Cast
Virgil Runnels
Acting
Cast
Virgil Runnels
Known for
Acting
Born
1945-10-12
From
Austin, Texas, USA
Died
2015-06-11
Also known as The American Dream, The Midnight Rider, The American Dream 'Dusty Rhodes'
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".
MOVIE1990
WWE Hottest Matches
as Dusty Rhodes
β
7.6
MOVIE2016
Scooby-Doo! and WWE: Curse of the Speed Demon
as Dusty Rhodes (voice)
β
8.0
MOVIE2005
TNA Final Resolution 2005
as Dusty Rhodes (TNA D.O.A.)
β
9.2
MOVIE2015
ECW - Unreleased Vol. 3
as Dusty Rhodes
MOVIE2000
ECW Hardcore Heaven 2000
as Dusty Rhodes
β
7.8
MOVIE2005
The Greatest Wrestling Stars of the '80s
as Self
β
6.7
MOVIE2020
You Cannot Kill David Arquette
as Self (archive footage)
β
5.9
MOVIE1987
NWA Starrcade 1987
as Dusty Rhodes
β
8.2
MOVIE1986
NWA Starrcade 1986
as Dusty Rhodes
β
6.5
MOVIE2006
WWE Cyber Sunday 2006
as Dusty Rhodes
MOVIE1986
NWA The Great American Bash '86 Tour: Charlotte
as Dusty Rhodes
β
7.2
MOVIE2009
The Rise & Fall of WCW
as Dusty Rhodes
β
6.1
MOVIE1990
WWE Royal Rumble 1990
as Dusty Rhodes
β
7.1
MOVIE2006
WWE Survivor Series 2006
as Dusty Rhodes
β
6.0
MOVIE1991
WCW SuperBrawl 1
as Dusty Rhodes (Commentator)
β
8.3
MOVIE2010
WWE: Top 50 Superstars of All Time
as "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes
β
7.8
MOVIE1989
WWE Survivor Series 1989
as Dusty Rhodes
β
7.1
MOVIE2013
WWE Battleground 2013
as Dusty Rhodes (Ringside)
β
10.0
MOVIE2012
ROH: Ring of Hardcore
as Dusty Rhodes
β
7.1
MOVIE1991
WWE Royal Rumble 1991
as Dusty Rhodes
β
6.0
MOVIE1988
NWA Bunkhouse Stampede
as Dusty Rhodes
β
8.4
MOVIE1990
WWE WrestleMania VI
as Dusty Rhodes
MOVIE1988
NWA The Great American Bash 1988: Greensboro
as Dusty Rhodes
β
6.3
MOVIE2007
WWE The Great American Bash 2007
as Dusty Rhodes
MOVIE1995
WCW All Nighter 1995
MOVIE2013
WWE WrestleMania 29 Kickoff
as "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes
β
8.6
MOVIE2007
WWE Hall of Fame 2007
as Dusty Rhodes
β
7.5
MOVIE2009
WWE: The Best of Saturday Night's Main Event
as Dusty Rhodes
β
5.0
MOVIE1974
The Wrestler
as Dusty Rhodes
β
7.0
MOVIE1998
WCW SuperBrawl VIII
as Dusty Rhodes
β
10.0
MOVIE1998
WCW Souled Out 1998
as Dusty Rhodes (Ringside)
β
7.6
MOVIE1985
NWA Starrcade 1985
as "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes
β
10.0
MOVIE1998
WCW Uncensored 1998
as Dusty Rhodes
MOVIE1984
NWA Lords of The Ring
as Dusty Rhodes
MOVIE1986
NWA The Great American Bash '86 Tour: Greensboro
as "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes
β
10.0
MOVIE2017
WWE Unreleased: 1986-1995
β
6.7
MOVIE1989
WWE SummerSlam 1989
as Himself
β
7.7
MOVIE1990
WWE Survivor Series 1990
as Dusty Rhodes
β
7.2
MOVIE2024
Bray Wyatt: Becoming Immortal
as Self
β
8.5
MOVIE2012
WWE: The Attitude Era
as Dusty
MOVIE1994
WCW Fall Brawl 1994
as Dusty Rhodes
β
4.0
MOVIE2006
The American Dream: The Dusty Rhodes Story
as Dusty Rhodes
β
10.0
MOVIE2013
WCW War Games: WCW's Most Notorious Matches
as Dusty Rhodes
MOVIE1987
The Second Annual NWA Jim Crockett Sr. Memorial Cup Tag Team Tournament
as "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes
β
7.8
MOVIE2023
American Nightmare: Becoming Cody Rhodes
as Self (Archival Footage)
MOVIE1984
NWA Night of Champions
as Dusty Rhodes
β
6.8
MOVIE1984
NWA Starrcade 1984
as Dusty Rhodes
β
10.0
MOVIE1986
The First Annual NWA Jim Crockett Sr. Memorial Cup Tag Team Tournament
as Dusty Rhodes
β
7.2
MOVIE2017
Nature Boy
as Self (archive footage)
β
6.5
MOVIE2005
TNA Against All Odds 2005
as Dusty Rhodes (TNA D.O.A.)
β
8.4
MOVIE1998
The Unreal Story Of Pro Wrestling
as Dusty Rhodes
MOVIE1995
WCW: Ric Flair - 2 Decades of Excellence
as Dusty Rhodes
β
9.2
MOVIE2016
WWE: The U.S. Championship: A Legacy of Greatness
as Dusty Rhodes (archive footage)
MOVIE1989
Fan Favorites
β
7.3
MOVIE2015
Sting: Into the Light
as Dusty Rhodes
MOVIE1985
Mid-South WrestleFest '85
as Dusty Rhodes
β
7.0
MOVIE2015
Dusty Rhodes: Celebrating the Dream
β
7.2
MOVIE2012
nWo: The Revolution
MOVIE1987
NWA Wrestling The Danger Zone
β
7.0
MOVIE1988
NWA Starrcade 1988
as Dusty Rhodes
β
9.0
MOVIE2001
WCW Greed
as Dusty Rhodes
β
10.0
MOVIE2014
WWE United We Slam: The Best of The Great American Bash
as Dusty Rhodes
MOVIE1984
NWA Boogie Jam
as Dusty Rhodes
β
9.3
MOVIE2013
Legends of Mid-South Wrestling
as Dusty Rhodes
β
8.0
MOVIE1991
WCW WrestleWar 1991
as Dusty Rhodes (Commentator)
β
6.9
MOVIE1990
WWE SummerSlam 1990
as "The Common Man" Dusty Rhodes
β
7.9
MOVIE2006
WWE: Hulk Hogan: The Ultimate Anthology
as Dusty Rhodes
β
8.3
MOVIE1988
NWA Clash of the Champions
as Dusty Rhodes
β
7.0
MOVIE1988
The Third Annual NWA Jim Crockett Sr. Memorial Cup Tag Team Tournament
as The Midnight Rider
β
6.3
MOVIE2008
Nature Boy Ric Flair - The Definitive Collection
as Dusty Rhodes
β
8.0
MOVIE2005
TNA Lockdown 2005
as Dusty Rhodes (TNA D.O.A.)
β
10.0
MOVIE2016
TNA: Best of the Asylum Years, Vol 2
as Dusty Rhodes
β
6.3
MOVIE1988
NWA The Great American Bash 1988
as Dusty Rhodes
MOVIE2012
WWE: Starrcade - The Essential Collection
as Dusty Rhodes
β
10.0
MOVIE2009
Jeff Jarrett: King of the Mountain
as Dusty Rhodes
MOVIE1992
WCW/New Japan Supershow II
as Dusty Rhodes
MOVIE1993
WCW Clash of the Champions XXV
as Dusty Rhodes (Ringside)
β
8.5
MOVIE1988
NWA Clash of the Champions II: Miami Mayhem
as Dusty Rhodes
β
7.0
MOVIE2004
TNA Victory Road 2004
as Dusty Rhodes (Appearance)
β
8.0
MOVIE2006
WWE: 20 Years Too Soon - The Superstar Billy Graham Story
as Dusty Rhodes
β
10.0
MOVIE2009
Macho Madness - The Randy Savage Ultimate Collection
β
4.4
MOVIE1982
Gold Raiders
MOVIE1990
WWE The Ultimate Challenge Special: The March to WrestleMania VI
as "The Common Man" Dusty Rhodes
MOVIE1990
WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: June '90
as Dusty Rhodes
β
6.4
MOVIE1985
I Like To Hurt People
as Self
β
7.5
MOVIE2012
The Best of WCW Clash of the Champions
as Dusty Rhodes
β
5.9
MOVIE2007
Ric Flair & The Four Horsemen
as Dusty Rhodes
β
10.0
MOVIE2018
Randy Savage Unreleased: The Unseen Matches of The Macho Man
MOVIE1992
Paradise Park
as Deputy Johnny Morton
MOVIE2014
WCW'S Greatest Pay-Per-View Matches Volume 1
as Dusty Rhodes
MOVIE2007
Life In The Fast Lane
MOVIE2004
NEW Renegades Rampage
as Dusty Rhodes
β
7.5
MOVIE2004
TNA Turning Point 2004
as Dusty Rhodes (TNA D.O.A.)
β
7.0
MOVIE1987
NWA The Great American Bash '87: War Games
as Dusty Rhodes
β
8.5
MOVIE1986
NWA Superstars on The SuperStation
as Dusty Rhodes
β
7.0
MOVIE1988
NWA Clash of The Champions III: Fall Brawl '88
as Dusty Rhodes
β
7.7
MOVIE2020
A Future WWE: The FCW Story
as Himself
MOVIE1986
NWA The Great American Bash '86: Livin' in the Promise Land
as Dusty Rhodes
MOVIE1985
Pro Wrestling USA Star Wars: December 1984
as Dusty Rhodes
MOVIE2000
ECW Wrestlepalooza 2000
as Dusty Rhodes (Appearance)
β
5.9
MOVIE1989
WWE Survivor Series Showdown '89
as Dusty Rhodes (Ringside)
MOVIE1990
Battle of the WWE Superstars
as Dusty Rhodes
MOVIE1988
NWA Clash of The Champions IV: Season's Beatings
as Dusty Rhodes
β
7.0
MOVIE1991
WCW Halloween Havoc 1991
as Dusty Rhodes (Cornerman)
MOVIE2003
ROH: The Epic Encounter
as Dusty Rhodes
MOVIE1982
NWA Sam Muchnick Retirement Show
as Dusty Rhodes
MOVIE1985
AWA/NWA Night of Champions II
as Dusty Rhodes
MOVIE2003
FIP Return Of The Dream
as Dusty Rhodes
β
9.0
MOVIE2004
WWE: The Ultimate Ric Flair Collection
as Dusty Rhodes
β
8.0
MOVIE2005
TNA Destination X 2005
as Dusty Rhodes (TNA D.O.A.)
β
10.0
MOVIE1987
NWA Super Towns on The SuperStation
as Dusty Rhodes
MOVIE2000
ECW Living Dangerously 2000
as Dusty Rhodes
MOVIE1994
WCW Clash of the Champions XXVIII
as Dusty Rhodes
MOVIE1980
NWA The Last Tangle in Tampa
as Dusty Rhodes
MOVIE1985
NWA The Great American Bash 1985
as Dusty Rhodes
MOVIE2005
TNA Wrestling: Enigma - The Best of Jeff Hardy
as Dusty Rhodes
MOVIE1978
The Super Bowl of Wrestling
as Dusty Rhodes
MOVIE2007
Mid-South Wrestling Giants, Midgets, Heroes & Villains vol. 1
as Dusty Rhodes
MOVIE2004
HUSTLE-3
as Dusty Rhodes
MOVIE2002
MLW King of Kings
as Dusty Rhodes
MOVIE2003
3PW Legends Collide
MOVIE1989
PWF Homecoming
as "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes