JV
Jesse Ventura
Actor, ProducerBorn July 15, 1951 (74 years)
Jesse "The Body" Ventura (born James George Janos) is an American politician, actor, and retired professional wrestler. After achieving fame in WWE, he served as the 38th governor of Minnesota from 1999 to 2003. He was elected governor with the Reform Party and is the party's only candidate to win a major government office.
Ventura was a member of the United States Navy Underwater Demolition Team during the Vietnam War. After leaving the military, he embarked on a professional wrestling career as a heel from 1975 to 1986, taking the ring name "Jesse 'the Body' Ventura." He had a lengthy tenure in WWE as a performer and color commentator and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame class of 2004. In addition to wrestling, Ventura pursued an acting career, appearing in films such as Predator and The Running Man.
Ventura entered politics in 1991 when he was elected mayor of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, a position he held until 1995. He was the Reform Party candidate in the 1998 Minnesota gubernatorial election, running a low-budget campaign centered on grassroots events and unusual advertising that urged citizens not to "vote for politics as usual". In a major upset, Ventura defeated both the Democratic and Republican nominees. Amid internal fights for control over the party, Ventura left the Reform Party a year after taking office and served the remainder of his term as a member of the Independence Party of Minnesota. Since holding public office, Ventura has referred to himself as a "statesman" instead of a politician.
As governor, Ventura oversaw reforms of Minnesota's property tax as well as the state's first sales tax rebate. Other initiatives he took included construction of the METRO Blue Line light rail in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area and income tax cuts. Ventura did not run for reelection. After leaving office in 2003, he became a visiting fellow at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government. He has since hosted a number of political television shows on RT America and Ora TV, and written several books. Ventura has been a prominent figure in third-party politics, having repeatedly floated the idea of running for President of the United States as an independent candidate.
In late April 2020, Ventura endorsed the Green Party in the 2020 presidential election and showed interest in running for its nomination. He officially joined the Green Party of Minnesota on May 2. On May 7, he confirmed he would not run. The Alaskan division of the Green Party nominated Ventura without his involvement, causing the national party to disown it for abandoning its nominee, Howie Hawkins.
Early life
Ventura was a member of the United States Navy Underwater Demolition Team during the Vietnam War. After leaving the military, he embarked on a professional wrestling career as a heel from 1975 to 1986, taking the ring name "Jesse 'the Body' Ventura." He had a lengthy tenure in WWE as a performer and color commentator and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame class of 2004. In addition to wrestling, Ventura pursued an acting career, appearing in films such as Predator and The Running Man.
Ventura entered politics in 1991 when he was elected mayor of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, a position he held until 1995. He was the Reform Party candidate in the 1998 Minnesota gubernatorial election, running a low-budget campaign centered on grassroots events and unusual advertising that urged citizens not to "vote for politics as usual". In a major upset, Ventura defeated both the Democratic and Republican nominees. Amid internal fights for control over the party, Ventura left the Reform Party a year after taking office and served the remainder of his term as a member of the Independence Party of Minnesota. Since holding public office, Ventura has referred to himself as a "statesman" instead of a politician.
As governor, Ventura oversaw reforms of Minnesota's property tax as well as the state's first sales tax rebate. Other initiatives he took included construction of the METRO Blue Line light rail in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area and income tax cuts. Ventura did not run for reelection. After leaving office in 2003, he became a visiting fellow at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government. He has since hosted a number of political television shows on RT America and Ora TV, and written several books. Ventura has been a prominent figure in third-party politics, having repeatedly floated the idea of running for President of the United States as an independent candidate.
In late April 2020, Ventura endorsed the Green Party in the 2020 presidential election and showed interest in running for its nomination. He officially joined the Green Party of Minnesota on May 2. On May 7, he confirmed he would not run. The Alaskan division of the Green Party nominated Ventura without his involvement, causing the national party to disown it for abandoning its nominee, Howie Hawkins.
Early life
Filmography
| 2024 | Saturday Night's Main Event XXXVII · as Jesse "the Body" Ventura |
| 2021 | WWE: The Best of WrestleMania Main Events · as Jesse 'the Body' Ventura |
| 2020 | The Best of Mick Foley · as Jesse 'the Body' Ventura - Guest Referee |
| 2019 | Bruno Sammartino · as Cast |
| 2014 | The Drunk · as Governor Littleton |
| 2014 | Ultimate Warrior: The Ultimate Collection · as Jesse 'the Body' Ventura |
| 2013 | The History of WWE: 50 Years of Sports Entertainment · as Jesse 'the Body' Ventura |
| 2013 | WWE: The Top 25 Rivalries in Wrestling History · as Jesse 'the Body' Ventura |
| 2013 | Bret Hitman Hart: The Dungeon Collection · as Jesse 'the Body' Ventura |
| 2012 | Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2012) (TV Series) · as The Finger (voice) |
| 2012 | WWE: Falls Count Anywhere: The Greatest Street Fights and Other Out of Control Matches · as Jesse 'the Body' Ventura |
| 2011 | WWE: OMG! - The Top 50 Incidents in WWE History · as Jesse 'the Body' Ventura |
| 2010 | Woodshop · as Mr. Madson |
| 2009 | Conspiracy Theory with Jesse Ventura (TV Series) |
| 2008 | Nature Boy Ric Flair: The Definitive Collection · as Jesse 'the Body' Ventura |
| 2006 | WWE: The History of the WWE Championship · as Jesse 'the Body' Ventura |
| 2006 | 20 Years Too Soon: Superstar Billy Graham · as Jesse 'the Body' Ventura |
| 2006 | Born to Controversy: The Roddy Piper Story · as Jesse 'the Body' Ventura |
| 2005 | The Ringer · as Motivational Speaker |
| 2005 | The Bret Hart Story: The Best There Is, the Best There Was, the Best There Ever Will Be · as Jesse 'the Body' Ventura |
| 2005 | The Colbert Report (TV Series) |
| 2004 | |
| 2004 | WrestleMania XX · as Jesse 'the Body' Ventura |
| 2004 | Mick Foley's Greatest Hits & Misses: A Life in Wrestling · as Jesse 'the Body' Ventura |
| 2003 | Stuck on You · as Jesse Ventura (uncredited) |
| 2003 | WWE Bloodbath: Wrestling's Most Incredible Steel Cage Matches · as Jesse 'the Body' Ventura |
| 2003 | Jimmy Kimmel Live! (TV Series) |
| 2002 | Hollywood Hulk Hogan: Hulk Still Rules · as Jesse 'the Body' Ventura |
| 1999 | Summerslam · as Referee |
| 1998 | WWE Heat (TV Series) · as Jesse 'the Body' Ventura |
| 1997 | |
| 1997 | Batman & Robin · as Arkham Asylum Guard |
| 1996 | Arli$$ (TV Series) |
| 1996 | E! True Hollywood Story (TV Series) |
| 1994 | WCW Slamboree 1994 · as Jesse 'the Body' Ventura |
| 1994 | Major League II · as White Lightning |
| 1993 | Demolition Man · as Cryocon |
| 1993 | WCW Fall Brawl · as Jesse 'the Body' Ventura - Commentator |
| 1993 | The X-Files (TV Series) · as Man In Black #1 |
| 1993 | WCW Beach Blast · as Jesse 'the Body' Ventura |
| 1993 | WCW SuperBrawl III · as Jesse "the Body" Ventura (color Commentator) |
| 1993 | WWE Raw (TV Series) |
| 1992 | |
| 1992 | WCW Beach Blast · as Jesse "the Body" Ventura (commentator) |
| 1992 | WCW the Great American Bash · as Jesse 'the Body' Ventura |
| 1992 | The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (TV Series) |
| 1992 | WCW Wrestle War · as Jesse 'the Body' Ventura- Commentator |
| 1991 | Ricochet · as Chewalski |
| 1991 | Tagteam · as Bobby Youngblood |
| 1990 | Abraxas, Guardian of the Universe · as Abraxas |
| 1990 | Wrestling Tough Guys · as Jesse 'the Body' Ventura |
| 1990 | WrestleMania VI · as Jesse 'the Body' Ventura |
| 1990 | Wrestling Superheroes · as Jesse 'the Body' Ventura |
| 1990 | Royal Rumble · as Jesse 'the Body' Ventura |
| 1990 | Zorro (TV Series) · as Big Jim Jarrett |
| 1989 | Survivor Series · as Jesse 'the Body' Ventura |
| 1989 | Thunderground · as The Man |
| 1989 | The Ultimate Warrior · as Jesse 'the Body' Ventura |
| 1989 | WrestleMania V · as Jesse 'the Body' Ventura |
| 1989 | The Brains Behind the Brawn · as Jesse 'the Body' Ventura |
| 1989 | Hacksaw Jim Duggan · as Jesse 'the Body' Ventura |
| 1989 | Royal Rumble · as Jesse 'the Body' Ventura |
| 1989 | Hulk Hogan Real American · as Jesse 'the Body' Ventura |
| 1989 | WWF: Wrestlemania's Greatest Matches · as Jesse 'the Body' Ventura |
| 1988 | The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! · as Baseball Announcer (uncredited) |
| 1988 | Survivor Series · as Jesse 'the Body' Ventura |
| 1988 | Macho Madness · as Jesse 'the Body' Ventura |
| 1988 | Summerslam · as Jesse "the Body" Ventura (referee) |
| 1988 | WrestleMania IV · as Jesse 'the Body' Ventura |
| 1988 | Royal Rumble · as Jesse "the Body" Ventura (commentary) |
| 1987 | Wrestling's Most Embarrassing Moments · as Jesse 'the Body' Ventura |
| 1987 | The Running Man · as Captain Freedom |
| 1987 | The Ken Patera Story · as Jesse 'the Body' Ventura |
| 1987 | Predator · as Blain Cooper |
| 1987 | WrestleMania III · as Jesse 'the Body' Ventura |
| 1986 | The British Bulldogs · as Jesse 'the Body' Ventura |
| 1986 | WWF Wrestling Challenge (TV Series) · as Jesse 'the Body' Ventura |
| 1986 | WWF Superstars (TV Series) · as Jesse 'the Body' Ventura |
| 1986 | Villains of the Squared Circle · as Jesse 'the Body' Ventura |
| 1986 | |
| 1986 | Ricky the Dragon Steamboat · as Jesse 'the Body' Ventura |
| 1986 | WrestleMania 2 · as Jesse "the Body" Ventura (commentator) |
| 1986 | WrestleMania 2 · as Jesse 'the Body' Ventura |
| 1985 | WWF: The Wrestling Classic · as Jesse 'the Body' Ventura |
| 1985 | André the Giant · as Jesse 'the Body' Ventura |
| 1985 | WCW Saturday Night (TV Series) · as Jesse 'the Body' Ventura |
| 1985 | WrestleMania I · as Jesse 'the Body' Ventura |
| 1985 | WWF Prime Time Wrestling (TV Series) · as Jesse 'the Body' Ventura |
| 1985 | Wrestling's Bloopers, Bleeps and Bodyslams! · as Jesse "the Body" Ventura |
| 1984 | |
| 1975 | WWF All-Star Wrestling (TV Series) · as Jesse 'the Body' Ventura |
| 1973 | WWF on MSG Network (TV Series) · as Jesse 'the Body' Ventura |
| 1973 | Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling (TV Series) · as Jesse 'the Body' Ventura |
| 1972 | WWF All-Star Wrestling (TV Series) · as Jesse 'the Body' Ventura |
| 1972 | WWF Championship Wrestling (TV Series) · as Jesse 'the Body' Ventura |