Virgil Runnels
Born
October 12, 1945
Died
June 11, 2015 (69 years old)
Known For
Acting
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".
American Nightmare: Becoming Cody Rhodes
Self (Archival Footage)
2023
Biography: Dusty Rhodes
Self
2023
Biography: Rey Mysterio
Self (archive footage) - Dusty Rhodes
2022
Biography: WWE Legends
(1 episode)
2021
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
Himself (archive footage)
2017
WWE Unreleased: 1986-1995
2017
Scooby-Doo! and WWE: Curse of the Speed Demon
Dusty Rhodes (voice)
2016
Eric Bischoff: Sports Entertainment's Most Controversial Figure
Self (archive footage)
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: Starrcade - The Essential Collection
Dusty Rhodes
2012
Stone Cold Steve Austin: The Bottom Line on the Most Popular Superstar of All Time
Dusty Rhodes (archive footage)
2011
The True Story of WrestleMania
Self (archive footage)
2011
The Rise & Fall of WCW
Dusty Rhodes
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
Ric Flair & The Four Horsemen
Dusty Rhodes
2007
WWE Hall of Fame 2007
Dusty Rhodes
2007
The American Dream: The Dusty Rhodes Story
Dusty Rhodes
2006
TNA Wrestling: Enigma - The Best of Jeff Hardy
Dusty Rhodes
2005
ROH: Ring of Hardcore
Dusty Rhodes
WWE Rivalries
Self · (1 episode)
2014
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
The JBL and Cole Show
Dusty Rhodes · (1 episode)
2012
WWE: The Attitude Era
Dusty
2012
nWo: The Revolution
2012
The Best of WCW Clash of the Champions
Dusty Rhodes
2012
WWE: Top 50 Superstars of All Time
"The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes
2010
Macho Madness - The Randy Savage Ultimate Collection
2009
Mid-South Wrestling Giants, Midgets, Heroes & Villains vol. 1
Dusty Rhodes
2007
WWE The Great American Bash 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
WWE: The Greatest Wrestling Stars of the 80's
Dusty Rhodes
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
TNA iMPACT!
(210 episodes)
2004
TNA iMPACT!
Dusty Rhodes. · (1 episode)
2004
TNA iMPACT!
Dusty Rhodes · (14 episodes)
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
Major League Wrestling: Underground TV
(35 episodes)
2003
3PW Legends Collide
2003
MLW King of Kings
Dusty Rhodes
2002
WCW Greed
Dusty Rhodes
2001
ECW Hardcore Heaven 2000
Dusty Rhodes (Appearance)
2000
ECW Wrestlepalooza 2000
Dusty Rhodes (Appearance)
2000
ECW Living Dangerously 2000
Dusty Rhodes
2000
ECW on TNN
Dusty Rhodes · (59 episodes)
1999
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
WCW Thunder
Dusty Rhodes · (3 episodes)
1998
Paradise Park
Deputy Johnny Morton
1996
WCW Monday Nitro
(262 episodes)
1995
WCW All Nighter 1995
1995
WCW Fall Brawl 1994
Dusty Rhodes
1994
WCW Clash of the Champions XXVIII
Dusty Rhodes
1994
Burke's Law
Archie 'Mad Dog' McCray · (1 episode)
1994
WCW Clash of the Champions XXV
Dusty Rhodes (Ringside)
1993
ECW Hardcore TV
(363 episodes)
1993
Raw
Dusty Rhodes · (5 episodes)
1993
WCW/New Japan Supershow II
Dusty Rhodes
1992
WCW Halloween Havoc '91
Dusty Rhodes (Cornerman)
1991
WCW SuperBrawl: Return from The Rising Sun
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
WWF 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 '88: True Gritt
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 '88: The Price for Freedom
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 '87: Chi-Town Heat!
Dusty Rhodes
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 '86: The Night of The Sky-Walkers
Dusty Rhodes
1986
WWF Wrestling Challenge
Dusty Rhodes · (24 episodes)
1986
NWA The Great American Bash '86: Livin' in the Promise Land
Dusty Rhodes
1986
NWA Great American Bash '86 Tour: Greensboro
"The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes
1986
NWA 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 '85: The Gathering
"The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes
1985
MSW WrestleFest
Dusty Rhodes
1985
NWA The Great American Bash 1985
Dusty Rhodes
1985
I Like To Hurt People
Self
1985
Saturday Night's Main Event
(4 episodes)
1985
NWA Starrcade '84: The Million Dollar Challenge
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