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Jesse Ventura

Biography

An American politician, actor, author, naval veteran, and former professional wrestler who served as the 38th Governor of Minnesota from 1999 to 2003. Ventura served as a U.S. Navy Underwater Demolition Team member during the period of the Vietnam War. After leaving the military, he embarked on a professional wrestling career from 1975 to 1986, taking the ring name Jesse "The Body" Ventura. He had a long tenure in the World Wrestling Federation as a performer and color commentator, and was inducted into the Federation's Hall of Fame in 2004. Apart from wrestling, Ventura also pursued a film career, appearing in films such as Predator (1987). Ventura first entered politics as Mayor of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, from 1991 to 1995. Four years after his mayoral term ended, Ventura was the Reform Party candidate in the Minnesota gubernatorial election of 1998, running a low-budget campaign centered on grassroots events and unusual ads that urged citizens not to "vote for politics as usual". Ventura's campaign was successful, with him narrowly and unexpectedly defeating both the Democratic and Republican candidates. The highest elected official to ever win an election on a Reform Party ticket, Ventura left the Reform Party a year after taking office amid internal fights for control over the party. As governor, Ventura oversaw reforms of Minnesota's property tax as well as the state's first sales tax rebate. Other initiatives taken under Ventura included construction of the METRO Blue Line light rail in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area, and cuts in income taxes. Ventura left office in 2003, deciding not to run for re-election. After leaving office, Ventura became a visiting fellow at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government in 2004. He has since also hosted a number of television shows and has written several political books. Ventura remains politically active and currently hosts a show on Ora TV called Off the Grid. He has publicly contemplated a run for President of the United States in 2016.

Actor

The Drunk

2014

as Governor Littleton

Woodshop

2010

as Mr. Madson

Stuck on You

2003

as Jesse Ventura (uncredited)

Batman & Robin

1997

as Arkham Asylum Guard

Major League II

1994

as White Lightning

Demolition Man

1993

as CryoCon

Living and Working in Space: The Countdown Has Begun

1993

as DMV Testee

Ricochet

1991

as Chewalski

Tagteam

1991

as Bobby Youngblood

Abraxas, Guardian of the Universe

1990

as Abraxas

Repossessed

1990

as Himself

Thunderground

1989

as The Man

No Holds Barred

1989

as Himself - Commentator #1

The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!

1988

as Baseball Announcer (uncredited)

The Running Man

1987

as Captain Freedom

Predator

1987

as Blain Cooper

Videos

The Obama Deception

2009

as Self

WWE: The Best of Saturday Night's Main Event

2009

as Himself

WWE: Hulk Hogan: The Ultimate Anthology

2006

as Jesse Ventura

WWE: The Spectacular Legacy of the AWA

2006

as Self

WWE Hall of Fame 2004

2004

WWE SummerSlam 1999

1999

as Referee

WCW Beach Blast

1992

as Jesse "The Body" Ventura (Commentator)

Hulkamania 4

1989

as Jesse 'The Body' Ventura

WWE SummerSlam 1989

1989

as Jesse Ventura

The Best of the WWF: volume 19

1989

as Jesse "The Body" Ventura

WWE SummerSlam 1988

1988

as Jesse "The Body" Ventura (Referee)

Hulkamania 3

1988

as Jesse 'The Body' Ventura

WWE Royal Rumble

1988

as Jesse "The Body" Ventura (Commentary)

WWF Hulkamania 2

1987

as Jesse 'The Body' Ventura

The Best of the WWF: volume 9

1986

as Jesse "The Body" Ventura

Wrestling's Living Legend Bruno Sammartino

1986

WrestleMania II

1986

as Jesse "The Body" Ventura (Commentator)

Tag Team Champions

1986

as Jesse Ventura

The Best of the WWF: volume 5

1986

as Jesse "The Body" Ventura

WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: September '85

1985

as Jesse "The Body" Ventura

Best of the WWF Volume 1

1985

as Jesse "The Body" Ventura (Ringside)

Wrestling's Bloopers, Bleeps and Bodyslams!

1985

as Jesse "The Body" Ventura

WWF's Biggest, Smallest, Strangest, Strongest

1985

as Jesse Ventura

AWA Christmas Night 1983

1983

as Jesse "The Body" Ventura

AWA Christmas Show 1983

1983

as Jesse "The Body" Ventura

AWA Super Sunday

1983

as Jesse "The Body" Ventura

Documentaries

Jesse Ventura Shocks the World

2024

as Self

Biography: Wrestlemania I

2022

as Self (archival footage)

The Claw

2021

as Himself

Andre the Giant

2018

as Self (archive footage)

This Was the XFL

2017

as Himself

The Making of Trump

2015

as Self (archive footage)

WWE Hall of Fame: Jesse Ventura

2012

as Himself

9/11 Truth: Hollywood Speaks Up

2011

as Self

The Obama Deception

2009

as Self

WWE: Hulk Hogan: The Ultimate Anthology

2006

as Jesse Ventura

WWE: The Spectacular Legacy of the AWA

2006

as Self

Beyond the Mat

1999

as Self

Bob Uecker's Wacky World of Sports

1987

as Jesse "The Body" Ventura

Bob Uecker's Wacky World of Sports

1985

as Jesse "The Body" Ventura (archive footage)

Savage

1977

as himself