Hulk Hogan

Hulk Hogan: biography

Hulk Hogan nicknamed Hollywood Hogan is one of the brightest wrestlers in the history of the sport. One can easily recognize him: horseshoe mustache, long white hair, bandanas, and splendid muscles. The sportsman is associated with the golden age when fighters followed the rules and delivered a good show for the audience.

Hulk Hogan is the twelve-time Heavyweight Champion. The man’s height is 6.66 feet (203 cm.), and his weight is 304.24 lbs. (138 kg.). Besides, Hogan is a popular actor who appeared in iconic Thunder in Paradise and The Ultimate Weapon.

Terry Gene Bollea was born in the United States on August 11, 1953. The boy stood out among his peers early: his will to win was tremendous. Terry was the largest newborn in the hospital, the tallest student in his class, and the biggest university student. When Hulk worked at a bank, he could not sit at a table for a long time: the furniture was too small for his impressive sizes.

The boy’s father, Pietro "Peter" Bollea, worked at construction; the mother, Ruth Moody, kept the house and taught local children how to dance. Hulk has Scottish, French, Italian, and Panamanian roots.

When the future wrestler was a year and a half, the family moved to Florida. As a school student, the boy was fond of baseball and achieved a lot; experts believed he would make the top player in Florida. Unfortunately, Hogan had an injury and could no longer continue.

After the young man graduated from college, he started studying economy and business at a university; he worked in a local bank for several years. After a long working day, Hulk would meet his friends and play the guitar. Eventually, they organized a music group and performed in local bars.

One night, Hogan met Jack Brisco; it was the turning point in his life. Brisco asked Hiro Matsuda to teach Hulk wrestling. The young man went to the gym in his free time. In fact, he had been a fan of wrestling since his childhood and dreamed of being like Billy Graham who inspired by his “subhuman” appearances.

Wrestling

Throughout his career, Hulk Hogan won every possible award in wrestling. In 1984, the sportsman defeated invincible Iron Sheik at Madison Square Garden and won his first world champion.

In 1984-1991, the athlete kept gaining new champion titles. According to the man, the fight against André the Giant was the most significant event; more than 92 000 viewers watched it. Hulk’s weight was 275.58 lbs. (125 kg.) then; he lifted the Giant, whose weight was 551.16 lbs. (250 kg.), and threw him on the ring. The term “Wrestlemania” appeared at that period; it meant a craze among wrestling fans.

Besides, Hulk mentioned he liked Muhammad Ali’s speed and agility.

Millions of young men followed Hogan’s example and took up the sports. Despite his age, the athlete continues to encourage people today.

It was Hulk Hogan who united wrestlers and created the group New World Order. Athletes joined and became an unbreakable force. Still, some disagreement took place, and the organization split up. New World Order was revived in 1999, but entirely different members joined it.

In 1994, Hollywood Hogan was accused of taking steroids; he had to finish his sports career and switch to movies and talk-shows. The man came back to wrestling in 1999; once again, he made this sport popular in the United States.

Movies

Directors noticed Hulk’s impressive appearance and invited him to their projects. Hogan debuted with a secondary part in the iconic action Rocky III. The early period in his filmography also included No Holds Barred and Suburban Commando. The man had many lead roles. For instance, he played a bodyguard who has to look after two disobedient twin boys in the comedy Mr. Nanny.

1993 brought the series Thunder in Paradise that made the actor famous all over the globe; it was particularly popular among teenagers and youth. Soon, Thunder in Paradise II and Thunder in Paradise III came out. The 1998 action The Ultimate Weapon was one of the most spectacular pictures. In addition, the artist participated in Baywatch.

Overall, the audience likes the movies with Hulk Hogan as much as the projects starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Dolph Lundgren, and Sylvester Stallone.

Personal life

Despite his busy schedule, Hulk always found time for personal relationships; he spent much time with his family.

In 1983, the man married Linda Claridge; two kids were born in this union. The daughter Brooke became a singer; she also participates in popular reality shows. The son Nick is a professional athlete. Both children prefer a healthy lifestyle.

In 2007, the couple divorced. According to Hulk, the family had always been the priority in his life.

The man avoided long-term relationships for several years and had several short-term affairs. Finally, he met Jennifer McDaniel and fell in love again; the lovers married in 2010. The wife actively supports Hogan and inspires him for new achievements.

Present days

Hulk Hogan does a lot of charity work for diseased children and writes books.

On July 24, 2015, the athlete was kicked out of wrestling: organizers canceled all the contracts and deleted the information about the sportsman from the official website. The reason remained unknown; rumors had it Hogan was expelled because he was a racist.

Today, Hogan continues to participate in various shows and sometimes gets episodic parts in movies. His net worth is estimated at $25 million in 2019.

Filmography

• 1982 – Rocky III
• 1984 - Goldie and the Bears
• 1989 – No Holds Barred
• 1991 – Suburban Commando
• 1993 – Mr. Nanny
• 1993 – Thunder in Paradise
• 1996 – Spy Hard
• 1996 – The Secret Agent Club
• 1996 – Santa With Muscles
• 1998 – The Ultimate Weapon
• 1998 – McCinsey's Island
• 1998 – 3 Ninjas: High Noon at Mega Mountain
• 1999 – Muppets from Space
• 2001 – Walker, Texas Ranger
• 2009 – Little Hercules
• 2011 – Gnomeo & Juliet
• 2013 – Skum Rocks!