Jesse Ventura Biography - Minnesota Native, In The Navy, Motorcycle Gang Member, Jesse "the Body" Ventura

Jesse Ventura - Minnesota Native

Ventura was born James George Janos in 1951 and grew up in Minneapolis. His father, George Janos, was a World War II veteran who grew up in the Swede Town section of Minneapolis. Ventura's father was a maintenance worker for the city of Minneapolis while Ventura was growing up. His mother, Bernice, started as a nurse in the U.S. Army, and later worked as a civilian nurse. Ventura and his ol…

Jesse Ventura - In The Navy

Again following his brother, Ventura entered the U.S. Navy soon after graduating from high school. In the Navy, he joined the SEALs, an elite corps of servicemen. While with the SEALs, he spent time in the brig at least once for brawling in bars. Starting in 1971 until the end of 1973, he served in an Underwater Demotion Team-SEALs unit that was posted at various points in Southeast Asia. While Ve…

Jesse Ventura - Motorcycle Gang Member

After his discharge from the Navy, in the early 1970s, Ventura joined a motorcycle gang based in San Diego, known as the Mongols. In the mid-1970s, Ventura left the gang and headed back to the Minneapolis area, where motorcycles were still very much a part of his lifestyle. During this time, he favored a German Armystyle helmet when he rode his bike. In 1974, Ventura enrolled at the North Hennepin…

Jesse Ventura - Jesse "the Body" Ventura

From the beginning, Ventura took on the role of the bad guy in the theatrical world of pro wrestling. Also at the start of his wrestling career, Ventura took the name of Jesse Ventura, dying his long hair blond, and bulking up to look the part. He worked out at the 7th Street Gym in downtown Minneapolis, where he met the man who became his mentor—famous wrestling villain Super Star Billy Gr…

Jesse Ventura - End And A Beginning

The newlyweds went to Portland, Oregon, where Ventura found more and better wrestling opportunities. His popularity among fans grew, and he made his best earnings to date there—$100 for a single match. More traveling followed, as he drove from match to match, once performing 63 consecutive nights. By the early 1980s, Ventura had graduated to the major leagues, working in the American Wrestl…

Jesse Ventura - Chronology

Jesse Ventura - Predator

Jesse Ventura - An Actor In Hollywood

Jesse Ventura - Career In Politics

Jesse Ventura - Governor Ventura

In January, 1998, Ventura became the Reform Party candidate for Minnesota governor. Ventura presented himself as a sane alternative to the mainstream Republicans and Democrats, whom he said were mired in establishment politics at the expense of running the state. "Let's put Minnesotans first," he said. "There's more of us than there are Democrats and Republicans.…

Jesse Ventura - Awards And Accomplishments

Jesse Ventura - Where Is He Now?

Jesse Ventura - Selected Writings By Ventura:

Jesse Ventura - Further Information

Davis, Leslie. Always Cheat: The Philosophy of Jesse Ventura. Minneapolis, MN: Tell The Truth Books, 2002. Hauser, Tom. Inside the Ropes with Jesse Ventura. Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press, 2002. Lentz, Jacob. Electing Jesse Ventura: A Third-party Success Story. Boulder, CO: Rienner, 2002. Tapper, Jake. Body Slam: The Jesse Ventura Story. New York: St. Martin's Paperbacks, 19…