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Virgil Runnels
Actor, Writer, Producer, Director, Additional Credits
Born October 12, 1945Died June 11, 2015 (69 years)
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
Virgil Runnels Filmography
| 2025 | WWE Hall of Fame · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 2024 | Bray Wyatt: Becoming Immortal · as Dusty Rhodes - Fcw Coach |
| 2022 | WWE Rivals (TV Series) · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 2021 | The Best of WWE: Best of Survivor Series · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 2021 | Biography: WWE Legends (TV Series) |
| 2020 | The Best of WWE: Best of Survivor Series · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 2020 | The Best of WWE: Best of Halloween Havoc · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 2020 | The Best of WWE: Best of Clash of Champions · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 2020 | Best of WWE: The Best of Rey Mysterio · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 2020 | Macho Man Randy Savage's Best Matches · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 2019 | Adrian Street: Imagine What I Could Do to You · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 2019 | |
| 2016 | WWE: Diamond Dallas Page, Positively Living · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 2016 | Scooby-Doo! and WWE: Curse of the Speed Demon · as Dusty Rhodes (voice) |
| 2016 | Eric Bischoff: Sports Entertainment's Most Controversial Figure · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 2016 | United States Championsip-A Legacy of Greatness · as Dusty Rhodes (archive Footage) |
| 2015 | WWE Ring in the Holiday · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 2015 | Sting: Into the Light · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 2015 | NXT Takeover: Respect · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 2015 | |
| 2015 | WWE Money in the Bank · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 2015 | WWE: ECW Unreleased Vol. 3 Part 3 · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 2015 | The Road Is Jericho: Epic Stories & Rare Matches from Y2J · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 2014 | True Giants · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 2014 | Macho Man: The Randy Savage Story · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 2014 | The Monday Night War (TV Series) · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 2014 | Ladies and Gentlemen, My Name Is Paul Heyman · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 2014 | WrestleMania XXX · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 2014 | WWE WrestleMania Rewind (TV Series) · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 2014 | WWE Countdown (TV Series) · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 2013 | The History of WWE: 50 Years of Sports Entertainment · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 2013 | WWE Battleground · as Dusty Rhodes (ringside) |
| 2013 | Legends of the Mid-South Wrestling · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 2013 | WCW War Games: WCW's Most Notorious Matches · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 2013 | WWE: The Top 25 Rivalries in Wrestling History · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 2012 | |
| 2012 | WWE: CM Punk - Best in the World · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 2012 | The 50 Greatest Finishing Moves in WWE History · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 2012 | WWE: The Best of WCW Clash of the Champions · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 2012 | |
| 2012 | WWE Hall of Fame 2012 · as Dusty Rhodes - Presenter |
| 2011 | |
| 2011 | The True Story of WrestleMania · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 2011 | Randy Orton: The Evolution of a Predator · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 2011 | WWE: Rey Mysterio - The Life of a Masked Man · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 2011 | WWE: DX: One Last Stand · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 2011 | WWE Hall of Fame 2011 · as Dusty Rhodes - Presenter |
| 2010 | WWE: Top 50 Superstars of All Time · as "the American Dream" Dusty Rhodes |
| 2010 | Wrestling's Highest Flyers · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 2010 | Breaking the Code: Behind the Walls of Chris Jericho · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 2010 | WWE NXT (TV Series) |
| 2009 | WWE: The Rise and Fall of WCW · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 2009 | WWE: Allied Powers - The World's Greatest Tag Teams · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 2009 | Starrcade: The Essential Collection · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 2009 | The WWE: The Best of Saturday Night's Main Event · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 2009 | |
| 2009 | WWE Hall of Fame 2009 · as Dusty Rhodes - Presenter |
| 2008 | Nature Boy Ric Flair: The Definitive Collection · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 2008 | WWE Hall of Fame 2008 · as Dusty Rhodes - Presenter |
| 2007 | The Triumph and Tragedy of World Class Championship Wrestling · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 2007 | WWE Great American Bash · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 2007 | WWE Draft Special · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 2007 | The Most Powerful Families in Wrestling · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 2007 | Ric Flair & The Four Horsemen · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 2007 | WrestleMania 23 · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 2007 | WWE Hall of Fame 2007 · as Dusty Rhodes - Inductee |
| 2007 | WWE: The New & Improved DX · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 2006 | Survivor Series · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 2006 | WWE Cyber Sunday · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 2006 | Legends of Wrestling (TV Series) · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 2006 | Hulk Hogan: The Ultimate Anthology · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 2006 | Brian Pillman: Loose Cannon · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 2006 | WWE: McMahon · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 2006 | WWE Vengeance · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 2006 | 20 Years Too Soon: Superstar Billy Graham · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 2006 | The American Dream: The Dusty Rhodes Story · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 2006 | The Spectacular Legacy of the AWA · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 2005 | TNA Wrestling: The Best of Jeff Hardy - Enigma · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 2005 | Road Warriors: The Life and Death of Wrestling's Most Dominant Tag Team · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 2005 | TNA Wrestling: Hard Justice · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 2005 | TNA Wrestling: Lockdown · as Dusty Rhodes (tna D.o.a.) |
| 2005 | TNA Wrestling: Destination X · as Dusty Rhodes (tna D.o.a.) |
| 2005 | TNA Wrestling: Against All Odds · as Dusty Rhodes (tna D.o.a.) |
| 2005 | TNA Wrestling: Final Resolution · as Dusty Rhodes (tna D.o.a.) |
| 2004 | TNA Wrestling: Turning Point · as Dusty Rhodes (tna D.o.a.) |
| 2004 | The Rise & Fall of ECW · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 2004 | TNA Wrestling: Victory Road · as Dusty Rhodes (appearance) |
| 2004 | Hard Knocks: The Chris Benoit Story · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 2004 | IMPACT! Wrestling (TV Series) · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 2004 | WWE: The Stone Cold Truth · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 2003 | The Ultimate Ric Flair Collection · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 2003 | WWE Bloodbath: Wrestling's Most Incredible Steel Cage Matches · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 2002 | WWF Divas: Tropical Pleasure · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 2001 | The Best Damn Sports Show Period (TV Series) · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 2001 | WCW Greed · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 1999 | ECW on TNN (TV Series) · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 1999 | WWE SmackDown (TV Series) · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 1999 | The Unreal Story of Professional Wrestling · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 1998 | WCW/NWO Superstar Series: Diamond Dallas Page - Feel the Bang! · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 1998 | WCW/NWO Slamboree · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 1998 | WCW/NWO Uncensored · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 1998 | WCW/NWO SuperBrawl VIII · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 1998 | WCW/NWO Souled Out · as Dusty Rhodes (ringside) |
| 1998 | WCW Thunder (TV Series) · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 1997 | WCW Road Wild · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 1997 | WCW Bash at the Beach · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 1997 | The Great American Bash · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 1997 | WCW Slamboree · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 1997 | WCW Spring Stampede · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 1997 | WCW Uncensored · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 1997 | WCW SuperBrawl VII · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 1996 | WCW World War 3 · as Dusty Rhodes - Commentator |
| 1996 | WCW Fall Brawl · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 1996 | WCW Hog Wild · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 1996 | WCW the Great American Bash · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 1996 | WCW Uncensored · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 1996 | WCW SuperBrawl VI · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 1995 | WCW Starrcade 1995 · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 1995 | WCW World War 3 · as Dusty Rhodes - Commentator |
| 1995 | WCW Monday Nitro (TV Series) · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 1995 | WCW Slamboree: A Legends' Reunion · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 1994 | WCW Fall Brawl · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 1994 | WCW Slamboree 1994 · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 1994 | Burke's Law (1994) (TV Series) · as Archie 'mad Dog' Mccray |
| 1993 | WCW Slamboree 1993 · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 1993 | ECW Hardcore TV (TV Series) |
| 1993 | WWE Raw (TV Series) · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 1992 | Paradise Park · as Deputy Johnny Morton |
| 1991 | Halloween Havoc · as Dusty Rhodes (cornerman) |
| 1991 | WCW SuperBrawl I · as Dusty Rhodes (commentator) |
| 1991 | WCW Wrestle War · as Dusty Rhodes (commentator) |
| 1991 | Royal Rumble · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 1990 | Survivor Series · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 1990 | WWF Hottest Matches · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 1990 | Summerslam · as "the Common Man" Dusty Rhodes |
| 1990 | WrestleMania VI · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 1990 | Royal Rumble · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 1989 | Survivor Series · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 1989 | |
| 1988 | Starrcade · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 1988 | Clash of the Champions III: Fall Brawl · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 1988 | The Great American Bash · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 1988 | Clash of the Champions II: Miami Mayhem · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 1988 | Clash of the Champions · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 1988 | WCW Clash of the Champions (TV Series) |
| 1988 | NWA Bunkhouse Stampede · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 1987 | Starrcade · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 1987 | The Great American Bash · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 1986 | Starrcade · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 1986 | WWF Wrestling Challenge (TV Series) · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 1986 | WWF Superstars (TV Series) · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 1985 | Starrcade '85: The Gathering · as "the American Dream" Dusty Rhodes |
| 1985 | World Championship Wrestling (TV Series) · as "the American Dream" Dusty Rhodes |
| 1985 | WWF Saturday Night's Main Event (TV Series) · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 1985 | WCW Saturday Night (TV Series) · as Dusty Rhodes - Commentator |
| 1985 | |
| 1984 | Starrcade · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 1983 | Starrcade · as Dusty Rhodes - Ringside Guest |
| 1982 | |
| 1981 | Mid-South Wrestling (TV Series) · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 1975 | WCW WorldWide (TV Series) · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 1975 | WWF All-Star Wrestling (TV Series) · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 1974 | The Wrestler · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 1973 | WWF on MSG Network (TV Series) · as Wrestler |
| 1973 | WWE Old School (TV Series) · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 1973 | Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling (TV Series) · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 1972 | WWF Championship Wrestling (TV Series) · as Dusty Rhodes |
| 2009 | WWE Superstars (TV Series) |
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| 2006 | ECW on Sci Fi (TV Series) |
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| 1999 | WWE SmackDown (TV Series) |
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| 1993 | WWE Raw (TV Series) |
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| 1985 | WWF Saturday Night's Main Event (TV Series) |
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| 1983 | |
| 1975 | WCW WorldWide (TV Series) |
| 2023 | American Nightmare: Becoming Cody Rhodes · as Self (archival Footage) |
| 2020 | You Cannot Kill David Arquette · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2017 | Nature Boy · as Self (archive Footage) |
| 2014 | WWE Rivalries (TV Series) · as Self |
| 2005 | |
| 1998 | X-Play (2021) (TV Series) · as Self |
| 1989 | Summerslam · as Himself |
| 1987 | Farm Aid '87 · as Self |
| 1985 | I Like to Hurt People · as Self |
| 2014 | WWE Tribute to the Troops 2014 · as Executive Producer |
| 2004 | IMPACT! Wrestling (TV Series) |
| 1987 | |
| 1985 | World Championship Wrestling (TV Series) |
| 1985 | WCW Saturday Night (TV Series) |
| 1983 | Starrcade · as Consulting Producer |
| 1975 | WCW WorldWide (TV Series) |
| 1984 |
| 2025 | NXT: The Great American Bash · as Creator |
| 2013 | WCW War Games: WCW's Most Notorious Matches · as Executive Consultant |
| 1992 | WCW SuperBrawl II · as Senior Producer |
| 1991 | WCW the Great American Bash · as Senior Producer |
| 1991 | WCW Wrestle War · as Senior Producer |