Onno Boelee
- Actor
- Additional Crew
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.