Stallone pays tribute to Hulk Hogan for 'Rocky III': 5 memorable movie roles
Hollywood Hulk Hogan was more than just a nickname that Hulk Hogan embraced during his villainous heel turn days as a professional wrestler. The flamboyant 6-foot-7-inch Hogan (born Terry Gene Bollea) embraced Tinseltown, body-slamming into movies after throwing Sylvester Stallone's Rocky around the ring as giant wrestler Thunderlips in 1982's "Rocky III."
Hollywood didn't always hug him back. Hogan, who died on July 24 at 71, the gaudy patriarch of the VH1 reality series "Hogan Knows Best" (2005-07), never achieved the movie-crossover success of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. He also leveled critics while setting the wrong kind of box-office records with some of his over-the-top films.
But with his flowing blond hair, muscle-bulging physique and larger-than-life persona, Hogan made movie impact – even if it was often a crashing sound. Here are Hogan's most memorable roles.
'Thunderlips is here!' announced Hulk Hogan's 'Rocky III' entrance
Hogan's bicep-kissing entrance as Thunderlips in the third "Rocky" movie and his ensuing ring battle are brief but unforgettable. Billing himself as "the ultimate male," Hogan bellowed, "Thunderlips is here!" entering the ring in a charity match against Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone). Described as "nearly 7 feet tall" by the ring announcer, Thunderlips towered over Rocky before throwing the heavyweight around like a tomato can. Naturally, Rocky impossibly triumphed in the charity mismatch. But what a movie entrance, in a prime Hollywood franchise!
Stallone paid tribute to the "personality and showman" who was 26 filming the breakout movie role.
"He was absolutely wonderful," Stallone wrote on Instagram below a picture of the size-mismatched duo. "His amazing skill made Rocky three incredibly special. My heart breaks."
'No Holds Barred' (1989): Cult classic that brought 'Rip 'em!'
Hogan's first lead movie role, as wrestler Rip Thomas, was tailor-made for his wrestling persona. Though critically panned, "No Holds Barred" became a cult favorite among wrestling fans due to its over-the-top ring theatrics, villains like Zeus (former NFL star Tom “Tiny” Lister), and Rip's wrestling ring battle cry of, wait for it, "Rip 'em." It might just be the best bad movie ever.
Hogan crash-landed on Earth in 'Suburban Commando' (1991)
Hogan starred as intergalactic warrior Shep Ramsey, forced to lie low in American suburbia after a spaceship crash-landed in the action comedy. The pro-wrestler/alien-out-of-water movie was a box-office dud and a critical disaster. Packed with sci-fi gadgets incorporating groan-worthy special effects, slapstick humor, and early roles for Christopher Lloyd and Shelley Duvall (along with a young Elisabeth Moss), "Suburban Commando" found a second life on home video.
Hogan later made an interstellar cameo appearance in "Muppets from Space" (1999), portraying himself as a "Man in Black" and manhandling Rizzo the Rat.
Hogan guarded kids in 'Mr. Nanny' (1993)
On the heels of Arnold Schwarzenegger in "Kindergarten Cop" (1990), Hogan played for kiddie-induced action laughs as former wrestler Sean Armstrong, who's tasked with serving as a bodyguard to two unruly kids. "Mr. Nanny" was another box-office bomb ($4.3 million) and critical dud that found renewed life on home video.
Hogan ho ho ho-ed the line in 'Santa with Muscles' (1996)
There had to be a Hulk Hogan Santa Claus movie (with biceps). Hogan played Blake Thorn, a conceited millionaire who truly believes he is Santa Claus after escaping from police in a mall Santa outfit. Despite an early film appearance by Mila Kunis and the best '90s Bad Santa line ever ("Fax me, you little brat"), "Santa with Muscles" was critically derided and an extreme box-office lump of coal with a total of $220,000 during two weeks in theaters.