
Alan Rogowski
Born
September 22, 1942
Died
February 26, 2024 (81 years old)
Known For
Acting
Place of Birth
Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
Alan Robert Rogowski, better known by the ring name Ole Anderson (/ˈoʊlɪ/), was an American professional wrestler, booker, and promoter.
Following a stint in the U.S. Army, Rogowski made his professional wrestling debut in his native Minnesota in 1967, wrestling for the American Wrestling Association (AWA) as Al "the Rock" Rogowski or simply Rock Rogowski. The following year, he debuted in the Carolinas-based Jim Crockett Promotions, where he adopted the ring name Ole Anderson and began teaming with his "brother" Gene Anderson as the Minnesota Wrecking Crew. Following a further stint with the AWA and appearances with Championship Wrestling from Florida, in 1972 Anderson settled into wrestling primarily for Jim Crockett Promotions and Georgia Championship Wrestling. By the mid-1980s, Anderson was a part-owner of, and the booker for, Georgia Championship Wrestling. After Georgia Championship Wrestling was acquired by Vince McMahon in 1984 in what was known as "Black Saturday", Anderson broke away to form his own promotion, Championship Wrestling from Georgia, which was itself acquired by Jim Crockett Promotions the following year. Anderson spent the rest of his career with Jim Crockett Promotions and its successor, World Championship Wrestling (WCW), forming a new iteration of the Minnesota Wrecking Crew with Arn Anderson, co-founding influential stable The Four Horsemen, twice serving as booker for WCW, and running the WCW Power Plant. He retired from the ring in 1990, and from the professional wrestling industry in 1994.
Known amongst his contemporaries for his gruff, cantankerous demeanor and toughness, Anderson is a key figure in the history of professional wrestling in Georgia and the Carolinas. He held over 40 championships over the course of his career, including eight reigns as National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) Tag Team Champion (Mid-Atlantic version). He was inducted into the WCW Hall of Fame in 1994 and the NWA Hall of Fame in 2010.
Known For

WWE United We Slam: The Best of The Great American Bash
Ole Anderson
2014

Nature Boy Ric Flair - The Definitive Collection
Ole Anderson
2008

The American Dream: The Dusty Rhodes Story
Self
2006

WCW Slamboree 1993
Ole Anderson (Appearance)
1993

WCW Beach Blast
Ole Anderson
1992

WCW Great American Bash '90: New Revolution
Ole Anderson
1990

NWA Clash of the Champions XI: Coastal Crush
Ole Anderson (Ringside)
1990

NWA WrestleWar '90: Wild Thing
Ole Anderson
1990

NWA Clash of The Champions X: Texas Shootout
Ole Anderson
1990

WCW Halloween Havoc '89
Ole Anderson
1989

The Second Annual NWA Jim Crockett Sr. Memorial Cup Tag Team Tournament
Ole Anderson
1987

NWA The Great American Bash '86: Livin' in the Promise Land
Ole Anderson
1986

NWA Great American Bash '86 Tour: Greensboro
Ole Anderson
1986

NWA Great American Bash '86 Tour: Charlotte
Ole Anderson
1986

NWA Starrcade '85: The Gathering
Ole Anderson
1985

NWA The Great American Bash 1985
Ole Anderson
1985

NWA Starrcade '84: The Million Dollar Challenge
Ole Anderson
1984

NWA The Last Battle of Atlanta
Ole Anderson
1983