Acting
Virgil Runnels
EN cinema · 213 credits
Born
12 October 1945
Died
11 June 2015 (aged 69)
Birthplace
Austin, Texas, USA
Also known as The American Dream · The Midnight Rider · The American Dream 'Dusty Rhodes' · Dusty Rhodes · Virgil Runnels Jr.
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".
Known for
Filmography
American Nightmare: Becoming Cody Rhodes
as Self (Archival Footage)
A Future WWE: The FCW Story
as Himself
You Cannot Kill David Arquette
as Self (archive footage)
Nature Boy
as Self (archive footage)
WWE: The U.S. Championship: A Legacy of Greatness
as Dusty Rhodes (archive footage)
Scooby-Doo! and WWE: Curse of the Speed Demon
as Dusty Rhodes (voice)
TNA: Best of the Asylum Years, Vol 2
as Dusty Rhodes
ECW - Unreleased Vol. 3
as Dusty Rhodes
Sting: Into the Light
as Dusty Rhodes
WCW War Games: WCW's Most Notorious Matches
as Dusty Rhodes, Executive Consultant
WWE Battleground 2013
as Dusty Rhodes (Ringside)
Legends of Mid-South Wrestling
as Dusty Rhodes
WWE WrestleMania 29 Kickoff
2013
WWE WrestleMania 29 Kickoff
as "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes
The Best of WCW Clash of the Champions
as Dusty Rhodes
ROH: Ring of Hardcore
as Dusty Rhodes
WWE: Starrcade - The Essential Collection
as Dusty Rhodes
WWE: Top 50 Superstars of All Time
as "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes
WWE: The Best of Saturday Night's Main Event
as Dusty Rhodes
Jeff Jarrett: King of the Mountain
as Dusty Rhodes
The Rise & Fall of WCW
as Dusty Rhodes
Nature Boy Ric Flair - The Definitive Collection
as Dusty Rhodes
WWE The Great American Bash 2007
as Dusty Rhodes
Ric Flair & The Four Horsemen
as Dusty Rhodes
WWE Hall of Fame 2007
as Dusty Rhodes
WWE Survivor Series 2006
as Dusty Rhodes
WWE Cyber Sunday 2006
as Dusty Rhodes
WWE: Hulk Hogan: The Ultimate Anthology
as Dusty Rhodes
The American Dream: The Dusty Rhodes Story
as Dusty Rhodes
TNA Lockdown 2005
as Dusty Rhodes (TNA D.O.A.)
TNA Destination X 2005
as Dusty Rhodes (TNA D.O.A.), Writer
TNA Against All Odds 2005
as Dusty Rhodes (TNA D.O.A.)
TNA Final Resolution 2005
as Dusty Rhodes (TNA D.O.A.)
TNA Victory Road 2004
as Dusty Rhodes (Appearance)
TNA Turning Point 2004
as Dusty Rhodes (TNA D.O.A.)
WWE: The Ultimate Ric Flair Collection
as Dusty Rhodes
HUSTLE-3
2004
HUSTLE-3
as Dusty Rhodes
ROH: The Epic Encounter
as Dusty Rhodes
MLW King of Kings
as Dusty Rhodes
WCW Greed
as Dusty Rhodes
ECW Hardcore Heaven 2000
as Dusty Rhodes
ECW Wrestlepalooza 2000
as Dusty Rhodes (Appearance)
ECW Living Dangerously 2000
as Dusty Rhodes
The Unreal Story Of Pro Wrestling
as Dusty Rhodes
WCW Souled Out 1998
as Dusty Rhodes (Ringside), Writer
WCW SuperBrawl VIII
as Dusty Rhodes, Writer
WCW Uncensored 1998
as Dusty Rhodes, Writer
WCW All Nighter 1995
Actor, Writer
WCW: Ric Flair - 2 Decades of Excellence
1995
WCW: Ric Flair - 2 Decades of Excellence
as Dusty Rhodes
WCW Fall Brawl 1994
as Dusty Rhodes, Writer
WCW Clash of the Champions XXVIII
as Dusty Rhodes, Writer
WCW Clash of the Champions XXV
as Dusty Rhodes (Ringside), Writer
WCW/New Japan Supershow II
as Dusty Rhodes
Paradise Park
as Deputy Johnny Morton
WWE Royal Rumble 1991
as Dusty Rhodes
WCW Halloween Havoc 1991
as Dusty Rhodes (Cornerman), Writer
WCW WrestleWar 1991
as Dusty Rhodes (Commentator), Producer's Assistant
WCW SuperBrawl 1
as Dusty Rhodes (Commentator), Writer
Battle of the WWE Superstars
as Dusty Rhodes
WWE Hottest Matches
as Dusty Rhodes
WWE Royal Rumble 1990
as Dusty Rhodes
WWE WrestleMania VI
as Dusty Rhodes
WWE SummerSlam 1990
as "The Common Man" Dusty Rhodes
WWE Survivor Series 1990
as Dusty Rhodes
WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: June '90
1990
WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: June '90
as Dusty Rhodes
WWE The Ultimate Challenge Special: The March to WrestleMania VI
as "The Common Man" Dusty Rhodes
WWE SummerSlam 1989
as Himself
PWF Homecoming
1989
PWF Homecoming
as "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes, Writer, Director
WWE Survivor Series Showdown '89
1989
WWE Survivor Series Showdown '89
as Dusty Rhodes (Ringside)
WWE Survivor Series 1989
as Dusty Rhodes
NWA Bunkhouse Stampede
as Dusty Rhodes, Writer
NWA The Great American Bash 1988
as Dusty Rhodes, Writer
NWA Starrcade 1988
as Dusty Rhodes
NWA Clash of the Champions
as Dusty Rhodes, Writer
The Third Annual NWA Jim Crockett Sr. Memorial Cup Tag Team Tournament
1988
The Third Annual NWA Jim Crockett Sr. Memorial Cup Tag Team Tournament
as The Midnight Rider, Writer
NWA Clash of the Champions II: Miami Mayhem
as Dusty Rhodes, Writer
NWA Clash of The Champions III: Fall Brawl '88
as Dusty Rhodes, Writer
NWA The Great American Bash 1988: Greensboro
as Dusty Rhodes, Writer
NWA Starrcade 1987
as Dusty Rhodes, Writer
NWA The Great American Bash '87: War Games
as Dusty Rhodes
NWA Super Towns on The SuperStation
1987
NWA Super Towns on The SuperStation
as Dusty Rhodes, Writer
The Second Annual NWA Jim Crockett Sr. Memorial Cup Tag Team Tournament
as "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes, Writer
NWA Starrcade 1986
as Dusty Rhodes, Writer
NWA The Great American Bash '86: Livin' in the Promise Land
as Dusty Rhodes, Writer
NWA Superstars on The SuperStation
1986
NWA Superstars on The SuperStation
as Dusty Rhodes, Writer
The First Annual NWA Jim Crockett Sr. Memorial Cup Tag Team Tournament
as Dusty Rhodes, Writer
NWA The Great American Bash '86 Tour: Charlotte
as Dusty Rhodes, Writer
NWA The Great American Bash '86 Tour: Greensboro
as "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes, Writer
NWA Starrcade 1985
as "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes, Writer
NWA The Great American Bash 1985
as Dusty Rhodes, Writer
Pro Wrestling USA Star Wars: December 1984
1985
Pro Wrestling USA Star Wars: December 1984
as Dusty Rhodes
Mid-South WrestleFest '85
as Dusty Rhodes
NWA Starrcade 1984
as Dusty Rhodes, Director, Writer
NWA Boogie Jam
as Dusty Rhodes, Writer
NWA Night of Champions
as Dusty Rhodes, Writer
NWA Lords of The Ring
as Dusty Rhodes, Writer
NWA Sam Muchnick Retirement Show
1982
NWA Sam Muchnick Retirement Show
as Dusty Rhodes
NWA The Last Tangle in Tampa
as Dusty Rhodes, Writer
The Super Bowl of Wrestling
as Dusty Rhodes
The Wrestler
as Dusty Rhodes