Dusty Rhodes (WWE)

Dusty Rhodes was a professional wrestler of the WWE.

WWE fans remember him best as a fun-loving good guy who battled The Million Dollar Man and “Macho King” Randy Savage alongside his valet Sapphire, but Dusty Rhodes was much more than just a smiling Superstar in polka dot tights.

Born the son of a plumber in a poor area of Austin, Texas, Rhodes mixed a blue-collar work ethic with a soul singer’s charisma to become one of the most in-demand stars of the territory days of the 1970s and ’80s. Although he lacked the killer physique of a Hulk Hogan or the technical prowess of a Bob Backlund, “The American Dream” had a magnetism that simply drew audiences to him.

From Florida to New York City, crowds lined up to see Rhodes deliver his Bionic Elbow to rivals like Harley Race, Ernie Ladd and “Superstar” Billy Graham. But it wasn’t just the guarantee that Rhodes would spill copious amounts of blood and sweat that put butts in seats — it was The American Dream’s uncanny ability to "talk" people into the arena. Captivating behind a microphone, Rhodes had a TV preacher’s knack to sell his rags-to-riches story, a skill which was summed up in his most famous line, “I have wined and dined with kings and queens and I’ve slept in alleys and dined on pork and beans.”