Onno Boelee

A good example of how there is indeed life after athletics can be observed in the career of Onno Boelee. As a New Zealand native of Dutch descent, Onno grew up primarily in Auckland. With his burly and imposing stature, Onno Boelee found work as a bouncer in the popular night club named Shantytown. Later, Onno turned towards cultivating a professional wrestling career, beginning his training at a gym in Mount Roskill, New Zealand. In 1970, Onno debuted in South Pacific Wrestling. This was followed by his joining the All Star-Pro Wrestling, with which he toured the country for the next five years. During his six-year career in professional wrestling, perhaps his most notable match included competing against the 500-pound Andre the Giant. After his retirement from wrestling, Onno's next endeavor was into acting. He began his acting career in the 1980s which included several independent films on the local level. However, Onno's success started to pick up when he appeared in Hong Kong cinema with mostly supporting roles. Around 1988, Onno took a hiatus from acting. The years after this break, Onno spent launching a private security company, which has found great success in New Zealand television and films. 1994 marked the end of a six-year break from acting, starting with a role as the giant, Gargan in the television movie Hercules and the Lost City, opposite lead star Kevin Sorbo. As the '90s and early millennium rolled along, Onno found supporting roles in a few television series and films. Onno still manages his security company, which also works in providing stunts, armor and weaponry and acting. Onno proved his versatility and ingenuity well, making smooth and sensible transitions, from wrestler, to actor to entrepreneur.