Forgotten Legends24: The Body

The first name that comes to our mind when we hear The Body, is or at the least should have been, Jesse "The Body" Ventura. I doubt if any other man had such a colorful personality and had such wide variety in his career.

Started out in the Navy as a UDT and later a part of SEAL, a Vietnam Vet who did not get to see any action he moved on to a Biker's club that was notorious but avoided any legal trouble before leaving them after which he started his Body Building career. He went on to become a bodyguard for Rolling Stones before he brokethrough into the Wrestling world.

He started out on the persona of a beach body builder, arrogant, Jesse The Body Ventura adapting the persona of Superstar Billy Graham going on to joke that The Superstar went on to copy his gimmick debuting in 1975 as Jesse The Great Ventura in Central territory going on to become The Body.

He was one of the guys who left AWA to WWF but his career was cut short in 1984 due to a clot in his lungs from Agent Orange in Vietnam. For someone who had a wrestling career of just 9 years, he had held 12 titles across 6 promotions including AWA, PNW, NWA, CWA and CSW making a name for himself.

He then started on his color commentary career for which he was more famous than his wrestling or body building career and went on to become one of the most beloved heel commentator. His career with WWF came to an end due to a copyright dispute and problems with Vince when he attempted to start a Union for wrestlers when Hulk Hogan allegedly told on him.

He left to WCW where he again made a name for himself and left before Hogan left WWF and came to WCW. His Gubernatorial career and reality TV career comes out of the purview of this forum but he never stopped reinventing himself as and when one of his career came to an end. He also had a brief stint with movies like Predator, Running Man, Demolition Man, Repossessed etc.

One of the most colorful personalities and Entertainer who is now barely known for other than his Political and TV career, a Forgotten Legend.