Virgil Runnels

Acting

Born October 12, 1945 — Died June 11, 2015 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".

Movies(121)

American Nightmare: Becoming Cody Rhodes

Self (Archival Footage)

2023

You Cannot Kill David Arquette

Self (archive footage)

2020

A Future WWE: The FCW Story

Himself

2020

Randy Savage Unreleased: The Unseen Matches of The Macho Man

2018

Nature Boy

Self (archive footage)

2017

WWE Unreleased: 1986-1995

2017

Scooby-Doo! and WWE: Curse of the Speed Demon

Dusty Rhodes (voice)

2016

TNA: Best of the Asylum Years, Vol 2

Dusty Rhodes

2016

WWE: The U.S. Championship: A Legacy of Greatness

Dusty Rhodes (archive footage)

2016

Sting: Into the Light

Dusty Rhodes

2015

Dusty Rhodes: Celebrating the Dream

2015

ECW - Unreleased Vol. 3

Dusty Rhodes

2015

WWE United We Slam: The Best of The Great American Bash

Dusty Rhodes

2014

WCW'S Greatest Pay-Per-View Matches Volume 1

Dusty Rhodes

2014

WWE Battleground 2013

Dusty Rhodes (Ringside)

2013

Legends of Mid-South Wrestling

Dusty Rhodes

2013

WCW War Games: WCW's Most Notorious Matches

Dusty Rhodes

2013

WWE WrestleMania 29 Kickoff

"The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes

2013

WWE: The Attitude Era

Dusty

2012

nWo: The Revolution

2012

The Best of WCW Clash of the Champions

Dusty Rhodes

2012

WWE: Starrcade - The Essential Collection

Dusty Rhodes

2012

ROH: Ring of Hardcore

Dusty Rhodes

2012

WWE: Top 50 Superstars of All Time

"The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes

2010

The Rise & Fall of WCW

Dusty Rhodes

2009

Macho Madness - The Randy Savage Ultimate Collection

2009

Jeff Jarrett: King of the Mountain

Dusty Rhodes

2009

WWE: The Best of Saturday Night's Main Event

Dusty Rhodes

2009

Nature Boy Ric Flair - The Definitive Collection

Dusty Rhodes

2008

Life In The Fast Lane

2007

Mid-South Wrestling Giants, Midgets, Heroes & Villains vol. 1

Dusty Rhodes

2007

WWE The Great American Bash 2007

Dusty Rhodes

2007

Ric Flair & The Four Horsemen

Dusty Rhodes

2007

WWE Hall of Fame 2007

Dusty Rhodes

2007

WWE Survivor Series 2006

Dusty Rhodes

2006

WWE Cyber Sunday 2006

Dusty Rhodes

2006

WWE: Hulk Hogan: The Ultimate Anthology

Dusty Rhodes

2006

WWE: 20 Years Too Soon - The Superstar Billy Graham Story

Dusty Rhodes

2006

The American Dream: The Dusty Rhodes Story

Dusty Rhodes

2006

TNA Wrestling: Enigma - The Best of Jeff Hardy

Dusty Rhodes

2005

The Greatest Wrestling Stars of the '80s

Self

2005

TNA Lockdown 2005

Dusty Rhodes (TNA D.O.A.)

2005

TNA Destination X 2005

Dusty Rhodes (TNA D.O.A.)

2005

TNA Against All Odds 2005

Dusty Rhodes (TNA D.O.A.)

2005

TNA Final Resolution 2005

Dusty Rhodes (TNA D.O.A.)

2005

TNA Turning Point 2004

Dusty Rhodes (TNA D.O.A.)

2004

TNA Victory Road 2004

Dusty Rhodes (Appearance)

2004

NEW Renegades Rampage

Dusty Rhodes

2004

HUSTLE-3

Dusty Rhodes

2004

WWE: The Ultimate Ric Flair Collection

Dusty Rhodes

2004

FIP Return Of The Dream

Dusty Rhodes

2003

ROH: The Epic Encounter

Dusty Rhodes

2003

3PW Legends Collide

2003

MLW King of Kings

Dusty Rhodes

2002

WCW Greed

Dusty Rhodes

2001

ECW Hardcore Heaven 2000

Dusty Rhodes

2000

ECW Wrestlepalooza 2000

Dusty Rhodes (Appearance)

2000

ECW Living Dangerously 2000

Dusty Rhodes

2000

The Unreal Story Of Pro Wrestling

Dusty Rhodes

1998

WCW Uncensored 1998

Dusty Rhodes

1998

WCW SuperBrawl VIII

Dusty Rhodes

1998

WCW Souled Out 1998

Dusty Rhodes (Ringside)

1998

Paradise Park

Deputy Johnny Morton

1996

WCW: Ric Flar - 2 Decades of Excellence

Dusty Rhodes

1995

WCW All Nighter 1995

1995

WCW Fall Brawl 1994

Dusty Rhodes

1994

WCW Clash of the Champions XXVIII

Dusty Rhodes

1994

WCW Clash of the Champions XXV

Dusty Rhodes (Ringside)

1993

WCW/New Japan Supershow II

Dusty Rhodes

1992

WCW Halloween Havoc 1991

Dusty Rhodes (Cornerman)

1991

WCW SuperBrawl 1

Dusty Rhodes (Commentator)

1991

WCW WrestleWar 1991

Dusty Rhodes (Commentator)

1991

WWE Royal Rumble 1991

Dusty Rhodes

1991

WWE Survivor Series 1990

Dusty Rhodes

1990

WWE Hottest Matches

Dusty Rhodes

1990

WWE SummerSlam 1990

"The Common Man" Dusty Rhodes

1990

Battle of the WWE Superstars

Dusty Rhodes

1990

WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: June '90

Dusty Rhodes

1990

WWE WrestleMania VI

Dusty Rhodes

1990

WWE The Ultimate Challenge Special: The March to WrestleMania VI

"The Common Man" Dusty Rhodes

1990

WWE Royal Rumble 1990

Dusty Rhodes

1990

WWE Survivor Series 1989

Dusty Rhodes

1989

WWE Survivor Series Showdown '89

Dusty Rhodes (Ringside)

1989

WWE SummerSlam 1989

Himself

1989

Fan Favorites

1989

PWF Homecoming

"The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes

1989

NWA Starrcade 1988

Dusty Rhodes

1988

NWA Clash of The Champions IV: Season's Beatings

Dusty Rhodes

1988

NWA Clash of The Champions III: Fall Brawl '88

Dusty Rhodes

1988

NWA The Great American Bash 1988: Greensboro

Dusty Rhodes

1988

NWA The Great American Bash 1988

Dusty Rhodes

1988

NWA Clash of the Champions II: Miami Mayhem

Dusty Rhodes

1988

The Third Annual NWA Jim Crockett Sr. Memorial Cup Tag Team Tournament

The Midnight Rider

1988

NWA Clash of the Champions

Dusty Rhodes

1988

NWA Bunkhouse Stampede

Dusty Rhodes

1988

NWA Starrcade 1987

Dusty Rhodes

1987

NWA Wrestling The Danger Zone

1987

NWA The Great American Bash '87: War Games

Dusty Rhodes

1987

The Second Annual NWA Jim Crockett Sr. Memorial Cup Tag Team Tournament

"The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes

1987

NWA Super Towns on The SuperStation

Dusty Rhodes

1987

NWA Starrcade 1986

Dusty Rhodes

1986

NWA The Great American Bash '86: Livin' in the Promise Land

Dusty Rhodes

1986

NWA The Great American Bash '86 Tour: Greensboro

"The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes

1986

NWA The Great American Bash '86 Tour: Charlotte

Dusty Rhodes

1986

The First Annual NWA Jim Crockett Sr. Memorial Cup Tag Team Tournament

Dusty Rhodes

1986

NWA Superstars on The SuperStation

Dusty Rhodes

1986

AWA/NWA Night of Champions II

Dusty Rhodes

1985

Pro Wrestling USA Star Wars: December 1984

Dusty Rhodes

1985

NWA Starrcade 1985

"The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes

1985

Mid-South WrestleFest '85

Dusty Rhodes

1985

NWA The Great American Bash 1985

Dusty Rhodes

1985

I Like To Hurt People

Self

1985

NWA Starrcade 1984

Dusty Rhodes

1984

NWA Lords of The Ring

Dusty Rhodes

1984

NWA Night of Champions

Dusty Rhodes

1984

NWA Boogie Jam

Dusty Rhodes

1984

Gold Raiders

1982

NWA Sam Muchnick Retirement Show

Dusty Rhodes

1982

NWA The Last Tangle in Tampa

Dusty Rhodes

1980

The Super Bowl of Wrestling

Dusty Rhodes

1978

The Wrestler

Dusty Rhodes

1974

Virgil Runnels

TV Shows(24)

Movies(121)