
Acting
Ken Patera
Born 1942-11-06 · Portland, Oregon, USA
Kenneth Wayne Patera is an American retired professional wrestler, Olympic weightlifter, and strongman competitor from the United States. Ken Patera, from a Czech-American family, was strong and extraordinarily athletic, with many people in his family also successful in athletics. His brother, Jack Patera, played football for the Baltimore Colts and was the head coach for the Seattle Seahawks from 1976 until 1982. His brother, Dennis Patera, played for the San Francisco 49ers. Ken played football at Cleveland High School in Portland, Oregon, and wrestled at 193 pounds. Track and field was his first love, however, and he competed in the high hurdles and high jump, but a serious ankle injury forced him to switch to the shot put and discus in high school. Ken grew to become one of the nation's premier track and field weight throwers, competing at Brigham Young University. After his disappointing 6th-place finish in the shot-put at the 1968 Olympic trials, he turned his full and complete attention towards Olympic weightlifting. Before becoming a professional wrestler, Patera was a highly decorated Olympic weightlifter. He won several medals at the 1971 Pan-American Games (including gold in the weightlifting total), and finished second in the 1971 World Weightlifting Championships just behind Vasily Alekseyev. On his native soil, Patera won four consecutive U.S. Weightlifting Championships in the super heavyweight class from 1969 to 1972. He was the first American to clean and jerk over 500 lbs (227 kg), which he accomplished at the 1972 Senior Nationals in Detroit. He is also the only American to clean and press 500 lbs (227 kg), and was the last American super heavyweight for years to excel at weightlifting at an international level.[6] At the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, Germany, Patera was expected to be a serious competitor to Vasily Alekseyev, but he failed to total and was not among the medal recipients. Vasily Alekseyev even stated to the media that Patera was even stronger than him, illustrated by a 550-pound overhead push press (off the racks) that Patera had allegedly done in practice. Nevertheless, when it came to competing, Alekseyev was always the winner. After the clean and press (a lift in which Patera was disproportionately talented) was eliminated from competition, Patera retired from weightlifting.
Acting credits
7.3An ambitious and wide-ranging documentary exploring Andre’s upbringing in France, his celebrated career in WWE, and his forays in the entertainment world.
Andre the Giant
2018
8.0Survivor Series (1988) was the second annual Survivor Series pay-per-view professional wrestling event produced by the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). It took place on November 24, 1988 (Thanksgiving night in the United States) and was held at the Richfield Coliseum, in Richfield, Ohio. The main event was a ten-man Survivor Series match between a team captained by The Mega Powers (Hulk Hogan and WWF Champion Randy Savage) and a team captained by The Twin Towers (Akeem and The Big Boss Man). Hogan and Savage were the sole "survivors" of the match. The undercard featured three Survivor Series matches between mid-card wrestlers.
WWE Survivor Series 1988
1988
7.2WrestleMania IV was the fourth annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). It took place on March 27, 1988 at the Trump Plaza in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The main event was the finals of a fourteen-man tournament for the undisputed WWF Championship, where Randy Savage defeated Ted DiBiase to win the vacant title. The main matches on the undercard were a twenty-man battle royal won by Bad News Brown, Demolition (Ax and Smash) versus Strike Force (Tito Santana and Rick Martel) for the WWF Tag Team Championship, Brutus Beefcake versus The Honky Tonk Man for the WWF Intercontinental Championship and a 14-man tournament for the vacated WWF Championship.
WWE WrestleMania IV
1988
9.2The greatest moments from WWE's long and storied history with Madison Square Garden.
WWE: Best of WWE at Madison Square Garden
2013
5.0Much like 'The Big Event' held in August of 1986, Wrestlefest '88 was a supercard meant for the live audience only, but ticket sales were large enough to justify recording it for Coliseum Video, with commentary added in afterwards. Taped from Milwaukee, Wisconsin in the latter part of July 1988, with the wonderful combination of Sean Mooney, Lord Alred Hayes, and Superstar Billy Graham on the call. The main event was Hulk Hogan versus Andre the Giant in a steel cage match. The British Bulldogs challenged Tag Team Champions Demolition while WWF Champion Randy 'Macho Man' Savage defended against challenger Ted DiBiase. There were 15 matches total.
WWE WrestleFest
1988
Truly in a class by himeself! Once Bruno on the mat - watch out! Relive some of Bruno Sammartino's greatest moments, including encounters with Roddy Piper, Paul Orndorff, and much more.
Wrestling's Living Legend Bruno Sammartino
1986
7.3It's a WWE Championship with a rich and storied history and the biggest names in sports entertainment have worn its gold on the road to immortality. The Intercontinental Championship traced its history back to the 1970's, and has been held by current and future Hall of Fame superstars, including The Rock, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Triple H, Shawn Michaels, The Ultimate Warrior, Bret "Hit Man" Hart, Mr. Perfect, Eddie Guerrero, Edge, "Macho Man" Randy Savage, Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat, and so many more. Throughout the summer, fans will vote for their favorite Intercontinental Championship matches from each decade, with the top vote-getters being collected in this 3-DVD set.
WWE: The History Of The Intercontinental Championship
2008
7.3WWE SummerSlam was the first annual SummerSlam professional wrestling pay-per-view event. It was produced by the World Wrestling Federation and took place on August 29, 1988 in Madison Square Garden, located in New York, New York. The PPV was created to help the company compete against rival promotion World Championship Wrestling. It was one of the first four annual pay-per-view events produced by the WWF. The main match of the preliminary bouts was the WWF Intercontinental Championship match between The Ultimate Warrior and the reigning champion The Honky Tonk Man. The Ultimate Warrior won the match in approximately thirty seconds to end the longest Intercontinental Championship reign. The main event was a match pitting The Mega Powers (Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage) against their long-time rivals, The Mega Bucks (Ted DiBiase and André the Giant). Hogan and Savage won the match after Miss Elizabeth distracted the special guest referee by removing her skirt to reveal a bikini bottom.
WWE SummerSlam 1988
1988
5.0Frank Bass (Ed Asner) is an honest guy trying to make a living in the cut throat world of professional wrestling, and he's gonna make it work - even if he dies trying! But first - he'll have to strong-arm his way through all the mobsters, gamblers, promoters and fight fixers and help his past-his-prime wrestler once again win a championship belt. Features appearances from real-life legendary wrestlers and AWA superstars Verne Gagne, Rick Flair, Superstar Billy Graham, Dusty Rhodes, Dick the Bruiser, Ray Stevens, Dory Funk Jr., Ken Patera, Billy Robinson, Dan Gable, Eddie Graham, Dick Murdoch, Vincent J. McMahon, and more.
The Wrestler
1974
8.4November 26th, 1987, Thanksgiving Day from the Richfield Coliseum in Richfield, Ohio. Matches featured Survivor Series Tag Team Elimination Matches • Brutus Beefcake, Jake Roberts, Jim Duggan, Randy Savage & Ricky Steamboat vs. Danny Davis, Hercules, King Harley Race, Ron Bass & The Honky Tonk Man • Rockin' Robin, The Fabulous Moolah, Itsuki Yamazaki & Noriyo Tateno & Velvet McIntyre vs. Dawn Marie, Donna Christianello, Judy Martin, Leilani Kai & The Sensational Sherri • Demolition, The Bolsheviks, The Dream Team, The Hart Foundation & The Islanders vs. Strike Force, The British Bulldogs, The Killer Bees, The Rougeau Brothers & The Young Stallions • World Champion Hulk Hogan, Bam Bam Bigelow, Don Muraco, Ken Patera & Paul Orndorff vs. Butch Reed, Andre The Giant, King Kong Bundy, Rick Rude & The One Man Gang. The event was broadcast live on pay per view and was promoted by the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). The venue attendance was reported to be 21,300.
WWE Survivor Series 1987
1987
NRThe Best of WWE brought to you on home video!
The Best of the WWF: volume 7
1986
NRHere is the legendary Bob Uecker hamming it up, commentating on sports bloopers and other sports-related skits for 30 straight minutes!
Bob Uecker's Wacky World of Sports
1985
7.5AWA Champion Nick Bockwinkel defends his title against Hulk Hogan in the main event. Plus Jerry Lawler, Wendi Richter, and more in action.
AWA Super Sunday
1983
7.0Showcasing the legendary and immeasurable power of the Eighth Wonder of the World, Andre the Giant in this home video classic; Andre is in action against some of his most memorable foes, including Big John Studd, The Wild Samoans and Ken Patera.
Andre the Giant
1985
NRAll the best and brightest rising stars of WWE - plus the biggest and baddest superstars!
The Best of the WWF: volume 17
1988
NRThe most memorable rule breakers of the 1980s are all here, as Mean Gene Okerlund and Bobby Heenan host Villains of the Squared Circle. Pedro Morales vs. George Steele; Ernie Ladd vs. Andre the Giant; Roddy Piper vs. Jimmy Snuka; WWE Intercontinental Champion Randy Savage vs. Tito Santana.
Villains of the Squared Circle
1986
6.0WWE Superstars from all ends of the spectrum, including George The Animal Steele, Andre the Giant, Haiti Kid, Mad Dog Vachon, the Missing Link, Ivan Putski, Ken Patera and other unusual competitors.
Wrestling's Biggest, Smallest, Strangest, Strongest!
1985
The Superstars come out in the city of angels as The Big Boss Man tries to make Hulk Hogan serve hard time!
WWE Los Angeles Wrestling: November '88
1988
Catch all the excitement and action as WWE's most powerful superstars take to the ring. Featuring a WWE Championship between Hulk Hogan and Big John Studd.
WWE Wrestling at The Meadowlands: December '84
1984
NRThe best of the WWE superstars in and out of the ring brought to you by Coliseum Home Video!
The Best of the WWF: volume 9
1986
WWF stadium show in the summer of 1980 from Shea Stadium in Flushing, Queens, New York.
WWE Showdown at Shea '80
1980
The biggest superstars in WWE head to the great white north for some incredible action. Featuring Sgt. Slaughter battling The Iron Sheik.
WWE Maple Leaf Wrestling: September '84
1984
NRHosts Craig DeGeorge and "Luscious" Johnny V take a unique look inside the story of Ken Patera and his journey to redemption in WWE; Patera is in action against the likes of legendary opponents such as Harley Race, The Honky Tonk Man and more.
The Ken Patera Story
1987
Beloved promoter Sam Muchnick says farewell to the sport of kings in St. Louis with an All-Star card!
NWA Sam Muchnick Retirement Show
1982