Taking a cue from the induction of Jesse Venture two weeks ago, we continue with another League of Themselves rassler entering the Television Crossover Hall of Fame.
Terry Eugene Bollea (born August 11, 1953), better known by his ring name as Hulk Hogan, is an American retired professional wrestler, actor, television personality, entrepreneur, and musician. According to IGN, Hogan is "the most recognized wrestling star worldwide and the most popular wrestler of the 1980s".
In 1993, he departed the WWF to sign for rival promotion World Championship Wrestling (WCW). Hogan subsequently won the WCW World Heavyweight Championship six times, and also holds the record for the longest reign in company history. In 1996, he adopted the villainous persona of "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan, leading the popular New World Order (NWO) stable. As a result, he became a major figure during the "Monday Night Wars", another boom of mainstream professional wrestling. Hogan also headlined WCW's annual flagship event Starrcade three times, including the most profitable WCW pay-per-view ever at the event's 1997 edition.
He returned to WWE from WCW in 2002, and won the WWE championship for a sixth time, before departing in 2003. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005, and will be inducted a second time in 2020 as a member of the NWO.
Aside from those promotions, Hogan also performed for the American Wrestling Association (AWA), New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA). He notably won the original IWGP Heavyweight Championship, and the northern and southern iterations of the NWA Southeastern Heavyweight Championship outside WWE.
During and after wrestling, Hogan had an extensive acting career, beginning with his 1982 antagonist role in “Rocky III”. He has starred in several movies (including “No Holds Barred”, “Suburban Commando” and “Mr. Nanny”) and three television shows (‘Hogan Knows Best’, ‘Thunder in Paradise’, and ‘China, IL’), as well as in Right Guard commercials and the video game, Hulk Hogan's Main Event. He was the frontman for The Wrestling Boot Band, whose sole record, Hulk Rules, reached #12 on the Billboard Top Kid Audio chart in 1995.
Here are the shows which have gained entry for Hulk Hogan into the Television Crossover Hall of Fame:
- Body Slam (1985)
From the IMDb:
The team goes to see a wrestling win by world champion Hulk Hogan, a colleague of BA's in Vietnam, and accepts his plea to help keep open a center for street kids in Venice, CA., which the Carter crime family wants and already has the bank ready to foreclose and sell to them if the next loan payment fails. The Carters may send in a bunch of goons, but Hulk’s friends are a few sizes bigger....
Hill Street Blues
- Davenport in a Storm (1985)
O’Bservation:
This was another credit which was listed as archival footage, so I’m thinking somebody had him wrestling on TV.
- Mr. T and Hulk Hogan/The Commodores (1985)
... Self - Co-Host / Jason / Bodyguard
As the co-host for the episode (with Mr. T), Hulk Hogan anchors the televersion of the show in the main Toobworld. (Check the Hall at the end of September.) But the characters he played during those 90 minutes would materialize in Skitlandia. The Hulk Hogan who meets Fernando is probably the Skitlandian televersion.
- Who's the Champ (1986)
From the IMDb:
Pro wrestler Tom forbids his sister Linda to associate with his opponent Lover Boy Bob.
- The Trouble with Harry (1986)
From the IMDb:
Harry 'The Hammer' Sullivan accidentally killed a man in the boxing ring in 1959 and has been on the run ever since. Now a drunk, both loan shark 'Fats' Styles and mob boss Richie Ifker are closing in on Harry and his son Jeffrey. B.A. and Hannibal, who just got Hulk Hogan a part in a Hollywood movie, decide to help Jeffrey, and the Hulkster joins them. Meanwhile, Faceman and Murdock are on a double date with twins Rikki and Vikki, but after answering a call for help from Hannibal, have the misfortune of repeatedly getting in Ifker and Styles' way.
O'Bservation:
William "Refrigerator" Perry also appeared in the episode as a member of the League of Themselves.
- WrestleMania (2019)
From the IMDb:
Murray buys WrestleMania tickets to spend time with Barry and Adam, but he buys fake tickets and they can't get in.
O’Bservation:
This may have aired in 2019, but it took place on the Toobworld timeline in 1980-something.
The All New Mickey Mouse Club
- Guest Day: Hulk Hogan (1989)
- Bash at the Beach (1996)
From the IMDb:
C.J. rescues pro wrestler Hulk Hogan, who then tells her, Cody and the rest of the Baywatch team that he's in town with fellow wrestler Randy Savage in trying to prevent the Venice Boys Youth Center that is faced with being closed down from his arch rival, pro wrestler Ric Flair and his gang, Kevin Sullivan and Big Van Vader. Flair then challenges Hogan and Savage into a grudge wrestling match for control of the youth center.
Suddenly Susan
- In This Corner... Susan Keane!: Part 1 (1999)
- In This Corner... Susan Keane!: Part 2 (1999)
From the IMDb:
Vicki attracts Hollywood Hogan's attention.
- The Gang Wrestles for the Troops (2009)
From the IMDb:
The gang decides to put on a wrestling show for troops returning home while Dee courts a soldier who doesn't seem like the person she's chatting online with.
O’Bservation:
The IMDb lists his appearance in this to be archival footage. I originally thought that he probably was seen on TV by the gang and I would not be surprised if he inspired their crazy idea. But based on this meme, he might have been participating in their charity event and they were commenting on his off-screen action. But thanks to the archival footage the producers didn't have to pay a full acting scale.
The Jack and Triumph Show
- Triumph Comes Hoe (2015)
From the IMDb:
Years after mysteriously disappearing, Triumph shows up and convinces Jack to capitalize on their former fame at an autograph convention.
O’Bservation:
As they went to New York Comic Con, it’s likely Hulk Hogan was there as well.
- Hulk Hogan/Keith Olbermann (2016)
O’Bservation:
Eventually, ‘The View’ will be part of the Hall as well.
TOOBWORLD2
The Inbetweeners
- Fire! (2012)
From the IMDb:
In a story reminiscent of a timeless film noir, Will questions his friends in an attempt to discover who lit a school trash can on fire and clear his name of arson. As the mystery of the fire unfolds, we follow the guys and their dates as they search for an elusive party Jay promises will be the bash of the season. But following Jay's lead turns out to be a big mistake, when they end up back at Simon's house where his little brother is taking full advantage of their parents being away.
O’Bservations:
1] I have no clue as to how Hulk Hogan figures into this, but he probably showed up at the little brother’s party. Having a party so out-of-control that Hulk Hogan would illogically show up would be standard for a sitcom.
2] Even though this is an Americanization of the Britcom, there were probably enough cultural differences to allow both shows to exist in the same TV dimension… like the various incarnations of ‘The Office’ and ‘Ugly Betty’. But there was no change in the names of the characters and so, like ‘Shameless’ before it, it must be banished to the Land O’ Remakes.
SKITLANDIA
MADtv
- Episode S11.1 (2005)
THE TOONIVERSE
- Stanny Tendergrass (2012)
STOPMOTIANIA
(For want of a better name)
- Metal Militia (2006)
- Massage Chair (2006)
- But Not in That Way (2009)
BORDERLANDS
- Sleeper (1995)
O’Bservation:
This show has a vortex connection the Tooniverse and a live-action Toobworld. But the League of Themselves members who appear in on the screen to talk with Space Ghost aren’t necessarily from the main Toobworld. For all I know, this is the Hulk Hogan from Skitlandia who met Fernando
So that makes three professional wrestlers in the TVXOHOF so far. King Kong Bundy kicked things off with a memorial tribute, and Governor Ventura joined up two weeks ago.
Welcome to the Hall, Hollywood Hulk!
If you enjoy the Television Crossover Hall of Fame and you're on Facebook, visit the TVXOHOF page. There we cover TV crossover news and are putting together photo albums of all the members... slowly but surely.
