Jesse Ventura
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.
Known For
Credits
- 2024 · Jesse Ventura Shocks the World as Self
- 2022 · Biography: Wrestlemania I as Self (archival footage)
- 2018 · Andre the Giant as Self (archive footage)
- 2017 · This Was the XFL as Himself
- 2016 · Chelsea as Self
- 2015 · The Making of Trump as Self (archive footage)
- 2014 · The Drunk as Governor Littleton
- 2012 · Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles as The Finger (voice)
- 2012 · WWE Hall of Fame: Jesse Ventura as Himself
- 2011 · 9/11 Truth: Hollywood Speaks Up as Himself
- 2010 · Woodshop as Mr. Madson
- 2009 · Conspiracy Theory with Jesse Ventura as
- 2009 · The Obama Deception as Self
- 2009 · WWE: The Best of Saturday Night's Main Event as Himself
- 2006 · WWE: Hulk Hogan: The Ultimate Anthology as Jesse Ventura
- 2006 · WWE: The Spectacular Legacy of the AWA as Self
- 2005 · The Colbert Report as
- 2004 · WWE Hall of Fame 2004 as
- 2004 · 10 Things Every Guy Should Experience as Self
- 2003 · Stuck on You as Self (uncredited)
- 2003 · Real Time with Bill Maher as Self
- 2003 · Jimmy Kimmel Live! as
- 1999 · Beyond the Mat as Himself
- 1999 · WWE SummerSlam 1999 as Referee
- 1997 · Batman & Robin as Arkham Asylum Guard
- 1996 · E! True Hollywood Story as
- 1996 · Arliss as
- 1994 · Major League II as White Lightning
- 1993 · Demolition Man as CryoCon
- 1993 · The X-Files as Man in Black #1
- 1993 · Living and Working in Space: The Countdown Has Begun as DMV Testee
- 1993 · WWE Raw as
- 1993 · WWE Raw as Jesse "The Body" Ventura (archive footage)
- 1992 · Renegade as
- 1992 · WCW Beach Blast as Jesse "The Body" Ventura (Commentator)
- 1992 · The Tonight Show with Jay Leno as
- 1991 · Ricochet as Chewalski
- 1991 · Tagteam as Bobby Youngblood
- 1990 · Abraxas, Guardian of the Universe as Abraxas
- 1990 · Repossessed as Himself
- 1989 · Hulkamania 4 as Jesse 'The Body' Ventura
- 1989 · Thunderground as The Man
- 1989 · WWE SummerSlam 1989 as Jesse Ventura
- 1989 · The Best of the WWF: volume 19 as Jesse "The Body" Ventura
- 1989 · No Holds Barred as Himself - Commentator #1
- 1988 · The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! as Baseball Announcer (uncredited)
- 1988 · WWE SummerSlam 1988 as Jesse "The Body" Ventura (Referee)
- 1988 · Hulkamania 3 as Jesse 'The Body' Ventura
- 1987 · The Running Man as Captain Freedom
- 1987 · Predator as Blain Cooper
- 1987 · WWF Hulkamania 2 as Jesse 'The Body' Ventura
- 1987 · Bob Uecker's Wacky World of Sports as Jesse "The Body" Ventura
- 1986 · The Best of the WWF: volume 9 as Jesse "The Body" Ventura
- 1986 · WWF Wrestling Challenge as Jesse 'The Body' Ventura
- 1986 · Wrestling's Living Legend Bruno Sammartino as
- 1986 · WrestleMania II as Jesse "The Body" Ventura (Commentator)
- 1986 · Tag Team Champions as Jesse Ventura
- 1986 · The Best of the WWF: volume 5 as Jesse "The Body" Ventura
- 1985 · WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: September '85 as Jesse "The Body" Ventura
- 1985 · Saturday Night's Main Event as
- 1985 · WWE Pay Per View as Jesse "The Body" Ventura (Referee)
- 1985 · Bob Uecker's Wacky World of Sports as Jesse "The Body" Ventura (archive footage)
- 1985 · WWF's Biggest, Smallest, Strangest, Strongest as Jesse Ventura
- 1985 · Wrestling's Bloopers, Bleeps and Bodyslams! as Jesse "The Body" Ventura
- 1985 · Best of the WWF Volume 1 as Jesse "The Body" Ventura (Ringside)
- 1984 · Hunter as Jesse
- 1984 · Hunter as Phil Slade
- 1983 · AWA Christmas Night 1983 as
- 1983 · AWA Christmas Show 1983 as Jesse "The Body" Ventura
- 1983 · AWA Super Sunday as Jesse "The Body" Ventura
- 1977 · Savage as himself