2012
WWE: Top 50 Superstars of All Time
as "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes
2010
The Rise & Fall of WCW
as Dusty Rhodes
2009
Macho Madness - The Randy Savage Ultimate Collection
2009
Jeff Jarrett: King of the Mountain
as Dusty Rhodes
2009
WWE: The Best of Saturday Night's Main Event
as Dusty Rhodes
2009
Nature Boy Ric Flair - The Definitive Collection
as Dusty Rhodes
2008
Life In The Fast Lane
2007
Mid-South Wrestling Giants, Midgets, Heroes & Villains vol. 1
as Dusty Rhodes
2007
WWE The Great American Bash 2007
as Dusty Rhodes
2007
Ric Flair & The Four Horsemen
as Dusty Rhodes
2007
WWE Hall of Fame 2007
as Dusty Rhodes
2007
WWE Royal Rumble 2007
Writer (Writing)
2007
WWE Survivor Series 2006
as Dusty Rhodes
2006
WWE Cyber Sunday 2006
as Dusty Rhodes
2006
WWE: Hulk Hogan: The Ultimate Anthology
as Dusty Rhodes
2006
WWE: 20 Years Too Soon - The Superstar Billy Graham Story
as Dusty Rhodes
2006
The American Dream: The Dusty Rhodes Story
as Dusty Rhodes
2006
WWE Royal Rumble 2006
Writer (Writing)
2006
TNA Wrestling: Enigma - The Best of Jeff Hardy
as Dusty Rhodes
2005
The Greatest Stars of the 80's
as Self
2005
