Wrestling legend and reality TV star Hulk Hogan has died at the age of 71 following a cardiac arrest at his home in Clearwater, Florida.
Born Terry Gene Bollea on August 11, 1953, in Augusta, Georgia, Hogan began his professional wrestling career in 1977 and catapulted to superstardom after joining the World Wrestling Federation (then WWF, now WWE) in 1983. With his larger-than-life persona, trademark handlebar mustache, and signature catchphrases, “Hulkamania” became a cultural phenomenon throughout the 1980s and beyond.
A mainstay of WrestleMania and a frequent headliner on Saturday Night’s Main Event and The Main Event, Hogan is remembered as an icon in the wrestling world. His legendary showdown with Andre the Giant on The Main Event on February 5, 1988, still holds the record for the most-watched wrestling match in American television history, drawing a reported 33 million viewers.
Hogan also made history by becoming the first wrestler to win back-to-back Royal Rumble matches in the early 1990s.
In 1993, Hogan stepped away from the ring to pursue opportunities in film and television. His screen credits include Rocky III opposite Sylvester Stallone (1982), No Holds Barred (1989), Suburban Commando (1991), Mr. Nanny (1993), and 3 Ninjas: High Noon at Mega Mountain (1998).
His filmography also includes voice work in animated productions like Gnomeo and Juliet and Robot Chicken: Star Wars. And, on television, Hogan was featured opposite wife Linda and children Brooke and Nick in the 2005 to 2007 docuseries Hogan Knows Best. The show, which premiered as the highest rated series at the time on VH1, capitalized on the rising trend of reality TV programs centered around famous families, following in the footsteps of The Osbournes.
Also on camera, Hogan also hosted American Gladiators on NBC in 2008 and the short-lived reality show, Hulk Hogan’s Celebrity Championship Wrestling. In 2010, he offered a more introspective look at his life in the television special Finding Hulk Hogan. And, beyond the screen, Hogan’s influence extended into merchandising. According to The Wrestling Figure Checklist, Hogan was featured in 171 different action figures released between the 1980s and 2010s. – Forbes