>> ALL RIGHT!
YEAH, I LIKE IT.
>> I KNEW I COULD BE
BETTER AT IT THAN ANYBODY ELSE.
>> EVERY GUY IN THE AUDIENCE
WANTED TO BE LIKE HULK.
THEY WANTED TO BE AS BIG AS HIM■
HAVE THE BODY LIKE HIM, HAVE THE
MUSCLES LIKE HIM, AND WITH ONE
PUNCH KNOCK SOMEBODY ALL THE WAY
ACROSS THE RING.
>> A SWITCH GETS TURNED, "BANG,"
AND THEN THAT ENERGY STARTS JUST
BLASTING OUT.
>> HULK HOGAN, NEXT ON
 "BIOGRAPHY."
 Captioning sponsored by
 A&E TELEVISION NETWORKS
>> Narrator: THE "LITTLE
HULKSTER" WAS BORN TERRY GENE
BOLLEA IN AUGUST 1953, IN
AUGUSTA, GEORGIA.
RIGHT FROM THE START, TERRY WAS
A BIG BOY.
>> HE WEIGHED 10.7 WHEN HE WAS
BORN.
I SAY A STAR WAS BORN THAT DAY,
AND WE'RE AWFULLY PROUD OF HIM,
EVEN FROM A LITTLE FELLOW.
>> Narrator: TERRY WAS THE
YOUNGEST OF THREE BROTHERS, AND
SOON AFTER HE WAS BORN, THE
FAMILY MOVED TO TAMPA, FLORIDA.
FROM THE TIME HE STARTED SCHOOL,
TERRY LITERALLY STOOD OUT.
>> THE KIDS IN FIRST GRADE MADE
ME QUITE AWARE THAT I HAD A VERY
LARGE HEAD, AND THAT PRETTY MUCH
STUCK WITH ME THROUGHOUT MY
WHOLE CHILDHOOD, THROUGH
ADOLESCENCE-- THAT I HAD THIS
LARGE HEAD ON MY SHOULDERS, AND
FOR SOME REASON IT'S BIGGER THAN
EVERYBODY ELSE'S.
>> Narrator: WHEN HE WAS SIX
YEARS OLD, TERRY BECAME
FASCINATED BY WRESTLING.
HIS HOMETOWN OF TAMPA WAS A
THRIVING CENTER FOR THE SPORT.
>> I JUST DROVE MY FATHER CRAZY
TO TAKE ME TO THE MATCHES, AND
WHEN HE TOOK ME DOWN TO THE
ARMORY THE FIRST NIGHT IN TAMPA,
THAT WAS IT.
I WAS HOOKED.
I WAS A WRESTLING JUNKIE, AND I
DREAMED ABOUT IT 24 HOURS A DAY.
>> Narrator: TERRY CERTAINLY HAD
THE RIGHT BUILD FOR THE SPORT.
BY THE TIME HE REACHED HIGH
SCHOOL, HE WAS ALREADY AS BIG AS
SOME WRESTLERS.
>> IN HIGH SCHOOL, YOU KNOW,
HE'S 6'5", 250 POUNDS, 230, 240
POUNDS, SO THAT'S A BIG HIGH
SCHOOL... BIG HIGH SCHOOL GUY,
YOU KNOW.■
I MUST HAVE WEIGHED ALL OF 155
SOAKING WET, YOU KNOW?
>> Narrator: TERRY LEARNED
WRESTLING MOVES BY WATCHING THE
PROS, AND HE PRACTICED THEM ON
OTHER BOYS IN THE SCHOOLYARD
EVERY CHANCE HE HAD.
BUT HE WENT TOO FAR WHEN HE
TESTED HIS SKILLS ON THE HIGH
SCHOOL GYM COACH DURING CLASS.
>> HE MADE ME GET DOWN IN THE
REFEREE'S POSITION ON ALL FOURS■
AND HE WENT AHEAD AND HOOKED ME.
AND WHEN HE SAID GO, I SAT OUT
REAL QUICK, CHICKEN-WINGED HIS
ARM, AND I PINNED HIM.
HE CAME UP, OUT OF HIS MIND
CRAZY.
AND I MEAN, I JUST REMEMBER
RUNNING FOR MY LIFE AROUND THE
LOCKERS IN THE SHOWER AREA,
RUNNING FROM HIM TO STAY AWAY
FROM HIM.
>> Narrator: BUT TERRY HAD
INTERESTS BEYOND SPORTS.
HE WAS A STRAIGHT-A STUDENT, AND
ONE OF HIS GREATEST LOVES WAS
MUSIC.
HE TAUGHT HIMSELF GUITAR AND
BASS GUITAR, AND FORMED A
POPULAR ROCK BAND THAT PLAYED
LOCAL DANCES ALMOST EVERY NIGHT.
>> HE'D COME HOME, AND FOR
BREAKFAST, HE'D HAVE MAYBE TEN,
11 EGGS, AND HE'D HAVE ABOUT A
THREE-QUARTER POUND OF GROUND
SIRLOIN AND A WHOLE QUART OF
ORANGE JUICE.
THAT WAS HIS BREAKFAST.
>> Narrator: TERRY WAS KNOWN AT
SCHOOL AS RESERVED, EVEN SHY,
BUT ONCE IN FRONT OF AN AUDIENCE
WITH HIS BAND, HE CAME ALIVE.
>> WHEN HE PLAYED IN THE BAND,
HE WAS AMONGST FOUR OR FIVE GUYS
PLAYING, BUT, YOU KNOW, THE
PEOPLE THERE, THEY ALWAYS GOT
EXCITED ABOUT HIM.
HE WAS A BIG... SO BIG AND
PLAYING THAT GUITAR, AND LONG
BLOND HAIR, AND HE WAS LIKE...
HE ALWAYS JUST CREATED A LOT OF
EXCITEMENT.
>> Narrator: SHOWMANSHIP WAS IN
HIS GENES.
HIS MOTHER RUTH HAD BEEN A
MUSICIAN AND A PROFESSIONAL
DANCER.
>> HE GOT HIS TALENT FROM HIS
MOTHER, BECAUSE SHE PLAYS THE
ORGAN, PLAYS THE PIANO...
>> I USED TO TEACH DANCING.
>> I FELT THAT THAT'S WHERE HE
GOT HIS TALENT.
>> WELL, THANK YOU, PETER.
>> Narrator: WHEN HE LEFT HIGH
SCHOOL, TERRY HOPED TO MAKE A
CAREER IN MUSIC, BE ALSO
STUDIED BUSINESS MANAGEMENT AT
HILLSBOROUGH COMMUNITY COLLEGE
AND THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH
FLORIDA, JUST IN CASE THE MUSIC
DIDN'T WORK OUT.
AT ONE POINT HE EVEN CONSIDERED
MAKING A CAREER IN BANKING.
BUT FATE INTERVENED, AND
BANKING'S LOSS BECAME
WRESTLING'S GAIN.
WHILE PLAYING WITH HIS BAND ONE
NIGHT, TERRY SUDDENLY FOUND
HIMSELF NOSE TO NOSE WITH A
LOCAL WRESTLER.
>> MY GIRLFRIEND WAS IN THE
CROWD, AND ANOTHER WRESTLER PAID
TOO MUCH ATTENTION TO THE YOUNG
LADY.
I STUCK MY NOSE IN BETWEEN THE
TWO OF THEM, AND THERE WAS A
LITTLE ALTERCATION, AND THAT LED
TO THE WRESTLERS ASKING ME TO
COME DOWN FOR A TRYOUT.
"IF YOU THINK YOU'RE SO TOUGH,
WHY DON'T YOU COME DOWN AND..."
YOU KNOW.
AND I WENT DOWN THERE, AND THEY
GOT ME IN THE RING, AND THEN
THEY BROKE MY LEG.
SO I LEARNED MY LESSON PRETTY
QUICKLY ABOUT HOW SERIOUS THEY
WERE.
>> Narrator: TERRY LEARNED THE
BASIC WRESTLING MOVES, AND ALSO
HOW TO WITHSTAND PAIN.
HIS TEACHERS WANTED TO SEE IF HE
HAD WHAT IT TAKES.
HE KEPT COMING BACK DAY AFTER
DAY, AND TOLD EVERYONE HE'D
FOFOD HIS CALLING.
>> TERRY WOULD GET HIMSELF ALL
BEAT UP, COME HOME, THROW UP,
TURN RIGHT AROUND, GO BACK THE
NEXT DAY FOR MORE.
SO I'D SAY HE WAS DEDICATED.
ANYTHING HE DID, HE STUCK TO IT.
>> THEY PRETTY MUCH TORTURED ME
FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS WITH
EXERCISE AND GETTING IN SHAPE
AND STRETCHING ME, WHICH MEANS
BENDING YOUR ARMS AND LEGS TO
THE POINT OF PASSING OUT AND
SCREAMING, THE WAY THEY DID IT
IN THE OLD DAYS.
>> Narrator: EVENTUALLY, TERRY'S
COACHES DECIDED HE WAS READY,
AND BOOKED HIM FOR HIS
PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING DEBUT.
TERRY BOLLEA WAS ABOUT TO TAKE
HIS FIRST STEP ON THE ROAD TO
BECOMING THE HULK.
HE BEGAN HIS PROFESSIONAL
WRESTLING CAREER IN 1978, AT THE
AGE OF 25.
>> AT 295 POUNDS, FROM TAMPA,
FLORIDA, TERRY BOULDER.
>> Narrator: TERRY DIDN'T START
OUT WITH THE NAME HULK HOGAN.
PROMOTERS GAVE HIM NAMES LIKE
"TERRY BOULDER, THE SUPER
DESTROYER" AND "STERLING
GOLDEN."
>> PUSHED AWAY BY BOULDER.
>> Narrator: HE'D BEEN TRAINING
FOR TWO YEARS FOR HIS FIRST
MATCH, AND HE WAS SO PUMPED UP
THAT WHEN PROMOTERS ASKED HIM TO
GO EASY ON HIS MUCH SMALLER
OPPONENT, HE DIDN'T LISTEN.
>> BASICALLY HE FLOATED AROUND
THE RING, AND ONCE I GOT MY
HANDS ON HIM, IT WAS GAME OVER.
AND HE WAS SCREAMING AND
SQUEALING THE WHOLE TIME, "TAKE
IT EASY, DON'T KILL ME, DON'T
BREAK ME IN HALF."
>> HE'S GOT HIS WORK CUT OUT FOR
HIM.
REVERSAL.
FULL SLAM BY BOULDER.
>> Narrator: TERRY SOON LEARNED
THAT THERE WAS MORE TO PRO-
WRESTLING THAN BODY SLAMS AND
DROP KICKS.
IMAGE WAS JUST AS IMPORTANT.
HE WAS TOLD TO PLAY THE BAD GUY,
WHICH CAME AS A MAJOR SURPRISE
TO HIS TWO BIGGEST SUPPORTERS AT
HOME.
>> I AM THE STRONGEST MAN IN THE
WORLD.
AND ANYTHING THAT YOU CAN DO, I
CAN DO BETTER.
I'M GOING TO SHOW YOU RIGHT NOW.
>> I WAS SHOCKED, THOUGH,
BECAUSE TERRY'S ALWAYS BEEN SUCH
A QUIET PERSON.
AND THE FIRST TIME THAT I SAW
HIM ON TV, WHEN HE WAS JUST
POPPING OFF AND GOING ON ABOUT
SCREAMING AND YELLING, I
COULDN'T BELIEVE WHAT I WAS
HEARING.
>> TO LEARN THIS BUSINESS, YOU
NEED TO BE A BAD GUY, BECAUSE IN
THIS BUSINESS, WHEN YOU'RE IN
THE RING, THE BAD GUY ALWAYS
LEADS THE MATCH.
IT'S ALMOST LIKE A MAN LEADING A
WOMAN IN A DANCE.
THE BAD GUY SETS THE TEMPO.
HE LISTENS WITH HIS EARS, WITH
HIS HEART.
HE GETS THE INSTINCT FOR THE
CROWD, WHAT TO DO, WHAT NOT TO
DO, HOW TO CREATE EMOTION, BRING
THEM TO THE EDGE OF THE SEATS,
REALLY GET THEM MAD AT YOU, AND■
THEN HAVE THEM CHEERING AND
SCREAMING AND CRYING FOR THE
HERO.
>> Narrator: TERRY DISCOVERED
THAT BEING ON THE WRESTLING
CIRCUIT WAS A CONSTANT GRIND.
HE SPENT RELENTLESS MONTHS ON
THE ROAD, WRESTLING ALMOST EVERY
DAY FOR A WEEKLY CHECK OF $125.
HIS TRAVELING COMPANION AND TAG
TEAM PARTNER WAS ED LESLIE.
>> WE STARTED OUT LIVING IN THE
VAN-- TRAVELING, LIVING, EATING,
SLEEPING.
YOU KNOW, WE'D GO... WE LIVED
BETWEEN THE VAN AND THE ARENAS
AND THE GYM, AND THAT WAS LIKE
OUR HOME FOR A WHILE.
>> TAKES IT RIGHT BACK.
>> Narrator: IN THE 1970s,
BEFORE THE SPREAD OF CABLE
TELEVISION, WRESTLING DID NOT
HAVE THE NATIONAL EXPOSURE IT
ENJOYS TODAY.
DOZENS OF LOCAL PROMOTERS EACH
HAD THEIR OWN REGIONAL CIRCUITS,
AND THE WRESTLERS WERE FAR FROM
BEING THE MULTI-MILLIONAIRE
SUPERSTARS THEY ARE NOW.
FOR THE YOUNG TERRY BOLLEA,
WRESTLING MEANT LONG HOURS, HARD
KNOCKS, AND SMALL CHECKS, BUT HE
WAS CONVINCED IT WAS ALL WORTH
IT.
I WAS WATCHING WHAT WAS GOING
ON, I WAS WATCHING THE SHOW
BUSINESS ASPECT COMBINED WITH
THE PHYSICALITIES OF THIS
BUSINESS, AND I KNEW I COULD BE
BETTER AT IT THAN ANYBODY ELSE.■
 Narrator: TERRY BASED HIS
OPTIMISM ON FAN REACTION.
EVEN THOUGH HE WAS PLAYING THE
BAD GUY, HE WAS A CROWD FAVORITE
WHEREVER HE WENT.
>> THE GIRLS SCREAMED OVER HIM
AND LOVED HIM, AND EVERY GUY IN
THE AUDIENCE WANTED TO BE LIKE
HULK.
THEY WANTED TO BE AS BIG AS HIM,
HAVE THE BODY LIKE HIM, HAVE THE
MUSCLES LIKE HIM, AND WITH ONE
PUNCH, KNOCK SOMEBODY ALL THE
WAY ACROSS THE RING.
SO HE HAD EVERYTHING IT REALLY
TOOK TO BE A SUPERSTAR.
>> Narrator: THE PROMOTERS
AGREED.
ABOUT ONE YEAR AFTER HE BEGAN
WRESTLING, TERRY RECEIVED AN
OFFER FROM NEW YORK THAT WOULD
LAUNCH HIM TO NATIONAL FAME.
>> AFTER THE BREAK, HOLLYWOOD
CALLS ON THE HULK.
>> I WAS IN THE LOCKER ROOM, AND
I GOT A NOTE FROM SOMEBODY, AND
IT SAID "PLEASE CALL SYLVESTER
STALLONE--YEAH, ALRIGHT, OKAY.
WHEN'S THE NEXT JOKE.
>> THE HULK, WITHOUT A
DOUBT, IS THE MOST AWESOME
FIGURE IN PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING
TODAY.
>> Narrator: TERRY BOLLEA HAD
BEEN WRESTLING FOR ONLY A YEAR
OR SO WHEN HE CAUGHT THE EYE OF
NEW YORK'S BIGGEST PROMOTER.
>> HIS CHEST EXPANDS TO AN
INCREDIBLE 59 INCHES.
HIS BICEPS ARE 26 INCHES.
AND AT THE END OF THESE POWERFUL
ARMS ARE TWO 12-INCH FISTS.
>> Narrator: VINCE McMAHON, SR.,
WHO OWNED THE WORLD WRESTLING
FEDERATION, BROUGHT TERRY TO
MADISON SQUARE GARDEN AND GAVE
HIM THE NAME "HULK HOGAN," AFTER
THE HIT TV SHOW OF THE TIME,
 THE INCREDIBLE HULK.
>> HE IS THE HULK.
>> Narrator: BY 1980, HULK HOGAN
WAS A HEADLINE ATTRACTION FOR
THE W.W.F.
THAT YEAR, BEFORE 50,000 FANS AT
NEW YORK'S SHEA STADIUM, HULK
WAS PITTED AGAINST THE REIGNING
STAR OF THE RING, ANDRE THE
GIANT, WHO STOOD MORE THAN SEVEN
FEET TALL AND WEIGHED ABOUT 500
POUNDS.
HULK LOST THE MATCH, BUT HIS
APPEARANCE WON HIM A MUCH BIGGER
PRIZE.
ONE OF THE MILLIONS WATCHING HIM
ON TV THAT DAY WAS SYLVESTER
STALLONE, WHO DECIDED HE WANTED
HULK FOR HIS NEXT MOVIE, ROCKY
 III.
>> I WAS IN THE LOCKER ROOM, AND
I GOT A NOTE FROM SOMEBODY, AND
IT SAID "PLEASE CALL SYLVESTER
STALLONE ABOUT A LARGE PART IN A
 ROCKY MOVIE."
"YEAH, RIGHT, OKAY.
IS SOMEBODY POURING BEER IN MY
BAG?
OKAY, WHAT'S THE NEXT JOKE?"
YOU KNOW?
>> Narrator: HULK IGNORED THE
INVITATION, BUT RECEIVED THE
SAME ONE AGAIN A FEW WEEKS
LATER.
THIS TIME, HE TOOK IT SERIOUSLY,
AND SOON FOUND HIMSELF
REHEARSING WITH STALLONE IN A
HOLLYWOOD RING.
>> HE CAME RIGHT UP IN MY FACE
WITH THE CAMERA, AND HE GOES,
"ALL RIGHT, YOU'RE A PIECE OF
CRAP"-- HE HAD STRONGER LANGUAGE
THAN THAT, BUT, YOU KNOW--
"YOU'RE A PIECE OF CRAP AND
YOU'RE THE WORST WRESTLER IN THE
WORLD.
GET MAD."
AND I KNEW INSTANTLY WHAT HE
WANTED.
HE WANTED TO SEE IF I COULD
TALK, AND DO THIS INSANE PROMO-
TYPE THING.
SO I SAID, "LET ME TELL YOU
SOMETHING, STALLONE, I'LL BREAK
YOU IN HALF, YOU MEATBALL," OR
WHATEVER I SAID.
BUT HE SAID, YOU KNOW, "OKAY,
MAN, YOU GOT THE PART.
GREAT."
>> ROCKY, YOU BETTER CALL BOB
HOPE.
>> THE ULTIMATE MALE VERSUS THE
ULTIMATE MEATBALL.
( bell rings )
>> Narrator: HULK HOGAN PLAYED A
WRESTLER CALLED THUNDERLIPS, WHO
BATTLES ROCKY IN A CHARITY
MATCH.
HULK WAS A HIT WITH MOVIE FANS,
BUT NOT WITH HIS BOSS, VINCE
McMAHON, SR.
>> HE GOES, "TERRY, YOU'RE A
WRESTLER, NOT AN ACTOR, AND
YOU'RE NOT GOING TO L.A."
I SAID, "YES, I AM, MR. McMAHON.
I WANT TO DO THIS MOVIE."
HE GOES, "WELL, IF YOU DO THAT,
YOU'RE NOT GOING TO WORK FOR ME
EVER AGAIN."
>> Narrator: HOGAN SPLIT FROM
McMAHON SR. AND TOOK UP AN OFFER
TO WRESTLE IN JAPAN.
JAPAN HAS A LONG TRADITION OF
MORE SERIOUS WRESTLING, AND IT
HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHING QUITE
LIKE THE HULK.
>> Narrator: ANTONIO INOKI, AN
ICON IN JAPAN, HELPED TO TRAIN
HOGAN IN THE JAPANESE STYLE OF
WRESTLING, WITH MORE ACTION AND
FEWER THEATRICS.
>> IN JAPAN, THE WRESTLING IS
MUCH DIFFERENT THAN IT IS HERE.
THEY WANT TO SEE YOU GUYS GET IT
ON.
>> Narrator: IN ONE BOUT, THE
HULK TOOK HIS TRAINING A LITTLE
TOO SERIOUSLY, AND PUT INOKI,
HIS OPPONENT THAT NIGHT, INTO
THE HOSPITAL.
>> Narrator: AFTER BECOMING A
WRESTLING STAR IN JAPAN, HULK
RETURNED TO WRESTLE IN AMERICA,
AND SIGNED WITH A PROMOTER IN
MINNESOTA.
THIS TIME, HULK WAS CAST AS THE
GOOD GUY, BATTLING A LOCAL
VILLAIN, A WRESTLER NAMED JESSE
VENTURA.
>> I AM THE HOTTEST THING IN
PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING.
I AM THE BADDEST DUDE THAT WALKS
THE STREETS TODAY, CHUMP HOGAN.
AND YOU THINK ABOUT THAT, CHUMP.
>> AND WHEN I CAME IN, ALL THE
FANS WANTED TO SEE ME BEAT JESSE
UP.
>> BECAUSE YOU COULD NOT BEAT
ME.
YOU COULD NOT EVEN BEAT
SYLVESTER STALLONE IN THE MOVIE
 ROCKY III.
IT WAS A DRAW.
I'D HAVE SQUASHED THAT PEANUT IN
30 SECONDS.
>> SO IT WAS PRETTY EASY TO MAKE
THE TRANSITION AND BE THE GOOD
GUY, BECAUSE THE FANS JUST
CHEERED ME.
EVEN IF I EATED AND POKED
JESSE IN THE EYES, THE FANS
WOULD CHEER ME FOR DOING IT,
THEY HATED JESSE SO MUCH.
>> AND NOW IT'S UP TO HULK
HOGAN.
>> Narrator: BY THE EARLY
1980s, HULK HOGAN'S CAREER WAS
ON THE FAST TRACK.
AS A HEADLINE WRESTLER IN TWO
COUNTRIES, HE HAD LITTLE TIME TO
THINK ABOUT HIS PRIVATE LIFE.
BUT THAT SOON CHANGED WHEN HE
WALKED INTO A LOS ANGELES DISCO
AND MET LINDA CLARIDGE.
>> ALL OF A SUDDEN, IN WALKS
THIS BIG, GORGEOUS BLOND GUY AND
ALL THIS LITTLE TRAILING OF
WOMEN ALL AROUND HIM.
AND I THOUGHT, "OH, MY GOD,
THAT'S THE GUY FROM THE ROCKY
MOVIE, YOU KNOW?"
AND I THOUGHT, "I'LL JUST GO UP
AND JUST SAY HI," BECAUSE I HAD
JUST SEEN HIS MOVIE.
>> SHE THOUGHT I WAS AN ACTOR.
SHE HAD NO IDEA THAT I WAS
REALLY A WRESTLER AND ACTUALLY
DID THIS FOR A LIVING.
>> Narrator: FOR THEIR FIRST
DATE, TERRY MADE QUITE AN
IMPRESSION BY INVITING LINDA TO
COME AND WATCH HIM WRESTLE.
>> I WAS IN THERE THINKING, I'M
SO PROUD OF HIM.
HE LOOKED GREAT, AND THE MATCH
BEGAN, AND IT TURNED INTO A
BLOODBATH, BASICALLY.
AND I SAW HIM FLYING OFF THE
ROPES.
AND THE PEOPLE, I LOOKED AT THE
AUDIENCE, YOU KNOW, TO SEE WHAT
THEY WERE DOING, BECAUSE HE WAS
BLEEDING PROFUSELY.
AND EVERYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE
WAS LIKE, "YEAH, MORE, MORE!"
AND I THOUGHT, "THIS IS CRAZY,
YOU KNOW.
WHAT AM I GETTING INTO?"
>> Narrator: TERRY CONVINCED HER
THAT IT WAS JUST A BUSINESS, AND
AFTER TWO YEARS OF COURTSHIP,
THEY WERE MARRIED IN DECEMBER
1983.
THE WEDDING MARKED A DOUBLE
CELEBRATION, BECAUSE AT THE SAME
TIME, HULK WAS GETTING THE NEXT
BIG BREAK IN HIS CAREER.
VINCE McMAHON, JR. HAD TAKEN
OVER THE REINS OF THE WORLD
WRESTLING FEDERATION FROM HIS
FATHER.
VINCE, JR. DECIDED THAT HULK
HOGAN WAS THE POTENTIAL
SUPERSTAR HE NEEDED TO TRANSFORM
HIS BUSINESS FROM A REGIONAL
OUTFIT TO A MAJOR GLOBAL
ATTRACTION.
>> I THINK VINCE McMAHON, JR.
LOOKED AT THE PRODUCT OF
WRESTLING AND SAID, "THIS IS A
HUGE ROCK CONCERT."
HERE WE HAVE THESE GREAT
PERFORMERS, LARGER-THAN-LIFE
PEOPLE JUST LIKE ROCK ACTS.
IT BECAME McMAHON AND HOGAN.
IT WAS JUST THIS MACHINE OF
PERSONALITY AND BUSINESS THAT
JUST CHUG-A-LUGGED AND MADE THIS
WHOLE THING EXPLODE.
>> Narrator: VINCE'S FATHER HAD
FIRED HULK HOGAN FROM THE
W.W.F., BUT VINCE JUNIOR COULD
HARDLY WAIT TO WELCOME HIM BACK.
IN EARLY 1984, AMID MASSIVE
PUBLICITY, HE PITTED HULK IN A
TITLE MATCH AGAINST A CHARACTER
CALLED THE IRON SHEIK FROM
IRAN.
MEMORIES OF THE IRANIAN HOSTAGE
CRISIS WERE STILL FRESH, AND
WHEN HULK WON THE TITLE, IT SET
OFF A WAVE OF PATRIOTISM AND A
NEW CULT CALLED HULKAMANIA.
>> COMING OUT WITH THE UNITED
STATES FLAG AND THE U.S.A. SHIRT
TO "EYE OF THE TIGER," YOU KNOW,
IT WAS LIKE, "DAH, DAH, DAH,"
YOU KNOW.
AND I WAS LIKE, "ALL RIGHT!
YEAH, I LIKE IT!"
>> EVERYBODY WAS LIKE, "OH, I
HOPE HOGAN REALLY KICKS THIS
GUY'S BUTT."
YEAH, THE PEOPLE WERE VERY INTO
THE WHOLE "U.S.A., U.S.A.!"
CHANT BACK THEN.
AND HOGAN WAS DEFENDING OUR
COUNTRY.
>> NEXT, HULKAMANIA IS
EVERYWHERE.
>> IT WAS ON POSTCARDS, IT WAS
ON ACTION FIGURES, YOU KNOW,
BILLBOARD SIGNS.
AND IT EVEN TOOK ME OVER, WHERE
I EVEN HAD ALL HIS FACES PUT ON
MY JACKETS THAT I WORE TO THE
RING WHILE I WAS MANAGING HIM.
STILL FITS PRETTY GOOD, TOO.
>> Narrator: IN THE MID 1980s
INTEREST IN WRESTLING EXPLODED,
WITH HULK HOGAN AS ITS POSTER
BOY.
HE WAS ON MAGAZINE COVERS, TALK
SHOWS AND ADVERTISING, AND THERE
WERE ENOUGH ITEMS OF HULKAMANIA
MERCHANDISE TO FILL A ROOM IN
HIS HOUSE-- HATS, T-SHIRTS, FAST
FOOD, VITAMINS, KIDS' GAMES,
DOLLS, EVEN PINBALL MACHINES.
>> THE W.W.F. ROYAL RUMBLE.
>> YEAH, THERE'S THE MACHO MAN.
>> Narrator: HULKAMANIA WAS SO
BIG, IT WAS ON EVERYTHING.
IT WAS ON POSTCARDS, IT WAS ON
ACTION FIGURES, YOU KNOW,
BILLBOARD SIGNS.
AND IT EVEN TOOK ME OVER, WHERE
I EVEN HAD ALL HIS FACES PUT ON
MY JACKETS THAT I WORE TO THE
RING WHILE I WAS MANAGING HIM.
STILL FITS PRETTY GOOD, TOO.
>> Narrator: HULKAMANIA WAS
PARTICULARLY DIRECTED AT KIDS.
HIS CONSTANT ADVICE TO THEM WAS
TO TRAIN HARD, EAT THEIR
VITAMINS, AND SAY THEIR PRAYERS.
TO MANY KIDS, HULK WAS THEIR
ULTIMATE SYMBOL OF GOOD
TRIUMPHING OVER EVIL.
>> THE CHARACTER WAS COMPLETELY
PLANNED TO EXPLOIT THE WHOLESOME
IMAGE OF AMERICA, AND IT WAS AN
UNBELIEVABLE MESSAGE TO GIVE TO
THE YOUTH OF TODAY.
IT'S MUCH BETTER THAN THE
MESSAGE THEY'RE GETTING, YOU
KNOW, WHEN THEY WATCH TV AND THE
WRESTLERS GO, "WE GOT TWO WORDS
FOR YOU: SUCK IT."
YOU KNOW, IT'S A MUCH BETTER
MESSAGE.
THE MESSAGE WAS WHOLESOME.
IT WAS THE RIGHT THING TO DO, IT
WAS THE RIGHT THING TO SAY.
>> Narrator: WITH HULK HOGAN
LEADING THE WAY, WRESTLING
EMERGED FROM THE SHOW BUSINESS
SHADOWS TO BECOME ONE OF THE
BIGGEST SELLERS IN FAMILY
ENTERTAINMENT.
>> HERE IS THE COUNT.
ONE, TWO, THREE!
IT'S ALL OVER!
HULK HOGAN!
>> HULK HOGAN IS THE CHAMPION!
>> Narrator: WHEN HULKAMANIA
EXPLODED IN THE MID-1980s, IT
MADE HULK HOGAN A NEW KIND OF
WRESTLING STAR.
THERE HAD BEEN FLASHY,
CHARISMATIC WRESTLERS BEFORE,
BUT WHAT SET HULK APART WAS HIS
CROSSOVER APPEAL.
>> THIS IS A GUY WHO, IF THE
PRESIDENT SAW HIM, THE PRESIDENT
OF THE UNITED STATES WOULD KNOW
WHO THIS WRESTLER IS.
THAT NEVER REALLY HAPPENED
BEFORE.
>> THE GUYS OVER AT MY COUNTRY
CLUB ONE DAY SAID, "JEEZ, COULD
YOU BRING HULK OVER FOR A COUPLE
OF COCKTAILS AND A LITTLE
SPEECH?"
AND HULK CAME OVER THAT NIGHT
AND ABSOLUTELY FASCINATED THIS
GROUP OF GENTLEMEN-- THE BOYS'
CLUB, IF YOU WILL.
AND HE WAS RECEIVED WARMLY, AND
THEY JUST ABSOLUTELY LOVED HIM,
AND SAID, "BRING HIM BACK.
LET'S GET HIM TO PLAY GOLF."
WELL, IF YOU LET HIM PLAY GOLF,
HE'D TAKE OUT THE WHOLE TEE BOX.
>> Narrator: THE PUBLIC HAD LONG
MADE FUN OF WRESTLING AS A FAKE
SPOR BUT HOGAN AND McMAHON
GAVE IT NEW CREDIBILITY BY
ADMITTING STRAIGHT OUT THAT IT
WAS ORGANIZED FAMILY
ENTERTAINMENT.
>> HOGAN WAS ALREADY TELLING
PEOPLE THAT, "HEY, WHAT I DO IS
PREARRANGED."
IT WENT FROM THE FAN WHO
LIKED... "I WANT TO WATCH MY
WRESTLING" TO THE FAN WHERE
"BOY, I'M REALLY BEING
ENTERTAINED BY THIS.
THIS ISN'T REALLY A SPORT, THIS
IS ENTERTAINMENT, AND I REALLY
LIKE IT THIS WAY."
>> Narrator: AS WELL AS
FAMILIES, HOGAN'S MATCHES
ATTRACTED SOME OF THE BIGGEST
NAMES IN SHOW BUSINESS.
>> YOU USED TO HAVE THEM PEOPLE
IN THE FRONT ROW WITH NO TEETH
GOING, "KILL HIM!"
THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU'RE
SEEING, YOU KNOW, NATALIE COLE
SITTING IN THE FRONT, YOU KNOW,
LIBERACE COMING TO THE MATCHES.
PLEASE, I MEAN, FROM ANYWHERE,
SUPERSTARS HERE AND THERE COMING
TO SEE IT, AND HULK HOGAN
CHANGED IT ALL.
>> Narrator: HULKAMANIA
COINCIDED WITH THE EXPLOSION OF
CABLE TELEVISION, GIVING
WRESTLERS NATIONAL EXPOSURE
INSTEAD OF THE LOCALIZED FAME
THEY'D ENJOYED BEFORE.
RATINGS AND REVENUES SOARED, AND
HOGAN'S ANNUAL INCOME IN THE
'80s WAS REPORTED TO BE $10
MILLION.
WRESTLING FAME GAVE HULK HOGAN A
CHANCE TO CHASE ANOTHER OF HIS
DREAMS: MOVIE STARDOM.
EVER SINCE ROCKY III IN 1981,
HE'D HAD THE MOVIE BUG, AND IN
THE LATE 1980s, HE STARRED IN A
STRING OF ADVENTURE AND COMEDY
FILMS, INCLUDINGNO HOLDS■
 BARRED, SUBURBAN COMMANDO,
AND MR. NANNY.
HE LOVED MAKING FILMS, BUT HAD
NO ILLUSIONS ABOUT HIS ACTING
CREDENTIALS.
>> I'D NEVER PICTURED MYSELF AS
A MOVIE STAR, YOU KNOW, SIMPLY
BECAUSE I CAN LOOK IN THE MIRROR
AND BE VERY HONEST WITH MYSELF,
AND THAT'S NOT BRAD PITT STARING
AT YOU ACROSS THE MIRROR OR SEAN
CONNERY.
BUT I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY, AND I
SAID, WELL, MAYBE THERE IS A
NICHE FOR ME SOMEWHERE.
>> Narrator: FILM CRITICS WERE
UNIMPRESSED, BUT BECAUSE OF
HOGANS' CROSSOVER APPEAL, MOST
OF THE FILMS TURNED A PROFIT.
IT SEEMED ONLY ACTING COULD LURE
HIM OUT OF THE RING.
>> COMING UP, HOGAN MAKES A■■
DAMAGING CONFESSION.
>> OH, IT RUINED ME, IT RUINED
ME.
ALL OF A SUDDEN THE AMERICAN
PUBLIC FELT BETRAYED.
I HAD A VITAMIN COMPANY THAT
BASICALLY WENT OUT OF BUSINESS
BECAUSE OF IT.
>> Narrator: BY THE EARLY
'90S, ACTING HAD BECOME A LOT
MORE ATTRACTIVE  HULK HOGAN
THAN SLUGGING IT OUT IN THE
RING, ESPECIALLY WHEN VINCE
McMAHON BEGAN PROMOTING YOUNGER
WRESTLERS AT THE HULK'S EXPENSE.
>> I DON'T KNOW IF HE WAS PUSHED
ASIDE, BUT I DO KNOW THAT THERE
WERE PLANS TO NOT UTILIZE HIM
POSSIBLY AS THAT SUPER-HERO MAIN
EVENTER.
>> Narrator: HOGAN QUIT
WRESTLING IN 1994.
HE'D BEEN AT IT
PROFESSIONALLY FOR MORE THAN 15
YEARS, AND THE PHYSICAL AND
EMOTIONAL PRESSURES HAD TAKEN
THEIR TOLL.
HE WAS HAPPY TO LEAVE THE RING
BEHIND HIM.■
>> HAVING TO PULL IT OFF, HAVING
THAT PRESSURE OF HAVING TO BE
BETTER THAN EVERYBODY ELSE AND
JUST CARRY THIS TORCH THAT JUST
HAD AN UNBELIEVABLE WEIGHT,
THAT... THE TIMING WAS, I WAS
TIRED, I WAS HURT, AND MY
ATTITUDE WASN'T THAT VERY
POSITIVE.
I WAS ALWAYS COMPLAINING ABOUT
MY ACHES AND PAINS.
>> THEY'RE ALWAYS INJURED,
ALWAYS.
THEY TAKE TRASH CANS TO THE
HEAD, TABLES OVER THE HEAD,
STEEL CHAIRS OVER THE HEAD, AND
THEY LITERALLY TAKE THOSE BUMPS.
>> Narrator: AS HULK HOGAN, HE'D
HAD TO WRESTLE UP TO 400 TIMES A
YEAR.
BUT NOW HE HAD A YOUNG FAMILY.
HIS DAUGHTER BROOKE WAS BORN IN
1989, AND HIS SON NICHOLAS IN
1990.
THE BREAK FROM THE RING GAVE HIM
MORE TIME TO BE TERRY BOLLEA, A
HUSBAND AND FATHER.
>> HE GETS UP IN THE MORNING
WITH THE KIDS, AND HE'LL EITHER
POUR THEM SOME CEREAL, OR WE
TAKE THE KIDS OUT ON THE BOAT.
HE'S JUST VERY, VERY MUCH AT
HOME AND JUST RELAXED.
HE'S A TEDDY BEAR.
HE'S REALLY JUST A BIG MELLOW
GIANT, YOU KNOW?
HE'S NOT REALLY LIKE THAT ON TV,
ALTHOUGH HE HAS GOT A TENDER
HEART AND HE'S A VERY GOOD
PERSON.
HE'S JUST REALLY LAID BACK.
( LAUGHS )
>> Narrator: HULK HOGAN'S PUBLIC
PERSONA IS BIGGER THAN LIFE, ET
CETERA, BUT WHEN HE'S HOME, HE'S
A VERY WARM PERSON.
A LOT OF HIS CRITICS SAY THAT
THIS GUY HAS SUCH AN EGO AND
HE'S SUCH A PHONY, ET CETERA, ET
CETERA.
THEY DON'T KNOW THE HOGAN WHO I
KNOW.
>> Narrator: IN 1994, HULK HOGAN
BEGAN WORKING FULL-TIME ON A TV
ADVENTURE SERIES, THUNDER IN
 PARADISE, FILMED IN ORLANDO.
BUT AS MUCH AS HE ENJOYED THE
ACTING LIFE, WRESTLING STILL HAD
HIM IN A HEADLOCK.
>> LET'S GET READY TO RUMBLE!
>> Narrator: ON THE SAME STUDIO
LOT, TED TURNER'S WORLD
CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING WAS BEING
FILMED, AND HOGAN JUST COULDN'T
IGNORE IT.
>> AND SO FINALLY, BECAUSE IT
WAS IN MY BLOOD, I STARTED
TALKING WITH SOME OF THE
WRESTLERS AND GOING BY AND
VISITING THEM.
>> ♪ THE HULKSTER'S IN THE HOUSE
CHECK HIM OUT CHECK HIM OUT. ♪
>> Narrator: IN 1994, HULK HOGAN
WAS PREPARING TO LAUNCH A MULTI-
FACETED CAREER WITH TED TURNER'S
TV NETWORKS.
>> ♪ WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH
THE TOUGH GET ROUGH
♪ HEY HO COME ON.
HEY HO COME ON. ♪
>> Narrator: UNDER THE DEAL, HE
WOULD RETURN TO WRESTLING, AND
CONTINUE CONVENTIONAL ACTING IN
TV DRAMAS.
HE'D ALSO HAVE THE TIME TO
INDULGE IN ANOTHER LONGTIME
INTEREST, MUSIC, WITH HIS OWN
RECORDS AND VIDEOS.
BUT THE INK ON HIS CONTRACT WITH
TURNER WAS BARELY DRY WHEN HOGAN
FOUND HIMSELF MAKING UNWANTED
HEADLINES.
HIS FORMER BOSS, WORLD WRESTLING
FEDERATION OWNER VINCE McMAHON,
JR., WAS CHARGED WITH ILLEGALLY
SUPPLYING MUSCLE-BUILDING
STEROIDS TO HIS WRESTLERS.
THE F.B.I. ORDERED HOGAN TO
APPEAR IN COURT AS ITS CHIEF
WITNESS.
>> THE GOVERNMENT NEEDED ONE
PERSON THAT HAD ENOUGH CLOUT--
BASICALLY BECAUSE IT WAS ME--
HAD ENOUGH VISIBILITY THAT I
WOULD BE LIKE A BOLT OF THUNDER
COMING FROM GOD THAT EVERYBODY
WOULD LISTEN WHEN I TALKED.
>> Narrator: HOGAN HAD ALWAYS
CLAIMED IN PUBLIC THAT HE'D
NEVER USED STEROIDS, BUT UNDER
OATH HE ADMITTED THAT, LIKE MANY
PROFESSIONAL SPORTSMEN, HE HAD
TAKEN THEM EARLIER IN HIS
CAREER, BEFORE THEY WERE
OUTLAWED.
HOGAN TESTIFIED, HOWEVER, THAT
McMAHON HAD NOT SUPPLIED HIM.
McMAHON WAS ACQUITTED, BUT■
HOGAN'S ADMISSION DAMAGED HIS
OWN REPUTATION
>> OH, IT RUINED ME.
IT RUINED ME.
THE WHOLE MESSAGE OF TRAINING,
SAYING YOUR PRAYERS, EATING YOUR
VITAMINS, THIS ALL-AMERICAN RO
WHICH WAS THIS CHARACTER, WHICH
WAS THE RIGHT THING TO TELL THE
KIDS... ALL OF A SUDDEN THE
AMERICAN PUBLIC FELT BETRAYED.
THE FIRST THING THAT HAPPENED
WAS I HAD A VITAMIN COMPANY OUT
THERE, CHILDREN'S VITAMINS, THAT
BASICALLY WENT OUT OF BUSINESS
BECAUSE OF IT.
>> IT WAS PRETTY DEVASTATING TO
HULK, BECAUSE ALL OF A SUDDEN HE
WAS KIND OF SINGLED OUT.
YOU KNOW, "YOU DID STEROIDS.
YOU WERE THE ONE THAT DID
STEROIDS."
HOLY MOLEY.
AND IT WAS LIKE HIM CARRYING THE
WHOLE WRESTLING WORLD ON HIS
BACK.
>> Narrator: HULK HOGAN
RESPONDED BY DOING WHAT HE KNEW
BEST.
JUST THREE DAYS AFTER
TESTIFYING, HE MADE HIS RING
DEBUT FOR TED TURNER'S WORLD
CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING, WINNING
A TITLE MATCH AGAINST RIC
FLAIR.
>> ONE, TWO, THREE!
>> WELL, YOU KNOW SOMETHING MEAN
GENE?
HULKAMANIA IS RUNNING MORE
POWERFUL THAN ITS EVER BEEN.■
>> WHEN WE RETURN, HULK HOGAN
SHOCKS THE WORLD.
>> AND THE PEOPLE, I COULD SEE
IT, OUT THERE, THEIR JAWS JUST
DROPPED, THEY WERE WIGGED, THEY
COULDN'T BELIEVE THAT THIS
REALLY HAPPENED.
>> Narrator: DESPITE THE
CONTINUING STEROID CONTROVERSY--
OR EVEN BECAUSE OF IT-- HULK
HOGAN WAS AGAIN THE WRESTLER
THAT FANS WANTED TO WATCH.
W.C.W.'S RATINGS SOARED, MAKING
IT THE NUMBER ONE WRESTLING
SHOW.
THAT SET OFF A BITTER RATINGS
BATTLE BETWEEN THE W.C.W. AND
HOGAN'S FORMER EMPLOYER, THE
W.W.F., THAT CONTINUES TODAY.
BUT BY THE MID-90s, THE HULK
WAS OVER 40 YEARS OLD, AND
HAD BEEN PLAYING THE AMERICAN
HERO FOR MORE THAN A DECADE.
THERE WERE SIGNS THAT THE PUBLIC
WAS NOT BUYING THE IMAGE AS
EAGERLY AS THEY DID BEFORE.
>> ONE NIGHT AFTER WE CAME BACK
TO THE BACK HULK GOES, "YOU
KNOW, DID YOU HEAR THE BOOS THAT
I HEARD?"
AND I SAID, "YEAH, I DID."
HE GOES, "YOU KNOW WHAT?
IT MIGHT BE TIME FOR A CHANGE."
>> Narrator: AS THE RATINGS
STARTED TO DROP, W.C.W.
EXECUTIVES SUGGESTED THAT THE
HULK SHOULD MAKE A DARING CHANGE
OF IMAGE FROM HERO TO VILLAIN.
>> WELL, I'VE BEEN A BAD GUY
BEFORE, BUT NOW, YOU KNOW, I'M
ETCHED IN STONE AS THE ALL-
AMERICAN GOOD GUY.
THAT WOULD BE TOUGH.
THE FANS, I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY
COULD HANDLE IT.
>> Narrator: HOGAN PUT RATINGS
BEFORE REPUTATION, AND TURNED
BAD GUY.
IN JULY 1996, BEFORE A SHOCKED
PUBLIC, HE SUDDENLY TURNED ON
THE OTHER GOOD GUY WRESTLERS HE
HAD CALLED HIS FRIENDS.
HE TEAMED UP WITH LEADING
VILLAINS KEVIN NASH AND SCOTT
HALL, AND UNDER THE NEW NAME OF
HOLLYWOOD HOGAN, HE ANNOUNCED
HE WAS FORMING A SO-CALLED "NEW
WORLD ORDER."
>> AND THE PEOPLE, I COULD SEE
IT OUT THERE, THEIR JAWS WERE
JUST DROPPED.
AND I MEAN, THEY WERE... THEY
WERE WIGGED.
THEY COULDN'T BELIEVE THAT THIS
REALLY HAPPENED.
>> AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, ALL
THIS CRAP IN THE RING REPRESENTS
THESE FANS OUT HERE.
>> MATTER OF FACT, I GOT HIT
WITH A CAN OF SODA POP AND
ACTUALLY IT HIT ME IN THE NOSE.
AND WHILE I WAS CONDUCTING THIS
INTERVIEW, THERE WAS A LITTLE
TRICKLE OF BLOOD GOING DOWN MY
NOSE.
AND I SAID, "HULK, YOU DID THIS
TO ME."
>> YOU FANS CAN STICK IT,
BROTHER!
>> TURNED AGAINST ALL THE FANS
AND TOLD THEM HOW I USED
EVERYBODY AND I DIDN'T CARE
ABOUT ANYBODY ANYMORE.
A WHOLE NEW INTEREST WAS■
STARTED.
THE WRESTLING FANS WERE GOING,
"OH, MY GOD, WHAT'S THIS MANIAC
GOING TO DO NEXT?"
YOU KNOW.
>> THE FANS THAT GREW UP WITH
HULK ALL OF A SUDDEN, YOU KNOW,
THEY HAD THEIR LITTLE HULKAMANIA
DOLLS THAT THEY WERE BRINGING
TO THE MATCHES AND BURNING
THEM AND THROWING THEM DOWN NOW
BECAUSE THEY HAD GROWN UP WITH
HULK, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, NOW
THIS GUY TURNED ON THEM.
AND SO IT... IT WAS FANTASTIC.
>> HOLLYW-O-O-O-O-O-D HOGAN!
>> AS A BAD GUY, IT'S MORE FUN
TO JUST SEE HOW CRAZY YOU CAN
MAKE THESE PEOPLE.
IT'S MUCH MORE EASY TO PUNCH
PEOPLE'S BUTTONS ON THE
AGGRESSIVE LEVEL THAN IT IS ON
THE HAPPINESS LEVEL.
>> HEAVYWEIGHTHAMPION!
>> THE FANS WEREN'T THE ONLY
ONES SURPRISED BY HU'S
REVERSAL.
>> IT WAS PRETTY WILD BECAUSE 
TULY DID THINGS ON CAMERA
THAT I DIDT THINK HE WAS
CAPABLE OF DOING OR SAYING.
I DIDN'T THINK HE WAS THAT MEAN.
>> I COULDN'T GO ALONG WITH THAT
BAD GUY STUFF.
BUT ANYWAY, IT SEEMED TO BE A
WHOLE NEW BALL GAME■ AND I JUST
OVERLOOKED IT.
>> I DID GET AFTER HIM FOR THAT,
THOUGH.
I SAID, "TERRY, I KNOW THIS IS
AU
REALIZE YOU GOT TWO LITTLE KIDS
AT HOME, AND THESE KIDS ALL LOOK
UP TO YOU, YOUR LITTLE FANS AND■
EVERYTHING?"
'SAY YOUR PRAYERS, TAKE YOUR
VITAMINS, YEAH, YEAH, RESPEC
YOUR PARENTS?'"
LIKE THIS?"D NOW YOU'RE ACTING
I SAID, "HOW DO YOU THINK IT'S
GOING TO AFFECT THEM?"
>> Narrator: HULK HOGAN HAD
ALWAYS BN PROUD OF BEING A
ROLE MODEL FOR KIDS.
HE DEFENDED HIS ACTIONS BY
SAYING HE WAS STILL A ROLE
MODEL, EXCEPT THAT NOW HE WAS
>> I DEFINITELY WANT THEM TO
KNOW THAT WHEN YOU'RE A BAD GUY
AND YOU TAKE SHORTCUTS YOU'RE
GOING TO FALL SHOROF YOUR
GOALS.
HOYWOOD HOGAN CANNOT WIN A
MATCH, AND IF I DO, I CHEAT.
IF IET BY ONE WEEK BY THE SKIN■
OF MY TEETH, THE GOOD GUY SURE
MAKES UP FOR IT THE NEXT WEEK.
AND AS A GOOD GUY, I WAS THE
WORLD'S CHAMPIONOR TEN YEARS■
AND AS A BAD GUY I CAN'T HANG
ONTO THAT DARN BELT TO SAVE MY
LIFE.
>> Narrator: HOGAN BECAME THE
WRESTLER THE FANS LOVED TO HATE,
AND ONCE AGAIN THE RATINGS
SOARED.
IN FACT, AS THE ANTIHEROES, THE
HULK AND HIS FELLOW VILLAINS
BECAME MORE POPULAR THAN THE
GOOD GUYS.
>> AND THE MEANER I GOT AND THEE
MORE DIRTY STUFF I DID TO THE■
GOOD GUY WRESTLERS, THE MORE
THAT THEY WOULD CHEER FOR ME, SO
MUCH THAT IT BECAME A BIG
POLITICAL DILEMMA BEHIND THE
SCENES.
THE GOOD GUY WRESTLERS WERE
BEING LIKE A BUNCH OF CRYBABIES
TO THE PROMOTERS.
"THESE GUYS ARE SO COOL, THEY
DON'T LIKE US ANYMORE."
>> Narrator: HULK PLAYED HIS
BAD GUY IMAGE TO THE HILT,
INCLUDING THE TIME HE TERRORIZED
AN UNSUSPECTING MEL GIBSON.
THE ACTOR HAD JUST LOST A
FRIENDLY WAGER OF $50 TO HULK'S
WRESTLING BUDDY, BRIAN KNOBS.
>> AND MEL GOES, "OH, OKAY, YOU
KNOW, I GOT THE $50 RIGHT HERE."
AND HU HOGAN CAME UP BEHIND
HIM AND GRABBED HIM BY THE
SHOULDER AND SAID, "$50?
KNOBS JUST SAID YOU OWE HIM 50
GRAND, YOU BET HIM 50 GRAND ON
THE FIGHT."
I THOUGHT MEL GIBSON JUST
SHOCKED HIMSELF.
HE WENT,
"I...I...I DIDN'T BET
$50,000, IT WAS $50...HEY...■
EY... BUT... BUT..."
AND THEN WE LAUGHED ABOUT IT.
IT WAS A GOOD, FUNNY JOKE.
I MEAN, MEL APPRECIATED
AFTERWARDS, YOU KNOW.
WE KIND OF GOT MEL GIBSON.
AND I DID GET THAT $50, BY THE
WAY, I DID.
THANK YOU, HULK.
SO YOU GO THAT $50 FROM MEL
GIBSON.
IF NOT, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD'VE
BROKE HIM IN HALF.
>> Narrator: THROUGH THE 1990s,
HULK HOGAN WAS ALWAYS LOOKING
FOR A GIMMICK TO BOOST HIS
RATINGS.
FIRST HE SWITCHED FROM HERO TO
VILLAIN, AND THE RATINGS WENT
THROUGH THE ROOF.
TO KEEP UP THE MOMENTUM, HE
PERSUADED A STRING OF
CELEBRITIES TO WRESTLE WITH AND
AGAINST HIM ON PRIME TIME.
HE TEAMED WITH BASKETBALL
BAD BOY DENNIS RODMAN FOR
SEVERAL MATCHES AGAINST ANOTHER
BASKETBALL PLAYER, KARL MALONE,
AND HIS PARTNER, WRESTLER
DIAMOND DALLAS PAGE.
>> AND HERE COMES PAGE.
AND THERE GOES RODMAN.
>> Narrator: THE BAD GUYS
USUALLY LOST.
AN EVEN MORE UNLIKELY CELEBRITY
OPPONENT WAS TONIGHT SHOW HOST
JAY LENO.
AFTER A PRE-PLANNED ARGUMENT ON
THE SHOW, HOGAN AND LENO VOWED
TO SETTLE THINGS IN THE RING.
ALTHOUGH LENO APPEARED TO BE
HEAVILY OUTGUNNED PHYSICALLY,
HIS TEAM MANAGED TO TRIUMPH OVER
HOGAN AND HIS FELLOW VILLAIN-
AFTER ALL, THIS IS SHOW
BUSINESS.
>> LENO'S GOT HOLLYWOOD
ON HIS KNEES!
>> Narrator: BY 1999, HULK HOGAN
HAD BEEN PLAYING THE BAD GUY FOR
THREE YEARS, AND LIKE ALL
GIMMICKS, THIS ONE WORE ITSELF
OUT.
FANS NOW PREFERRED TO CHEER FOR
A NEW, YOUNGER GENERATION OF
WRESTLERS ON THEIR WAY UP.
>> THE PLACE WILL ERUPT WHEN HE
PICKS HIM UP!
>> HE'S GOT HIM UP!
>> Narrator: HOGAN AND HIS
HANDLERS DECIDED IT WAS TIME FOR
ANOTHER CHANGE.
SO HE RETIRED HIS BLACK
VILLAIN'S OUTFIT, AND AGAIN
DONNED HIS HERO'S COSTUME OF RED
AND LLOW.
>> EVERYTHING REVOLVES AROUND
MONEY AND THE RATINGS.
AND SO WE DID A BIG THING WHERE
HULK KIND OF SWITCHED FROM A BAD
GUY TO A GOOD GUY.
AND RIGHT OFF THE BAT, PEOPLE
LOVED HIM.
OFF AND RUNNING AGAIN.■■
"BAM."
>> Narrator: PLAYING THE GOOD
GUY AGAIN FIT IN MORE EASILY
WITH HOGAN'S WORK BEHIND THE
SCENES.
CHILDREN HAVE ALWAYS MADE UP THE
MAJORITY OF HIS FAN BASE, AND TO
GIVE SOMETHING BACK, HOGAN HAS
PUT IN UNTOLD HOURS FOR KIDS'
CHARITIES.
THE MAKE A WISH FOUNDATION HAS
HONORED HIM FOR BEING THE MOST
REQUESTED CELEBRITY BY THEIR
KIDS OVER THE PAST DECADE.
>> THESE MAKE A WISH KIDS ARE
SO SPECIAL BECAUSE WHEN THEY
COME, YOU SEE SO MUCH HAPPINESS
IN THEIR FACE, NO MATTER WHAT
THE SITUATION IS.
AND THEY'RE SO HAPPY TO SEE HULK
HOGAN, OR MICKEY MOUSE, OR
WHOEVER THEY'RE COMING TO SEE,
THAT THEY ACTUALLY GIVE THE
CELEBRITIES ENERGY, TOO.
IF I DON'T FEEL LIKE EVEN
BENDING OVER AND LACING MY
BOOTS, AFTER I SEE THESE KIDS,
IT'S, HEY, MAN, LET'S GO DO IT,
BECAUSE THEY GIVE SO MUCH BACK.
 AND HE JUST DIDN'T GO, "HEY
I'LL GIVE YOU AN AUTOGRAPH," AND
LEAVE.
YOU KNOW, HE'D SPEND TIME AND 
GOES HERE, "LET ME GET SOME OF
THAT POWER ON MY ARMS FROM
YOURS."
AND HE'D RUB THE LITTLE KID'S
ARMS OR PUT HIS ARMS AROUND HIM
AND REALLY TALK TO HIM AND SPEND
SOME QUALITY TIME WITH HIM, EVEN
THOUGH HE HAD A MATCH COMING UP,
YOU KNOW.
>> STAY TUNED FOR PART TWO, HULK
HOGAN ON A WOODEN LEG.
■■■
>> OH MY GOD!
>> Narrator: HULK HOGAN HAS
ANNOUNCED HIS RETIREMENT SEVERAL
TIMES, ONLY TO MAKE A COMEBACK.
BUT THE INJURIES ARE BUILDING
UP.
HE HAS RECURRING NECK AND
SHOULDERROBLEMS FROM HAVING
BEEN DRIVEN HEAD FIRST INTO THE
FLOOR A FEW ARS AGO.
AND IN 1999, HE HAD MAJOR KNEE
SURGERY, BUT HE HAS YET TO CALL
IT QUITS.
>> I'M PROBABLY IN THE BEST
SHAPE OF MY LIFE, YOU KNOW?
IF I HAD A COUPLE WISHES I'D
WISH FOR A FULL HEAD OF HAIR AND
A NEW KNEE.
THE GUYS ARE MOVING A LOT
QUICKER, AND THEY'RE MUCH MORE
AGGRESSIVE IN THE RING AND
I'M GOING TO TURN THE DIAL UP
AND DEFINITELY KEEP UP WITH
THEM, THAT'S NOT A PROBLEM,
I JUST DON'T KNOW HOW LONG THE
KNEE WILL LAST, SO STAY TUNED
FOR PART TWO, HULK HOGAN ON A
WOODEN LEG.
CAN I GET THEM UP?
OH, WELL.
ALL AFTER OF A HARD DAY'S WORK,
WHERE'S MY BEER AND SLIPPERS?
>> WE HAVE TO GO BACK.
>> YOU GET THE CLEARANCES.
>> Narrator: OF COURSE, NO
SPORTS STAR CAN GO ON FOREVER,
AND LIKE ALL GOOD BUSINESSMEN,
HULK HOGAN HAS BEEN LAYING THE
GROUNDWORK FOR A POST-WRESTLING
CAREER, PROBABLY IN
ENTERTAINMENT.
HE STILL HAS HIS EYE ON
HOLLYWOOD, HOPING FOR THE CHANCE
TO BODYSLAM THE MOVIE INDUSTRY.
>> RETRIEVING J.J. AND NAILING
FRANKER-- THAT'S THE BOTTOM
LINE.
MAYBE I'M AT THE AGE AND I'VE
GOT THE SINS OF MANKIND WRITTEN
ON MY FACE WITH A FEW WRINKLES
THAT I COULD FIT INTO THAT
LEADING ROLE AS A GOOD GUY OR
THE LEADING VILLN HERE THAT
MIGHT GO AFTER A SEAN CONNERY,
OR MAYBE ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER
WILL MEET HIS MATCH IN
HOLLYWOOD HULK HOGAN.
YOU NEVER KNOW.
>> Narrator: WHEN HE DOES HANG
UP HIS WRESTLING BOOTS FOR GOOD,
HULK HOGAN WILL LEAVE AN
ENDURING LEGACY IN HIS CHOSEN
PROFESSION.
WHEN HE BEGAN IN THE LATE
'70s, WRESTLING WAS A
FRACTURED, REGIONAL INDUSTRY.
>> THAT IS IT.
>> Narrator: NOW IT'S ONE OF THE
BIGGEST MONEY EARNERS ON
TELEVISION.
>> HULK, REALLY BY HIS
APPEARANCE, HIS LOOK, HIS
ABILITY AND EVERYTHING ELSE,
REALLY KIND OF PUT WRESTLING ON
THE MAP, AND MADE PEOPLE WATCH
IT AND COME OUT OF THE CLOSET TO
SEE IT.
SO IN A ROUNDABOUT WAY ALL THE
MERCHANDISE THAT WE SELL NOW AND
EVERYTHING ELSE AND THE TV
SPONSORSHIPS, WAS REALLY HULK
HOGAN DOING THAT.
>> HE JUST PUTS OUT MORE, MORE
ENERGY.
A SWITCH GETS TURNED, "BANG,"
AND THEN THAT ENERGY STARTS JUST
BLASTING OUT, YOU KNOW, LIKE
LIGHTNING BOLTS.
I DON'T KNOW, IT JUST SPREADS
AND IT JUST SEEMS TO SPREAD TO
THE PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THE ARENA
OR WHEREVER HE IS.
>> WRESTLING WILL NEVER REPLACE
HULK HOGAN.
THERE IS ONLY ONE HULK HOGAN.
THERE COULD BE BILL GOLDBERGS,
THERE COULD BE STONE COLD STEVE
AUSTINS, THERE WERE JIMMY
'SUPERFLY' SNOOKAS AND BRUNO
SAN MARTINOS, BUT THERE IS ONLY
ONE HULK HOGAN AND EVERYBODY
KNOWS
WHO HE IS.
HE IS THE MAN!
>> HE UNDERSTOOD THIS BUSINESS
INSIDE AND OUT.
HE UNDERSTOOD WHAT YOU NEEDED TO
DO IN THE RING-- HOW YOU COULD
PLAY ON THE EMOTIONS OF PEOPLE.
AND HE KNEW WHAT YOU HAD TO DO
OUTSIDE OF THE RING TO BE A BIG
SUCCESS.
HE IS THE BIGGEST AR THAT THIS
SPORT HAS EVER SEEN.
AND I DON'T SEE IN MY LIFEME,
ANYBODY COMING DOWN THE PIKE
LIKE HIM.
>> WELL, HERE YOU'VE GOT HIM.
>> WHY HASN'T HE BURNED OUT
YEARS AGO AS AN ATTRACTION?
WHY HASN'T BATMAN EVER LEFT
PEOPLE'S MINDS?
WHY HASN'T SUPERMAN LEFT
PEOPLE'S MINDS?
HE'S A BIGGER THAN LIFE
CHARACTER.
IF IT WASN'T FOR HULK HOGAN,
I DON'T KNOW IF WRESTLING WOULD
BE AROUND AT THIS POINT, BECAUSE
I DON'T KNOW IF THE FAN INTEREST
WOULD HAVE HELD IT.
>> I QUIT.
>> AFTER 35 YEARS IN THE RING,
MIGHT HULK HOGAN FINALLY BE
READY FOR RETIR@MENT?
IN OCTOBER, HE WRESTLED IN FRONT
OF 40,000 FANS AT THE TOKYO
DOME.
BUT A SUBSEQUENT KNEE INJURY
FORCED HIM TO CANCEL THE
REMAINDER OF HIS JAPANESE
MATCHES.
STILL, THE HULKSTER HAS HARDLY
BEEN OUT OF THE SPOTLIGHT.
HE APPEARED THIS JANUARY OTE
JIMMY KIMMEL SHOW AND MORE
RECENTLY ON ICE AT A TAMPA BAY
LIGHTENING PLAYOFF GAME DOING
WHAT HE DOES BEST, FIRING UP THE
HOMETOWN CROWD.
NEXT, ON "BIOGRAPHY":
THE ROCK.
HE'S THE WRESTLER EVERYONE LOVE 
TO HATE.
FROM KING TO WARRIOR TO CHAMPION
OF THE WORLD.
HOLLYWOOD'S NEWEST ACTION STAR
IS WALKING TALL.
THAT'S THE ROCK, NEXT.
