document_title: List of WWE United States Champions

question_text: who has won the most united states championships

text: List of WWE United States Champions

text: Title history[edit]

text: Names[edit]

text:
Name[4][5]
Years[4][5]

NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (Mid-Atlantic version)
January 1, 1975 – January 27, 1981

NWA United States Heavyweight Championship (Undisputed version)
January 27, 1981 – 1991

WCW United States (Heavyweight) Championship
1991 – 2001

WWE United States Championship
2003 – present

text: Reigns[edit]

text: As of April 26, 2018.

text:
Reign
The reign number for the specific champion listed

Location
The city in which the title was won

Event
The event promoted by the respective promotion in which the title was won

†
Indicates the title changes not recognized by the WWE

+
Indicates the current reign is changing daily

text:
No.
Wrestler
Reign
Date
Days held
Location
Event
Notes
Ref.

National Wrestling Alliance/Jim Crockett Promotions

1
Harley Race
1
000000001975-01-01-0000January 1, 1975
7002183000000000000♠183
Tallahassee, FL
House show
Defeated Johnny Weaver in a tournament final to become the inaugural NWA United States Heavyweight Champion for Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling.
WWE recognizes Race's reign as lasting 184 days.
[6][4][7]

2
Johnny Valentine
1
000000001975-07-03-0000July 3, 1975
7001930000000000000♠93
Greensboro, NC
House show

[6][7]

—
Vacated
—
000000001975-10-04-0000October 4, 1975
—
—
—
Vacated when Johnny Valentine suffered a career-ending injury in a plane crash.
[4][8][7]

3
Terry Funk
1
000000001975-11-09-0000November 9, 1975
7001180000000000000♠18
Greensboro, NC
House show
Defeated Paul Jones in a tournament final for the vacant title.
WWE recognizes Funk's reign as lasting 19 days.
[4][7]

4
Paul Jones
1
000000001975-11-27-0000November 27, 1975
7002107000000000000♠107
Greensboro, NC
House show

[6][7]

5
Blackjack Mulligan
1
000000001976-03-13-0000March 13, 1976
7002217000000000000♠217
Greensboro, NC
House show
WWE recognizes Mulligan's reign as lasting 218 days.
[6][7]

6
Paul Jones
2
000000001976-10-16-0000October 16, 1976
7001430000000000000♠43
Greensboro, NC
House show
WWE recognizes Jones' reign as ending on November 28, 1976.
[6][7]

—
Blackjack Mulligan
2†
000000001976-11-28-0000November 28, 1976
7001110000000000000♠11
Charlotte, NC
House show

[4][7]

—
Paul Jones
3†
000000001976-12-09-0000December 9, 1976
7000600000000000000♠6
Winston-Salem, NC
House show

[4][7]

7
Blackjack Mulligan
2(3)
000000001976-12-15-0000December 15, 1976
7002204000000000000♠204
Raleigh, NC
House show

[6][7]

8
Bobo Brazil
1
000000001977-07-07-0000July 7, 1977
7001220000000000000♠22
Norfolk, VA
House show

[6][7]

9
Ric Flair
1
000000001977-07-29-0000July 29, 1977
7001840000000000000♠84
Richmond, VA
House show

[6][7][9]

10
Ricky Steamboat
1
000000001977-10-21-0000October 21, 1977
7001720000000000000♠72
Charleston, SC
House show
WWE recognizes Steamboat's reign as lasting 73 days.
[6][7]

11
Blackjack Mulligan
3(4)
000000001978-01-01-0000January 1, 1978
7001770000000000000♠77
Greensboro, NC
House show
WWE recognizes Mulligan's reign as lasting 78 days.
[4][6][7]

12
Mr. Wrestling
1
000000001978-03-19-0000March 19, 1978
7001210000000000000♠21
Greensboro, NC
House show
WWE recognizes Mr. Wrestling's reign as lasting 22 days.
[6][7]

13
Ric Flair
2
000000001978-04-09-0000April 9, 1978
7002253000000000000♠253
Charlotte, NC
House show
WWE recognizes Flair's reign as lasting 252 days, ending on December 17, 1978
[6][7]

14
Ricky Steamboat
2
000000001978-12-18-0000December 18, 1978
7002104000000000000♠104
Greensboro, NC
House show
WWE recognizes Steamboat's reign as lasting 105 days.
[6][7]

15
Ric Flair
3
000000001979-04-01-0000April 1, 1979
7002133000000000000♠133
Greensboro, NC
House show
WWE recognizes Flair's reign as lasting 134 days.
[6][7]

—
Vacated
—
000000001979-08-12-0000August 12, 1979
—
—
—
Vacated when Ric Flair won the NWA World Tag Team Championship four days prior.
[4][7]

16
Jimmy Snuka
1
000000001979-09-01-0000September 1, 1979
7002231000000000000♠231
Charlotte, NC
House show
Defeated Ricky Steamboat in a tournament final for the vacant title.
WWE recognizes Snuka's reign as lasting 233 days, ending on April 20, 1980, although in reality, the end date was April 19, 1980.
[4][10][7]

17
Ric Flair
4
000000001980-04-19-0000April 19, 1980
7001980000000000000♠98
Greensboro, NC
House show
WWE recognizes Flair's reign as beginning on April 20, 1980 and ending on July 26, 1980, although in reality, he won the title on April 19, 1980.
[6][10][7]

—
Greg Valentine
1†
000000001980-07-26-0000July 26, 1980
7002121000000000000♠121
Charlotte, NC
House show

[4][7]

—
Ric Flair
5†
000000001980-11-24-0000November 24, 1980
7001640000000000000♠64
Greenville, SC
House show
Although this reign is not recognized, a WWE.com article recognized Flair as a six-time champion.
[6][11][7]

18
Roddy Piper
1
000000001981-01-27-0000January 27, 1981
7002193000000000000♠193
Raleigh, NC
House show
The title became the undisputed NWA United States Heavyweight Championship in January 1981 after the NWA San Francisco office, the last other promotion to recognize its own United States Heavyweight Champion, closed.
WWE recognizes Piper's reign as lasting 194 days.
[6][7]

19
Wahoo McDaniel
1
000000001981-08-08-0000August 8, 1981
7001310000000000000♠31
Greensboro, NC
House show
WWE recognizes McDaniel's reign as lasting 32 days.
[6][7]

—
Vacated
—
000000001981-09-08-0000September 8, 1981
—
—
—
Vacated when Wahoo McDaniel was injured by Abdullah the Butcher.
[12][7]

20
Sgt. Slaughter
1
000000001981-10-04-0000October 4, 1981
7002229000000000000♠229
Charlotte, NC
House show
Defeated Ricky Steamboat in a tournament final for the vacant title.
[12][7]

21
Wahoo McDaniel
2
000000001982-05-21-0000May 21, 1982
7001170000000000000♠17
Richmond, VA
House show
WWE recognizes McDaniel's reign as lasting 18 days.
[6][7]

22
Sgt. Slaughter
2
000000001982-06-07-0000June 7, 1982
7001760000000000000♠76
Greenville, SC
House show
Awarded the title due to Wahoo McDaniel being injured by Don Muraco and Roddy Piper before the match.
[13][7]

23
Wahoo McDaniel
3
000000001982-08-22-0000August 22, 1982
7001740000000000000♠74
Charlotte, NC
House show
WWE recognizes McDaniel's reign as lasting 75 days.
[6][7]

24
Greg Valentine
1(2)
000000001982-11-04-0000November 4, 1982
7002163000000000000♠163
Norfolk, VA
House show

[6][7]

25
Roddy Piper
2
000000001983-04-16-0000April 16, 1983
7001140000000000000♠14
Greensboro, NC
House show
WWE recognizes Piper's reign as lasting 15 days.
[6][7]

26
Greg Valentine
2(3)
000000001983-04-30-0000April 30, 1983
7002228000000000000♠228
Greensboro, NC
House show
Valentine won when Roddy Piper suffered a large cut over his left ear and the referee stopped the match.
WWE recognizes Valentine's reign as lasting 229 days.
[6][14][7]

27
Dick Slater
1
000000001983-12-14-0000December 14, 1983
7002129000000000000♠129
Shelby, NC
House show

[6]

28
Ricky Steamboat
3
000000001984-04-21-0000April 21, 1984
7001640000000000000♠64
Greensboro, NC
House show

[6]

29
Wahoo McDaniel
4
000000001984-06-24-0000June 24, 1984
7000700000000000000♠7
Greensboro, NC
House show

[6]

—
Vacated
—
000000001984-07-01-0000July 1, 1984
—
—
—
Wahoo McDaniel was stripped of the title due to Tully Blanchard interfering in McDaniel's title defense.
[4]

30
Wahoo McDaniel
5
000000001984-10-07-0000October 7, 1984
7002167000000000000♠167
Charlotte, NC
House show
Defeated Manny Fernandez in a tournament final for the vacant title.
WWE recognizes McDaniel's reign as lasting 168 days.
[4]

31
Magnum T.A.
1
000000001985-03-23-0000March 23, 1985
7002120000000000000♠120
Charlotte, NC
House show

[15]

32
Tully Blanchard
1
000000001985-07-21-0000July 21, 1985
7002130000000000000♠130
Charlotte, NC
House show

[16]

33
Magnum T.A.
2
000000001985-11-28-0000November 28, 1985
7002182000000000000♠182
Greensboro, NC
Starrcade
This was an "I Quit" steel cage match.
WWE recognizes Magnum T.A.'s reign as lasting 154 days, with Magnum T.A. being stripped of the title on May 1, 1986.
[17][18]

—
Vacated
—
000000001986-05-29-0000May 29, 1986
—
—
—
Magnum T.A. was stripped of the title for attacking NWA president Bob Geigel.
[17]

34
Nikita Koloff
1
000000001986-08-17-0000August 17, 1986
7002328000000000000♠328
Charlotte, NC
House show
Defeated Magnum T.A. in a best of seven series for the vacant title,[4][19] though WWE officially says it was a tournament final.[20]
Koloff defeated Wahoo McDaniel on September 28, 1986 to unify the NWA National Heavyweight Championship into the U.S. title.[21]
[20]

35
Lex Luger
1
000000001987-07-11-0000July 11, 1987
7002138000000000000♠138
Greensboro, NC
House show
This was a steel cage match.[22]
[23]

36
Dusty Rhodes
1
000000001987-11-26-0000November 26, 1987
7002141000000000000♠141
Chicago, IL
Starrcade
This was a steel cage match.[24]
[25]

—
Vacated
—
000000001988-04-15-0000April 15, 1988
—
—
—
Dusty Rhodes was stripped of the title for attacking NWA President Jim Crockett.
[4]

37
Barry Windham
1
000000001988-05-13-0000May 13, 1988
7002283000000000000♠283
Houston, TX
House show
Defeated Nikita Koloff in a tournament final for the vacant title.
[26][27]

World Championship Wrestling

38
Lex Luger
2
000000001989-02-20-0000February 20, 1989
7001760000000000000♠76
Chicago, IL
Chi-Town Rumble

[28]

39
Michael Hayes
1
000000001989-05-07-0000May 7, 1989
7001150000000000000♠15
Nashville, TN
WrestleWar

[29][30]

40
Lex Luger
3
000000001989-05-22-0000May 22, 1989
7002523000000000000♠523
Bluefield, WV
House show

41
Stan Hansen
1
000000001990-10-27-0000October 27, 1990
7001500000000000000♠50
Chicago, IL
Halloween Havoc

[31]

42
Lex Luger
4
000000001990-12-16-0000December 16, 1990
7002210000000000000♠210
St. Louis, MO
Starrcade
This was a Texas Bullrope match.
During Luger's reign in 1991, World Championship Wrestling (WCW) split from the NWA and the title was renamed as the WCW United States Heavyweight Championship.
[32]

—
Vacated
—
000000001991-07-14-0000July 14, 1991
—
Baltimore, MD
The Great American Bash
Vacated when Lex Luger won the WCW World Heavyweight Championship.
[32]

43
Sting
1
000000001991-08-25-0000August 25, 1991
7001860000000000000♠86
Atlanta, GA
House show
Defeated Steve Austin in a tournament final for the vacant title.
[33]

44
Rick Rude
1
000000001991-11-19-0000November 19, 1991
7002378000000000000♠378
Savannah, GA
Clash of the Champions XVII

[34]

—
Vacated
—
000000001992-12-01-0000December 1, 1992
—
—
—
Vacated due to Rick Rude suffering an injury.
[34]

45
Dustin Rhodes
1
000000001993-01-11-0000January 11, 1993
7002110000000000000♠110
Atlanta, GA
Saturday Night
Defeated Ricky Steamboat in a match that was originally made to determine the No. 1 contender, but upon Rick Rude's vacation of the title, it was instead made to decide the new champion.
Aired on tape delay on January 16, 1993.
[35]

—
Vacated
—
000000001993-05-01-0000May 1, 1993
—
—
WorldWide
Vacated following a title defense against Rick Rude that ended in a double pinfall.
Aired on tape delay on May 15, 1993.
[35]

46
Dustin Rhodes
2
000000001993-08-30-0000August 30, 1993
7002119000000000000♠119
Atlanta, GA
Saturday Night
Defeated Rick Rude in a rematch for the vacant title.
Aired on tape delay on September 11, 1993.
[36]

47
Steve Austin
1
000000001993-12-27-0000December 27, 1993
7002240000000000000♠240
Charlotte, NC
Starrcade '93: 10th Anniversary
This was a two out of three falls match.[37]
[38]

48
Ricky Steamboat
4
000000001994-08-24-0000August 24, 1994
7001250000000000000♠25
Cedar Rapids, IA
Clash of the Champions XXVIII

[39]

49
Steve Austin
2
000000001994-09-18-0000September 18, 1994
<1
Roanoke, VA
Fall Brawl 1994: War Games
Awarded the title due to Ricky Steamboat being injured.
[40]

50
Jim Duggan
1
7002100000000000000♠100

[41]

51
Vader
1
000000001994-12-27-0000December 27, 1994
7001880000000000000♠88
Nashville, TN
Starrcade

[42]

—
Vacated
—
000000001995-03-25-0000March 25, 1995
—
Atlanta, GA
Saturday Night
Vader was stripped of the title by WCW commissioner Nick Bockwinkel for hospitalizing Dave Sullivan one week prior.
[4]

52
Sting
2
000000001995-06-18-0000June 18, 1995
7002148000000000000♠148
Dayton, OH
The Great American Bash
Defeated Meng in a tournament final for the vacant title.
[43]

53
Kensuke Sasaki
1
000000001995-11-13-0000November 13, 1995
7001440000000000000♠44
Tokyo, Japan
WCW World in Japan
Won the title at a New Japan Pro-Wrestling event.
[44]

54
One Man Gang
1
000000001995-12-27-0000December 27, 1995
7001330000000000000♠33
Nashville, TN
Starrcade: World Cup of Wrestling
Won in a post-PPV dark match. Although the match was restarted and Kensuke Sasaki subsequently retained the title, it was never acknowledged by WCW, nor is it acknowledged by WWE.
[45]

55
Konnan
1
000000001996-01-29-0000January 29, 1996
7002160000000000000♠160
Canton, OH
Main Event

[46]

56
Ric Flair
5(6)
000000001996-07-07-0000July 7, 1996
7002141000000000000♠141
Daytona Beach, FL
Bash at the Beach

[47]

—
Vacated
—
000000001996-11-25-0000November 25, 1996
—
—
—
Vacated due to Ric Flair suffering a shoulder injury.
[47]

57
Eddie Guerrero
1
000000001996-12-29-0000December 29, 1996
7001770000000000000♠77
Nashville, TN
Starrcade
Defeated Diamond Dallas Page in a tournament final for the vacant title.
[48]

58
Dean Malenko
1
000000001997-03-16-0000March 16, 1997
7001850000000000000♠85
North Charleston, SC
Uncensored

[49]

59
Jeff Jarrett
1
000000001997-06-09-0000June 9, 1997
7001730000000000000♠73
Boston, MA
Monday Nitro

[49]

60
Steve McMichael
1
000000001997-08-21-0000August 21, 1997
7001250000000000000♠25
Nashville, TN
Clash of the Champions XXXV

[50]

61
Curt Hennig
1
000000001997-09-15-0000September 15, 1997
7002104000000000000♠104
Charlotte, NC
Monday Nitro

[51]

62
Diamond Dallas Page
1
000000001997-12-28-0000December 28, 1997
7002112000000000000♠112
Washington, D.C.
Starrcade

[52]

63
Raven
1
000000001998-04-19-0000April 19, 1998
7000100000000000000♠1
Denver, CO
Spring Stampede
This was a "Raven's Rules" match.
[53]

64
Goldberg
1
000000001998-04-20-0000April 20, 1998
7001770000000000000♠77
Colorado Springs, CO
Monday Nitro
This was a "Raven's Rules" match.
WWE.com mistakenly lists Goldberg's reign as lasting 91 days, ending on July 20, 1998.
[54]

—
Vacated
—
000000001998-07-06-0000July 6, 1998
—
Atlanta, GA
Monday Nitro
Vacated when Goldberg won the WCW World Heavyweight Championship.
[4]

65
Bret Hart
1
000000001998-07-20-0000July 20, 1998
7001210000000000000♠21
Salt Lake City, UT
Monday Nitro
Defeated Diamond Dallas Page for the vacant title.
[55][56]

66
Lex Luger
5
000000001998-08-10-0000August 10, 1998
7000100000000000000♠1
Rapid City, SD
Monday Nitro
WWE recognizes Luger's reign as lasting 3 days, ending on August 13, 1998, when the following episode aired on tape delay.
[57]

67
Bret Hart
2
000000001998-08-11-0000August 11, 1998
7001760000000000000♠76
Fargo, ND
Thunder
WWE recognizes Hart's reign as lasting 74 days, beginning on August 13, 1998, when the episode aired on tape delay.
[58]

68
Diamond Dallas Page
2
000000001998-10-26-0000October 26, 1998
7001350000000000000♠35
Phoenix, AZ
Monday Nitro

[59]

69
Bret Hart
3
000000001998-11-30-0000November 30, 1998
7001700000000000000♠70
Chattanooga, TN
Monday Nitro
This was a no disqualification match.
[60]

70
Roddy Piper
3
000000001999-02-08-0000February 8, 1999
7001130000000000000♠13
Buffalo, NY
Monday Nitro

[61]

71
Scott Hall
1
000000001999-02-21-0000February 21, 1999
7001250000000000000♠25
Oakland, CA
SuperBrawl IX

[62]

—
Vacated
—
000000001999-03-18-0000March 18, 1999
—
Lexington, KY
Thunder
Scott Hall was stripped of the title by WCW President Ric Flair.
[62]

72
Scott Steiner
1
000000001999-04-11-0000April 11, 1999
7001850000000000000♠85
Tacoma, WA
Spring Stampede
Defeated Booker T in a tournament final for the vacant title.
[63]

—
Vacated
—
000000001999-07-05-0000July 5, 1999
—
Atlanta, GA
Monday Nitro
Scott Steiner was stripped of the title by WCW President Ric Flair.
[63]

73
David Flair
1
000000001999-07-05-0000July 5, 1999
7001350000000000000♠35
Atlanta, GA
Monday Nitro
Awarded the title by his father and WCW President Ric Flair.
[64]

74
Chris Benoit
1
000000001999-08-09-0000August 9, 1999
7001340000000000000♠34
Boise, ID
Monday Nitro

[64]

75
Sid Vicious
1
000000001999-09-12-0000September 12, 1999
7001420000000000000♠42
Winston-Salem, NC
Fall Brawl

[65]

76
Goldberg
2
000000001999-10-24-0000October 24, 1999
7000100000000000000♠1
Paradise, NV
Halloween Havoc
Won the title when Sid Vicious suffered excessive bleeding and the referee stopped the match.
[65][66]

77
Bret Hart
4
000000001999-10-25-0000October 25, 1999
7001140000000000000♠14
Phoenix, AZ
Monday Nitro

[67]

78
Scott Hall
2
000000001999-11-08-0000November 8, 1999
7001410000000000000♠41
Indianapolis, IN
Monday Nitro
This was a four-way ladder match, also involving Sid Vicious and Goldberg.
[68]

79
Chris Benoit
2
000000001999-12-19-0000December 19, 1999
7000100000000000000♠1
Washington, D.C.
Starrcade
Awarded the title when Scott Hall suffered a knee injury during the match.
[68]

80
Jeff Jarrett
2
000000001999-12-20-0000December 20, 1999
7001270000000000000♠27
Baltimore, MD
Monday Nitro
This was a ladder match.
[69]

—
Vacated
—
000000002000-01-16-0000January 16, 2000
—
Cincinnati, OH
Souled Out
Vacated due to Jeff Jarrett suffering an injury.
[69]

81
Jeff Jarrett
3
000000002000-01-17-0000January 17, 2000
7001840000000000000♠84
Columbus, OH
Monday Nitro
Awarded by WCW Commissioner Kevin Nash.
[70]

—
Vacated
—
000000002000-04-10-0000April 10, 2000
—
Denver, CO
Monday Nitro
All WCW titles were declared vacant by Vince Russo and Eric Bischoff after WCW was rebooted.
[71]

82
Scott Steiner
2
000000002000-04-16-0000April 16, 2000
7001840000000000000♠84
Chicago, IL
Spring Stampede
Defeated Sting in a tournament final for the vacant title.[72]
[71]

—
Vacated
—
000000002000-07-09-0000July 9, 2000
—
Daytona Beach, FL
Bash at the Beach
Scott Steiner was stripped of the title when he used the banned Steiner Recliner submission hold on Mike Awesome.[73]
[71]

83
Lance Storm
1
000000002000-07-18-0000July 18, 2000
7001660000000000000♠66
Auburn Hills, MI
Monday Nitro
Defeated Mike Awesome in a tournament final for the vacant title. Storm unofficially renamed the title the WCW Canadian Heavyweight Championship.
[74]

84
Terry Funk
2
000000002000-09-22-0000September 22, 2000
7000100000000000000♠1
Amarillo, TX
House show
Title change was not recognized by WCW, but is recognized by WWE.
[75]

85
Lance Storm
2
000000002000-09-23-0000September 23, 2000
7001360000000000000♠36
Lubbock, TX
House show
Title change was not recognized by WCW, but is recognized by WWE.
[76]

86
Gen. Rection
1
000000002000-10-29-0000October 29, 2000
7001150000000000000♠15
Paradise, NV
Halloween Havoc
Defeated Lance Storm and Jim Duggan in a handicap match.
[77]

87
Lance Storm
3
000000002000-11-13-0000November 13, 2000
7001130000000000000♠13
London, England
Monday Nitro

[78]

88
Gen. Rection
2
000000002000-11-26-0000November 26, 2000
7001490000000000000♠49
Milwaukee, WI
Mayhem

[79]

89
Shane Douglas
1
000000002001-01-14-0000January 14, 2001
7001220000000000000♠22
Indianapolis, IN
Sin
This was a First Blood Chain match.
[80]

90
Rick Steiner
1
000000002001-02-05-0000February 5, 2001
7001410000000000000♠41
Tupelo, MS
Monday Nitro

[81]

91
Booker T
1
000000002001-03-18-0000March 18, 2001
7002128000000000000♠128
Jacksonville, FL
Greed
Title and other selected assets of WCW were purchased by the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). Title was subsequently referred to as the WCW United States Championship and was defended on WWF programming.
[82]

World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment

92
Chris Kanyon
1
000000002001-07-24-0000July 24, 2001
7001480000000000000♠48
Pittsburgh, PA
SmackDown!
Given the title by Booker T as he was also the WCW Champion.
WWE recognizes Kanyon's reign as lasting 46 days, beginning on July 26, 2001, when the episode aired on tape delay.
[83]

93
Tajiri
1
000000002001-09-10-0000September 10, 2001
7001130000000000000♠13
San Antonio, TX
Raw is War

[84]

94
Rhyno
1
000000002001-09-23-0000September 23, 2001
7001290000000000000♠29
Pittsburgh, PA
Unforgiven

[85]

95
Kurt Angle
1
000000002001-10-22-0000October 22, 2001
7001210000000000000♠21
Kansas City, MO
Raw

[86]

96
Edge
1
000000002001-11-12-0000November 12, 2001
7000600000000000000♠6
Boston, MA
Raw

[87]

—
Unified
—
000000002001-11-18-0000November 18, 2001
—
Greensboro, NC
Survivor Series
Edge defeated WWF Intercontinental Champion Test to unify the two titles. Edge became the Intercontinental Champion while the United States title was deactivated. In May 2002, the WWF became the WWE.
[87]

97
Eddie Guerrero
2
000000002003-07-27-0000July 27, 2003
7001840000000000000♠84
Denver, CO
Vengeance
Title was reactivated as the WWE United States Championship as an exclusive title of the SmackDown brand. Guerrero defeated Chris Benoit in a tournament final for the revived title.
[88]

98
Big Show
1
000000002003-10-19-0000October 19, 2003
7002147000000000000♠147
Baltimore, MD
No Mercy

[89]

99
John Cena
1
000000002004-03-14-0000March 14, 2004
7002114000000000000♠114
New York, NY
WrestleMania XX
WWE mistakenly lists Cena's reign as lasting 137 days, ending on July 29, 2004. The match description for Booker T's title win states that Cena was stripped of the title "a few weeks prior" to the July 29, 2004 tape delay episode of SmackDown!
[90]

—
Vacated
—
000000002004-07-06-0000July 6, 2004
—
Winnipeg, MB
SmackDown!
John Cena was stripped of the title after attacking SmackDown! General Manager Kurt Angle.
Aired on tape delay on July 8, 2004.
[91]

100
Booker T
2
000000002004-07-27-0000July 27, 2004
7001680000000000000♠68
Cincinnati, OH
SmackDown!
This was an eight-way elimination match, also involving John Cena, René Duprée, Kenzo Suzuki, Rob Van Dam, Billy Gunn, Charlie Haas, and Luther Reigns.
WWE recognizes Booker T's reign as lasting 66 days, beginning on July 29, 2004, when the episode aired on tape delay.
[91]

101
John Cena
2
000000002004-10-03-0000October 3, 2004
7000200000000000000♠2
East Rutherford, NJ
No Mercy
This was the fifth match of a Best of Five series.
WWE recognizes Cena's reign as lasting 4 days, ending on October 7, 2004, when the following episode aired on tape delay.
[92]

102
Carlito Caribbean Cool
1
000000002004-10-05-0000October 5, 2004
7001420000000000000♠42
Boston, MA
SmackDown!
WWE recognizes Carlito's reign as beginning on October 7, 2004 and ending on November 18, 2004, both episodes of which aired on tape delay.
[93][94]

103
John Cena
3
000000002004-11-16-0000November 16, 2004
7002105000000000000♠105
Dayton, OH
SmackDown!
WWE recognizes Cena's reign as beginning on November 18, 2004 and ending on March 3, 2005, both episodes of which aired on tape delay.
[95]

104
Orlando Jordan
1
000000002005-03-01-0000March 1, 2005
7002173000000000000♠173
Albany, NY
SmackDown!
WWE recognizes Jordan's reign as lasting 171 days, beginning on March 3, 2005, when the episode aired on tape delay.
[96]

105
Chris Benoit
3
000000002005-08-21-0000August 21, 2005
7001580000000000000♠58
Washington, D.C.
SummerSlam
WWE recognizes Benoit's reign as lasting 61 days, ending on October 21, 2005, when the following episode aired on tape delay.
[97]

106
Booker T
3
000000002005-10-18-0000October 18, 2005
7001350000000000000♠35
Reno, NV
SmackDown!
WWE recognizes Booker T's reign as beginning on October 21, 2005 and ending on November 25, 2005, both episodes of which aired on tape delay.
[98]

—
Vacated
—
000000002005-11-22-0000November 22, 2005
—
Sheffield, England
SmackDown!
Vacated when Booker T's title defense against Chris Benoit ended in a double pinfall.[5]
Aired on tape delay on November 25, 2005.
[98]

107
Booker T
4
000000002006-01-10-0000January 10, 2006
7001400000000000000♠40
Philadelphia, PA
SmackDown!
Booker T faced Chris Benoit in a Best of Seven series, winning the first three matches; Randy Orton substituted for Booker T after that due to injury, losing the next three matches, but winning the final for the vacant title.
WWE recognizes Booker T's reign as lasting 37 days, beginning on January 13, 2006, when the episode aired on tape delay.
[99]

108
Chris Benoit
4
000000002006-02-19-0000February 19, 2006
7001420000000000000♠42
Baltimore, MD
No Way Out

[100]

109
John Bradshaw Layfield
1
000000002006-04-02-0000April 2, 2006
7001510000000000000♠51
Rosemont, IL
WrestleMania 22
WWE recognizes JBL's reign as lasting 54 days, ending on May 26, 2006, when the following episode aired on tape delay.
[101]

110
Bobby Lashley
1
000000002006-05-23-0000May 23, 2006
7001490000000000000♠49
Bakersfield, CA
SmackDown!
WWE recognizes Lashley's reign as beginning on May 26, 2006 and ending on July 14, 2006, both episodes of which aired on tape delay.
[102]

111
Finlay
1
000000002006-07-11-0000July 11, 2006
7001490000000000000♠49
Minneapolis, MN
SmackDown!
WWE recognizes Finlay's reign as beginning on July 14, 2006 and ending on September 1, 2006, both episodes of which aired on tape delay.
[103]

112
Mr. Kennedy
1
000000002006-08-29-0000August 29, 2006
7001420000000000000♠42
Reading, PA
SmackDown!
This was a triple threat match, also involving Bobby Lashley.
WWE recognizes Kennedy's reign as beginning on September 1, 2006 and ending on October 13, 2006, both episodes of which aired on tape delay.
[104][105]

113
Chris Benoit
5
000000002006-10-10-0000October 10, 2006
7002222000000000000♠222
Jacksonville, FL
SmackDown!
WWE recognizes Benoit's reign as lasting 219 days, beginning on October 13, 2006, when the episode aired on tape delay.
[106][107]

114
Montel Vontavious Porter
1
000000002007-05-20-0000May 20, 2007
7002343000000000000♠343
St. Louis, MO
Judgment Day
This was a two out of three falls match.
[108][109]

115
Matt Hardy
1
000000002008-04-27-0000April 27, 2008
7001840000000000000♠84
Baltimore, MD
Backlash
The title became exclusive to the ECW brand following the 2008 WWE draft.
[110][111]

116
Shelton Benjamin
1
000000002008-07-20-0000July 20, 2008
7002240000000000000♠240
Uniondale, NY
The Great American Bash
The title was returned to SmackDown due to Benjamin's status as a SmackDown wrestler.
WWE recognizes Benjamin's reign as lasting 243 days, ending on March 20, 2009, when the following episode aired on tape delay.
[112][113]

117
Montel Vontavious Porter
2
000000002009-03-17-0000March 17, 2009
7001760000000000000♠76
Corpus Christi, TX
SmackDown
The title became exclusive to the Raw brand following the 2009 WWE draft.
WWE recognizes Porter's reign as lasting 73 days, beginning on March 20, 2009, when the episode aired on tape delay.
[114][115]

118
Kofi Kingston
1
000000002009-06-01-0000June 1, 2009
7002126000000000000♠126
Birmingham, AL
Raw

[116][117]

119
The Miz
1
000000002009-10-05-0000October 5, 2009
7002224000000000000♠224
Wilkes-Barre, PA
Raw

[118][119]

120
Bret Hart
5
000000002010-05-17-0000May 17, 2010
7000700000000000000♠7
Toronto, ON
Raw
This was a no disqualification, no countout match.
[120][121]

—
Vacated
—
000000002010-05-24-0000May 24, 2010
—
Toledo, OH
Raw
Vacated when Bret Hart became the Raw General Manager.
[120][122]

121
R-Truth
1
000000002010-05-24-0000May 24, 2010
7001210000000000000♠21
Toledo, OH
Raw
Defeated The Miz to win the vacant title.
[122][123]

122
The Miz
2
000000002010-06-14-0000June 14, 2010
7001970000000000000♠97
Charlotte, NC
Raw
This was a fatal four-way match, also involving John Morrison and Zack Ryder.
[124][125]

123
Daniel Bryan
1
000000002010-09-19-0000September 19, 2010
7002176000000000000♠176
Rosemont, IL
Night of Champions
WWE recognizes Bryan's reign as lasting 177 days.
[126]

124
Sheamus
1
000000002011-03-14-0000March 14, 2011
7001480000000000000♠48
St. Louis, MO
Raw
If Sheamus lost, he would have quit the WWE.
Title became exclusive to the SmackDown brand following the 2011 WWE draft.
[127]

125
Kofi Kingston
2
000000002011-05-01-0000May 1, 2011
7001490000000000000♠49
Tampa, FL
Extreme Rules
This was a tables match. The title became exclusive to Raw due to Kingston's status as a Raw wrestler.
[128]

126
Dolph Ziggler
1
000000002011-06-19-0000June 19, 2011
7002182000000000000♠182
Washington, D.C.
Capitol Punishment
On August 29, 2011, the brand extension ended, allowing the United States Champion to appear on both Raw and SmackDown.
[129]

127
Zack Ryder
1
000000002011-12-18-0000December 18, 2011
7001290000000000000♠29
Baltimore, MD
TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs

[130]

128
Jack Swagger
1
000000002012-01-16-0000January 16, 2012
7001490000000000000♠49
Anaheim, CA
Raw
WWE recognizes Swagger's reign as lasting 50 days.
[131]

129
Santino Marella
1
000000002012-03-05-0000March 5, 2012
7002167000000000000♠167
Boston, MA
Raw

[132]

130
Antonio Cesaro
1
000000002012-08-19-0000August 19, 2012
7002239000000000000♠239
Los Angeles, CA
SummerSlam
Match aired live on YouTube and WWE.com as part of the SummerSlam pre-show.
WWE recognizes Cesaro's reign as lasting 240 days.
[133]

131
Kofi Kingston
3
000000002013-04-15-0000April 15, 2013
7001340000000000000♠34
Greenville, SC
Raw

[134]

132
Dean Ambrose
1
000000002013-05-19-0000May 19, 2013
7002351000000000000♠351
St. Louis, MO
Extreme Rules

[3][135]

133
Sheamus
2
000000002014-05-05-0000May 5, 2014
7002182000000000000♠182
Albany, NY
Raw
This was a 20-man battle royal. Sheamus lastly eliminated Dean Ambrose to win the match and the title.
WWE recognizes Sheamus' reign as lasting 183 days.
[136]

134
Rusev
1
000000002014-11-03-0000November 3, 2014
7002146000000000000♠146
Buffalo, NY
Raw Backstage Pass

[137]

135
John Cena
4
000000002015-03-29-0000March 29, 2015
7002147000000000000♠147
Santa Clara, CA
WrestleMania 31

[138]

136
Seth Rollins
1
000000002015-08-23-0000August 23, 2015
7001280000000000000♠28
Brooklyn, NY
SummerSlam
This was a Winner Takes All match, in which Rollins also defended the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.
WWE recognizes Rollins' reign as lasting 29 days.
[139]

137
John Cena
5
000000002015-09-20-0000September 20, 2015
7001350000000000000♠35
Houston, TX
Night of Champions

[140]

138
Alberto Del Rio
1
000000002015-10-25-0000October 25, 2015
7001780000000000000♠78
Los Angeles, CA
Hell in a Cell
This was an open challenge.
WWE recognizes Del Rio's reign as lasting 79 days.
[141]

139
Kalisto
1
000000002016-01-11-0000January 11, 2016
7000100000000000000♠1
New Orleans, LA
Raw
WWE recognizes Kalisto's reign as lasting 3 days, ending on January 14, 2016, when the following episode aired on tape delay.
[142]

140
Alberto Del Rio
2
000000002016-01-12-0000January 12, 2016
7001120000000000000♠12
Lafayette, LA
SmackDown
WWE recognizes Del Rio's reign as lasting 10 days, beginning on January 14, 2016, when the episode aired on tape delay.
[143]

141
Kalisto
2
000000002016-01-24-0000January 24, 2016
7002119000000000000♠119
Orlando, FL
Royal Rumble

[144]

142
Rusev
2
000000002016-05-22-0000May 22, 2016
7002126000000000000♠126
Newark, NJ
Extreme Rules
The brand extension returned and the title became exclusive to the Raw brand following the 2016 WWE draft.
WWE recognizes Rusev's reign as lasting 127 days.
[145]

143
Roman Reigns
1
000000002016-09-25-0000September 25, 2016
7002106000000000000♠106
Indianapolis, IN
Clash of Champions
WWE recognizes Reigns' reign as lasting 107 days.
[146]

144
Chris Jericho
1
000000002017-01-09-0000January 9, 2017
7001830000000000000♠83
New Orleans, LA
Raw
This was a 2-on-1 handicap match, also involving Kevin Owens, who teamed with Jericho. Jericho pinned Roman Reigns to win the title.
[147]

145
Kevin Owens
1
000000002017-04-02-0000April 2, 2017
7001280000000000000♠28
Orlando, FL
WrestleMania 33
The title became exclusive to the SmackDown brand following the 2017 WWE Superstar Shake-up.
WWE recognizes Owens' reign as lasting 29 days.
[148]

146
Chris Jericho
2
000000002017-04-30-0000April 30, 2017
7000200000000000000♠2
San Jose, CA
Payback
Since Jericho won, he was transferred to the SmackDown brand.
WWE recognizes Jericho's reign as lasting 3 days.
[149]

147
Kevin Owens
2
000000002017-05-02-0000May 2, 2017
7001660000000000000♠66
Fresno, CA
SmackDown Live

[150]

148
AJ Styles
1
000000002017-07-07-0000July 7, 2017
7001160000000000000♠16
New York, NY
House show
WWE recognizes Styles' reign as lasting 17 days.
[151]

149
Kevin Owens
3
000000002017-07-23-0000July 23, 2017
7000200000000000000♠2
Philadelphia, PA
Battleground
WWE recognizes Owens' reign as lasting 3 days.
[152]

150
AJ Styles
2
000000002017-07-25-0000July 25, 2017
7001750000000000000♠75
Richmond, VA
SmackDown Live
This was a triple threat match also involving Chris Jericho.
[153]

151
Baron Corbin
1
000000002017-10-08-0000October 8, 2017
7001700000000000000♠70
Detroit, MI
Hell in a Cell
This was a triple threat match also involving Tye Dillinger.
[154]

152
Dolph Ziggler
2
000000002017-12-17-0000December 17, 2017
7000900000000000000♠9
Boston, MA
Clash of Champions
This was a triple threat match also involving Bobby Roode.
[155]

—
Vacated
—
000000002017-12-26-0000December 26, 2017
—
Rosemont, IL
SmackDown Live
SmackDown General Manager Daniel Bryan ruled that Dolph Ziggler vacated the title after he left it in the ring on the December 19 episode of SmackDown.
[156]

153
Bobby Roode
1
000000002018-01-16-0000January 16, 2018
7001540000000000000♠54
Laredo, TX
SmackDown Live
Defeated Jinder Mahal in a tournament final to win the vacant title.
[157]

154
Randy Orton
1
000000002018-03-11-0000March 11, 2018
7001280000000000000♠28
Columbus, OH
Fastlane

[158]

155
Jinder Mahal
1
000000002018-04-08-0000April 8, 2018
7000800000000000000♠8
New Orleans, LA
WrestleMania 34
This was a Fatal 4-Way match also involving Bobby Roode and Rusev.
The title became exclusive to the Raw brand following the 2018 WWE Superstar Shake-up.
[159]

156
Jeff Hardy
1
000000002018-04-16-0000April 16, 2018
7001100000000000000♠10+
Hartford, CT
Raw
The title became exclusive to the SmackDown brand following the 2018 WWE Superstar Shake-up.
[160]

text: Combined reigns[edit]

text: As of April 26, 2018.

text:
†
Indicates the current champion

text:
Rank
Wrestler
No. of
reigns
Combined days
Combined days
recognized by WWE

1
Luger, LexLex Luger
5
948
950

2
Flair, RicRic Flair
6[a]
773
709

3
Valentine, GregGreg Valentine
3[b]
512
392

4
Mulligan, BlackjackBlackjack Mulligan
4[c]
509
500

5
Porter, Montel VontaviousMontel Vontavious Porter
2
419
416

6
Cena, JohnJohn Cena
5
403
405

7
Rude, RickRick Rude
1
378

8
Benoit, ChrisChris Benoit
5
357

9
Ambrose, DeanDean Ambrose
1
351

10
Koloff, NikitaNikita Koloff
1
328

11
Miz !The Miz
2
321

12
Sgt. Slaughter !Sgt. Slaughter
2
305

13
Magnum T.A. !Magnum T.A.
2
302
274

14
McDaniel, WahooWahoo McDaniel
5
296
300

15
Windham, BarryBarry Windham
1
283

16
Rusev !Rusev
2
272
273

17
Booker T !Booker T
4
271
266

18
Steamboat, RickyRicky Steamboat
4
265
267

19
Austin, SteveSteve Austin
2
240

Benjamin, SheltonShelton Benjamin
1
240
243

21
Cesaro, AntonioAntonio Cesaro
1
239
240

22
Sting !Sting
2
234

23
Snuka, JimmyJimmy Snuka
1
231
233

24
Sheamus !Sheamus
2
230
231

25
Rhodes, DustinDustin Rhodes
2
229

26
Piper, RoddyRoddy Piper
3
220
222

27
Kingston, KofiKofi Kingston
3
209

28
Ziggler, DolphDolph Ziggler
2
191

29
Hart, BretBret Hart
5
188
186

30
Jarrett, JeffJeff Jarrett
3
184

31
Race, HarleyHarley Race
1
183
184

32
Bryan, DanielDaniel Bryan
1
176
177

33
Jordan, OrlandoOrlando Jordan
1
173
171

34
Steiner, ScottScott Steiner
2
169

35
Marella, SantinoSantino Marella
1
167

36
Guerrero, EddieEddie Guerrero
2
161

37
Konnan !Konnan
1
160

38
Jones, PaulPaul Jones
3[d]
156
150

39
Page, Diamond DallasDiamond Dallas Page
2
147

Big Show !Big Show
1
147

41
Rhodes, DustyDusty Rhodes
1
141

42
Blanchard, TullyTully Blanchard
1
130

43
Slater, DickDick Slater
1
129

44
Kalisto !Kalisto
2
120
122

45
Storm, LanceLance Storm
3
115

46
Reigns, RomanRoman Reigns
1
106
107

47
Hennig, CurtCurt Hennig
1
104

48
Duggan, JimJim Duggan
1
100

49
Owens, KevinKevin Owens
3
96
98

50
Valentine, JohnnyJohnny Valentine
1
93

51
AJ Styles !AJ Styles
2
91
92

52
Del Rio, AlbertoAlberto Del Rio
2
90
89

53
Vader, Big VanBig Van Vader
1
88

54
Jericho, ChrisChris Jericho
2
85
86

Malenko, DeanDean Malenko
1
85

56
Hardy, MattMatt Hardy
1
84

57
Goldberg !Goldberg
2
78
92

58
Corbin, BaronBaron Corbin
1
70

59
Hall, ScottScott Hall
2
66

60
Rection !Gen. Rection
2
64

61
Roode, BobbyBobby Roode
1
54

62
Layfield, John BradshawJohn Bradshaw Layfield
1
51
54

63
Hansen, StanStan Hansen
1
50

64
Lashley, BobbyBobby Lashley
1
49

Finlay !Finlay
1
49

Swagger, JackJack Swagger
1
49
50

67
Kanyon !Chris Kanyon
1
48
46

68
Sasaki, KensukeKensuke Sasaki
1
44

69
Carlito !Carlito Caribbean Cool
1
42

Kennedy, Mr.Mr. Kennedy
1
42

Sid Vicious !Sid Vicious
1
42

72
Steiner, RickRick Steiner
1
41

73
Flair, DavidDavid Flair
1
35

74
One Man Gang !One Man Gang
1
33

75
Rhyno !Rhyno
1
29

Ryder, ZackZack Ryder
1
29

77
Orton, RandyRandy Orton
1
28

Rollins, SethSeth Rollins
1
28
29

79
McMichael, SteveSteve McMichael
1
25

80
Bobo Brazil !Bobo Brazil
1
22

Douglas, ShaneShane Douglas
1
22

82
Angle, KurtKurt Angle
1
21

Wrestling, Mr.Mr. Wrestling
1
21
22

R-Truth !R-Truth
1
21

85
Funk, TerryTerry Funk
2
19
20

86
Hayes, MichaelMichael Hayes
1
15

87
Tajiri !Tajiri
1
13

88
Jeff Hardy †
1
7001100000000000000♠10+

89
Jinder Mahal
1
8

90
Edge !Edge
1
6

91
Raven !Raven
1
1

text: Notes[edit]

text:
Jump up ^ Ric Flair's fifth reign is not recognized by WWE, but a WWE.com article recognized him as a 6-time champion.
Jump up ^ WWE recognizes Greg Valentine as a 2-time champion. His first reign is not recognized by WWE.
Jump up ^ WWE recognizes Blackjack Mulligan as a 3-time champion. His second reign is not recognized by WWE.
Jump up ^ WWE recognizes Paul Jones as a 2-time champion. His third reign is not recognized by WWE.

tag: ol


document_title: Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man

question_text: who played harley in harley davidson and the marlboro man

root

text: Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man

text: Plot[edit]

text: This article needs an improved plot summary. (October 2015)

tag: table

text: The film is set in Los Angeles in the then-future of 1996. Harley Davidson (Mickey Rourke), dressed in biker gear, with ultra-short dyed hair, hears from the radio about a dangerous new street drug named "Crystal Dream". (The significance of this street drug does not become clear until later.) Harley goes into a rough bar and sees a cowboy-looking fellow (Don Johnson wearing a beard, cowboy hat and boots). He has scammed a fellow in a pool game but has to use strong measures when the fellow refuses payment. Harley helps him in this. We learn that they are old friends (later we learn the name he goes by is The Marlboro Man.) They visit a blues (old jazz?) bar in Burbank, which they both hold special. They go into a back room and meet Jack Daniels, an extremely-heavily-muscled lad, who immediately goes to fight Harley due to an old feud over a woman. After a manly exchange of blows and body slams, Harley tells him that he knows that the woman loves Jack and they make friends. Soon it is revealed that the bar is about to be demolished as the lease will not be renewed. "Suits" at Great Trust bank plan to replace it with a skyscraper. Harley, Marlboro, Jack and two friends decide to rob a bank to raise the money to ensure the bar's survival. A comely waitress hooks up with Harley. Marlboro borrows Harley's Harley and baits a motorcycle cop, with interesting results. In a bit of psychological revelation, we learn that he is in an intermittent amorous relationship with a beautiful woman, who tells him that she is going to settle down with another man, as she is not getting enough loving from him. He is conflicted by the news but later tells Harley that he is not the kind of man who has a wife. Harley arrives and takes her out for breakfast. An armored car is going down a street and meets a detour sign. Marlboro jumps on its back door and climbs to its roof (a visual parallel of train robbers crawling on the roofs of boxcars in old western movies). The contents of the armored car is heisted in a well-thought-out scheme, but the escape of Harley/Marlboro's gang is almost foiled by the appearance of a squad of black-trenchcoat-wearing (a la Matrix) machinepistol-firing soldiers. Jack drives a fiery motorcycle into the fray and allows them to escape. But they discover the goods they have stolen are a large amount of "Crystal Dream", not money. Chance Wilder (Tom Sizemore), president of the Great Trust branch, is obviously involved in drug dealing. Harley and Marlboro go to the bank. Showing considerable balls, Harley negotiates an exchange - the drugs for $2.5M. The exchange goes down smoothly in a visually-fascinating airplane graveyard, but then the bank's squad of soldiers finds them celebrating at the bar and it is not pretty, although Harley and Marlboro manage to escape with the money. In a running battle, Harley and Marlboro alternately flee and face off with steadily-declining elements of the squad until a final showdown in the penthouse suite of the Great Trust bank. The closing scene: Marlboro has gone back to rodeo bull-riding and Harley on his bike takes to the road, stopping only temporarily to pick up a ravishing and shapely hitchhiker who tells him she is going "no place special", a destination that Harley promises to take her. Much of the film was filmed in and around Tucson, Arizona and the "Boneyard" at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base.

tag: p

text: Cast[edit]

text:
Mickey Rourke as Harley Davidson
Don Johnson as The Marlboro Man (Robert Lee Anderson)
Chelsea Field as Virginia Slim
Daniel Baldwin as Alexander
Giancarlo Esposito as Jimmy Jiles
Vanessa Williams as Lulu Daniels
Tom Sizemore as Chance Wilder
Tia Carrere as Kimiko
Big John Studd as Jack Daniels
Julius Harris as "The Old Man" Jiles
Eloy Casados as Jose Cuervo
Kelly Hu as Suzi
Robert Ginty as Thom
Branscombe Richmond as Big Indian
Sean "Hollywood" Hamilton as himself (Radio Personality)

tag: ul

text: Soundtrack[edit]

text:
Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man

Soundtrack album by various artists

Released
1991

Genre
Rock, Hard rock

Length
42:46

Label
Mercury Records

text:
No.
Title
Writer(s)
Performer
Length

1.
"Long Way from Home"
Loyd Neil Carswell
Copperhead
7:15

2.
"The Bigger They Come"
Frampton, Marriott, John Regan
Peter Frampton, Steve Marriott
4:26

3.
"Tower of Love" (from the album Roadhouse, 1991)
Paul Jackson, Richard Day, Frank Noon
Roadhouse
3:56

4.
"I Mess Around" (from the album Shooting Gallery, 1991)
Billy G. Bang, Andy McCoy
Shooting Gallery
4:19

5.
"Wild Obsession" (from the album Hollywood Vampires, 1991)
Mick Cripps, Tracii Guns, Phil Lewis, Kelly Nickels, Steve Riley
L.A. Guns
4:14

6.
"C'mon" (from the album All for One, 1991)
Dave Gleeson, Richard Lara
The Screaming Jets
2:48

7.
"Let's Work Together"
Wilbert Harrison
The Kentucky Headhunters
2:14

8.
"Hardline"
Tom Kimmel, Dennis Morgan
Waylon Jennings
4:09

9.
"Ride with Me"
Dean Davidson
Blackeyed Susan
5:10

10.
"What Will I Tell My Heart?" (from the album The Comfort Zone, 1991)
Peter Tinturin, Irving Gordon, Jack Lawrence
Vanessa Williams
4:15

Total length:
42:46

text: Other songs in the film, but not included on the soundtrack are "Stop the World" by The Screaming Jets, "Wanted Dead or Alive" by Bon Jovi, and "Work to Do" and "The Better Part of Me" by Vanessa Williams. An early scene around a pool table seems to have originally featured AC/DC's "Hells Bells," but has been replaced by a sound-alike.

text: Reception[edit]

text: Rotten Tomatoes, a review aggregator, reports that 22% of 18 surveyed critics gave it a positive review; the average rating was 3.6/10.[3] Kevin Thomas of the Los Angeles Times called it "a mindless cobbling from countless buddy movies".[4] Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly rated it C+ and called it "a kinetic formula shoot-'em-up" that is "engagingly junky entertainment with a healthy sense of its own ludicrousness."[5] Variety called it "a dopey, almost poignantly bad actioner about two legends-in-their-own-minds".[6] Vincent Canby of The New York Times wrote, "Mr. Rourke and Mr. Johnson handle their roles with more ease and humor than can be accommodated by a movie so stuffed with mindless fistfights, gunfights, helicopter chases, explosions and leaps from tall buildings."[7] Time Out London called it "utter rubbish, and badly dressed at that."[8] Kim Newman of Empire wrote, "For a while, its crassness is amusing, but as the plot sets in, it gradually turns into a stultifying bore."[9] Johnson and Rourke have spoken negatively of the film. Rourke cited the film as the beginning of his decline in mainstream Hollywood. Johnson, while promoting the film gave a tonge in cheek interview where he was quoted as saying “ If your a fan of mindless action. If you don’t have a single brain cell in your head, this is the film for you.”

text: DVD[edit]

text: Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man was released to DVD by MGM Home Entertainment on February 23st, 2001 as a Region 1 widescreen DVD and to Blu-Ray disc by Shout Factory (under license from MGM) on May 19th, 2015.


document_title: Rent (musical)

question_text: what is the written dialogue portion of a musical called

question_tokens: what is the written dialogue portion of a musical called

text: Rent (musical)

text: Concept and genesis[edit]

text: In 1988, playwright Billy Aronson wanted to create "a musical based on Puccini's La Bohème, in which the luscious splendor of Puccini's world would be replaced with the coarseness and noise of modern New York."[6] In 1989, Jonathan Larson, a 29-year-old composer, began collaborating with Aronson on this project, and the two composed together "Santa Fe", "Splatter" (later re-worked into the song "Rent"), and "I Should Tell You". Larson suggested setting the play "amid poverty, homelessness, spunky gay life, drag queens and punk" in the East Village neighborhood of Manhattan, which happened to be down the street from his Greenwich Village apartment. He also came up with the show's ultimate title (a decision that Aronson was unhappy with, at least until Larson pointed out that "rent" also means torn apart). In 1991, he asked Aronson if he could use Aronson's original concept and make Rent his own. Larson had ambitious expectations for Rent; his ultimate dream was to write a rock opera "to bring musical theater to the MTV generation."[7] Aronson and Larson made an agreement that if the show went to Broadway, Aronson would share in the proceeds and be given credit for "original concept & additional lyrics".[7]

text: Jonathan Larson focused on composing Rent in the early 1990s, waiting tables at the Moondance Diner to support himself. Over the course of years, Larson wrote hundreds of songs and made many drastic changes to the show, which in its final incarnation contained 42 songs. In the fall of 1992, Larson approached James Nicola, artistic director of New York Theatre Workshop, with a tape and copy of Rent's script. When Rent had its first staged reading at New York Theatre Workshop in March 1993, it became evident that, despite its very promising material and moving musical numbers, many structural problems needed to be addressed, including its cumbersome length and overly complex plot.[7]

text: As of 1994, the New York Theatre Workshop version of Rent featured songs that never made it to the final version, such as:

text:
"You're a Fool"
"Do a Little Business", the predecessor of "You'll See", featuring Benny, Mark, Roger, Collins and Angel
"Female to Female A & B", featuring Maureen and Joanne
"He's a Fool"
"He Says"
"Right Brain", later rewritten as "One Song Glory", featuring Roger
"You'll Get Over It", the predecessor of "Tango: Maureen", featuring Mark and Maureen
"Real Estate", a number wherein Benny tries to convince Mark to become a real estate agent and drop his filmmaking
"Open Road", the predecessor of "What You Own", with a backing track similar to this in "Your Eyes"

text: This workshop version of Rent starred Anthony Rapp as Mark and Daphne Rubin-Vega as Mimi. Larson continued to work on Rent, gradually reworking its flaws and staging more workshop productions.[8]

text: On January 24, 1996, after the musical's final dress rehearsal before its off-Broadway opening, Larson had his first (and only) newspaper interview with music critic Anthony Tommasini of The New York Times, attracted by the coincidence that the show was debuting exactly 100 years after Puccini's opera. Larson would not live to see Rent's success; he died from an undiagnosed aortic aneurysm (believed to have resulted from Marfan syndrome) in the early morning of January 25, 1996. Friends and family gathered at the New York Theatre Workshop, and the first preview of Rent became a sing-through of the musical in Larson's memory.[7][9]

text: The show premiered as planned and quickly gained popularity fueled by enthusiastic reviews and the recent death of its composer. It proved extremely successful during its off-Broadway run, selling out all its shows at the 150-seat New York Theater Workshop.[2] Due to such overwhelming popularity and a need for a larger theater, Rent moved to Broadway's recently remodeled Nederlander Theatre on 41st Street on April 29, 1996.[2]

text: Sources and inspiration[edit]

text: Larson's inspiration for Rent's content came from several different sources. Many of the characters and plot elements are drawn directly from Giacomo Puccini's opera La Bohème, the world premiere of which was in 1896, a century before Rent's premiere.[10] La Bohème was also about the lives of poor young artists. Tuberculosis, the plague of Puccini's opera, is replaced by HIV/AIDS in Rent; 1800s Paris is replaced by New York's East Village in the late 1980s or early 1990s. The names and identities of Rent's characters also heavily reflect Puccini's original characters, though they are not all direct adaptations. For example, Joanne in Rent represents the character of Alcindoro in Bohème, but is also partially based on Marcello. Also, Joanne is the only Rent character whose predecessor in La Bohème is the opposite sex.

text:
La Bohème
Rent

Mimì, a seamstress with tuberculosis
Mimi Márquez, an erotic dancer with HIV and Roger's girlfriend

Rodolfo, a poet
Roger Davis, a songwriter-musician who is HIV positive and Mimi's boyfriend

Marcello, a painter
Mark Cohen, an independent Jewish-American filmmaker and Roger's roommate

Musetta, a singer
Maureen Johnson, a bisexual performance artist and Joanne's girlfriend

Schaunard, a musician
Angel Dumott Schunard, a drag queen percussionist with AIDS, who is Collins' partner.

Colline, a philosopher
Tom Collins, a gay, part-time philosophy professor at New York University and anarchist with AIDS and Angel's partner

Alcindoro, a state counselor
Joanne Jefferson, a lesbian lawyer, who is Maureen's girlfriend (Also partially based on Marcello)

Benoît, their landlord
Benjamin 'Benny' Coffin III, the local landlord and a former roommate of Roger, Mark, Collins, and Maureen

text: Other examples of parallels between Larson's and Puccini's work include Larson's song "Light My Candle", which draws melodic content directly from "Che gelida manina";[11] "Quando me'n vo'" ("Musetta's Waltz"), a melody taken directly from Puccini's opera; and "Goodbye Love", a long, painful piece that reflects a confrontation and parting between characters in both Puccini's and Larson's work.[12] "Quando me'n vo'" is paralleled in the first verse of "Take Me or Leave Me," when Maureen describes the way people stare when she walks in the street. It is also directly referred to in the scene where the characters are celebrating their bohemian life. Mark says, "Roger will attempt to write a bittersweet, evocative song..." Roger plays a quick piece, and Mark adds, "...that doesn't remind us of 'Musetta's Waltz'." This part of "Musetta's Waltz" is also later used in "Your Eyes", a song Roger writes.

text: Rent is also a somewhat autobiographical work, as Larson incorporated many elements of his life into his show. Larson lived in New York for many years as a starving artist with an uncertain future. He sacrificed a life of stability for his art, and shared many of the same hopes and fears as his characters. Like his characters he endured poor living conditions, and some of these conditions (e.g. illegal wood-burning stove, bathtub in the middle of his kitchen, broken buzzer [his guests had to call from the pay phone across the street and he would throw down the keys, as in "Rent"]) made their way into the play.[13] Part of the motivation behind the storyline in which Maureen leaves Mark for a woman (Joanne) is based on the fact that Larson's own girlfriend left him for a woman. The Mark Cohen character is based on Larson's friends, cinematographer and producer Jonathan Burkhart and documentary filmmaker Eddie Rosenstein.

text: Playwright Sarah Schulman alleged that Rent bore striking similarities to her novel People in Trouble.[14]

text: The line, "I'm more of a man than you'll ever be... and more of a woman than you'll ever get!", attributed to Angel Dumott Schunard at her funeral, was previously used by the character Hollywood Montrose, who appeared in the films Mannequin (1987) and Mannequin Two: On the Move (1991). Like Angel, Hollywood performs a song and dance number and sometimes wears women's clothing. This line was originally in the film Car Wash (1976), delivered by Antonio Fargas as a flamboyant homosexual cross dresser.

text: The earliest concepts of the characters differ largely from the finished products. Everyone except Mark had AIDS, including Maureen and Joanne; Maureen was a serious, angry character who played off Oedipus in her performance piece instead of Hey Diddle Diddle; Mark was, at one point, a painter instead of a filmmaker; Roger was named Ralph and wrote musical plays; Angel was a jazz philosopher, while Collins was a street performer; Angel and Collins were both originally described as Caucasian; and Benny had a somewhat enlarged role in the story, taking part in songs like "Real Estate", which was later cut.[15]

text: Many actual locations and events are included in, or are the inspiration for, elements of the musical. Life Café, where the "La Vie Bohème" numbers are set, was an actual restaurant (closed 2013) on 10th Street and Avenue B in the East Village of New York City.[16][17] The riot at the end of the first act is based on the East Village riot in 1988 that arose as a result of the city-imposed curfew in Tompkins Square Park.[17]

text: "Will I?", a song which takes place during a Life Support meeting and expresses the pain and fear of living a life with AIDS, was inspired by a real event. Larson attended a meeting of Friends in Deed, an organization that helps people deal with illness and grief, much like Life Support. After that first time, Larson attended the meetings regularly. During one meeting, a man stood up and said that he was not afraid of dying. He did say, however, that there was one thing of which he was afraid: Would he lose his dignity? From this question stemmed the first line of this song. The people present at the Life Support meeting in the show, such as Gordon, Ali and Pam, carry the names of Larson's friends who died. In the Broadway show, the names of the characters in that particular scene (they introduce themselves) were changed nightly to honor the friends of the cast members who were living with or have died from AIDS.[18]

text: The scene and song "Life Support" were also based on Friends in Deed, as well as on Gordon, Pam, and Ali. Originally, the members of Life Support had a solid block of the "forget regret" refrain, and they talked about remembering love. When Jonathan's HIV positive friends heard this scene, they told him that having AIDS was not so easy to accept: it made you angry and resentful too, and the song did not match that. Jonathan then added a part where Gordon says that he has a problem with this "credo...my T-cells are low, I regret that news, okay?" Paul, the leader of the meeting, replies, "Okay...but, Gordon, how do you feel today?" Gordon admits that he is feeling the best that he has felt all year. Paul asks, "Then why choose fear?" Gordon says, "I'm a New Yorker. Fear's my life."

text: Lynn Thomson law suit[edit]

text: Lynn Thomson was a dramaturg who was hired by New York Theatre Workshop to help rework Rent. She claimed that between early May and the end of October 1995, she and Larson co-wrote a "new version" of the musical. She sued the Larson estate for $40 million USD and sought 16% of the show's royalties, claiming she had written a significant portion of the lyrics and the libretto of the "new version" of Rent.

text: During the trial, Thomson could not recall the lyrics to the songs that she allegedly wrote, nor the structures of the libretto she claimed to have created. The judge ruled against her and gave the Jonathan Larson Estate full credit and right to Rent. A federal appellate court upheld the original ruling on appeal. In August 1998, the case was settled out of court. The terms of the settlement were not disclosed.[19]

text: Synopsis[edit]

text: Act I[edit]

text: On Christmas Eve in Manhattan's East Village, two roommates—Mark, a filmmaker, and Roger, a rock musician—struggle to stay warm and produce their art ("Tune Up #1"). Mark's mother leaves him a voicemail wishing him a merry Christmas and trying to comfort him since his ex-girlfriend Maureen dumped him ("Voice Mail #1"). Their friend Collins, a bisexual anarchist Ivy League professor, calls and plans to surprise them at their apartment, but is mugged before entering. At the same time, Mark and Roger's former roommate Benny, who has since become their harsh new landlord, has reneged on an earlier agreement and now demands last year's rent, before shutting down their electrical power ("Tune Up #2"). However, Mark and Roger rebel and pledge to not pay the rent they were promised wouldn't be a problem ("Rent"). Meanwhile, a cross-dressing street drummer (currently out of drag) named Angel finds Collins wounded in an alley and tends to him ("You Okay Honey?"). The two are immediately attracted to each other, and learn that they are both HIV positive. Roger also has HIV which he contracted from his last girlfriend, who committed suicide, causing Roger to fall into a deep depression. Mark goes looking for Collins ("Tune Up #3"), while Roger wishes to write one last song to be remembered by before he dies ("One Song Glory"). An exotic dancer, junkie, and neighbor, Mimi, shows up to flirt with Roger, but he is clearly hesitant to start a new relationship ("Light My Candle"). Meanwhile, Joanne, a lawyer and Maureen's girlfriend, receives a voicemail from her parents ("Voice Mail #2").

text: At last, the missing Collins enters the apartment, presenting Angel, who is now in full drag and shares the money she made and the amusing story of how she killed a dog to earn it ("Today 4 U"). Benny arrives, speaking of Maureen's upcoming protest against his plans to evict the homeless from a lot where he is hoping to build a cyber arts studio. Benny offers that, if they convince Maureen to cancel the protest, then Mark and Roger can officially remain rent-free tenants. However, the two rebuff Benny's offer and he leaves ("You'll See"). Mark must leave to fix Maureen's sound equipment for the protest, but he unexpectedly meets Joanne at the stage. They overcome their awkwardness by connecting over their shared distrust of Maureen's promiscuous behaviors ("Tango: Maureen"). Mark joins Collins and Angel to film their HIV support group meeting ("Life Support"), while Mimi attempts to seduce Roger alone in his apartment ("Out Tonight"). Roger is clearly upset by Mimi's intrusion and he demands she leave him alone ("Another Day"). After Mimi leaves, Roger reflects on his fear of dying from AIDS, while the Life Support group echoes his thoughts ("Will I?").

text: Collins, Mark, and Angel protect a homeless woman from police harassment, but she chastises them ("On the Street"). To lighten the mood, Collins talks about his dream of escaping New York City to open a restaurant in Santa Fe ("Santa Fe"). Soon, Mark leaves to check up on Roger and while alone, Collins and Angel confess their love for each other ("I'll Cover You"). Joanne hectically prepares for Maureen's show, trying to balance all of the people calling her at once ("We're Okay"). Before the performance, Roger apologizes to Mimi, inviting her to come to the protest and the dinner party his friends are having afterwards. At the same time, police, vendors, and homeless people prepare for the protest ("Christmas Bells"). Maureen begins her avant-garde, if not over the top, performance based on "Hey Diddle Diddle" ("Over the Moon"). At Life Café after the show, Benny criticizes the protest and the group's bohemian lifestyle. In response, Mark and all the café's bohemian patrons defiantly rise up to celebrate their way of living ("La Vie Boheme"). Mimi and Roger each discover that the other is HIV-positive and hesitantly decide to move forward with their relationship ("I Should Tell You"). Joanne explains that Mark and Roger's building has been padlocked and a riot has broken out, just before Roger and Mimi share their first kiss. The celebration then continues ("La Vie Boheme B").

text: Act II[edit]

text: The cast lines up to sing together before the plot of the second act begins ("Seasons of Love"). Afterwards, Mark and Roger gather to break back into their locked apartment with their friends ("Happy New Year"). A new voicemail reveals that Mark's footage of the riot has earned him a job offering at a tabloid news company called Buzzline ("Voice Mail #3"). The others finally break through the door just as Benny arrives, saying he wants to call a truce and revealing that Mimi, a former girlfriend of his, convinced him to change his mind. Mimi denies rekindling her relationship with Benny, but Roger is upset, and although they apologize to each other, Mimi goes to her drug dealer for a fix ("Happy New Year B").

text: Around Valentine's Day, Mark tells the audience that Roger and Mimi have been living together, but they are tentative with each other. It is also told that Maureen and Joanne are preparing another protest, and during rehearsal, Maureen criticizes Joanne's controlling behavior and Joanne criticizes Maureen's promiscuous mannerisms. They break up dramatically coming up with an ultimatum ("Take Me or Leave Me"). Time speeds on to spring ("Seasons of Love B"), but Roger and Mimi's relationship is strained by Mimi's escalating heroin usage and Roger's lasting jealousy and suspicion of Benny. Each alone, Roger and Mimi sing of love and loneliness, telling each other how they feel, as they watch Collins nurse Angel, whose health is declining due to AIDS ("Without You"). By the end of the summer, Mark continues to receive calls offering a corporate job at Buzzline ("Voice Mail #4"). A dance is performed representing all the couples' sex lives ("Contact"). At the climax of the number, the two former couples break up, and Angel suddenly dies. At the funeral, the friends briefly come together to share their memories with Collins being the last to reminisce ("I'll Cover You [Reprise]"). Mark expresses his fear of being the only one left surviving when the rest of his friends die of AIDS, and he finally accepts the corporate job offer ("Halloween"). Roger reveals that he is leaving for Santa Fe, which sparks an argument about commitment between him and Mimi, and between Maureen and Joanne. Collins arrives and admonishes the entire group for fighting on the day of Angel's funeral, causing Maureen and Joanne to reconcile, but not Mimi and Roger. The group shares a sad moment, knowing that between deaths and leaving, their close-knit friendships will be breaking up. Everyone leaves except Mark and Roger, and so Mark tries to convince Roger to stay in New York. Roger, unable to handle Mimi's declining health, becomes angry with Mark and leaves. Mimi returns to say goodbye, overhears everything Roger says, and, terrified, agrees to go to rehab ("Goodbye Love"). Collins is forcibly removed from the church for being unable to pay for Angel's funeral. Benny shows compassion by paying, causing him and Collins to recuperate their old friendship.

text: A short time later, both Mark and Roger are simultaneously reaching an artistic epiphany, as Roger finds his song in Mimi and Mark finds his film in Angel's memory. Roger returns to New York just in time for Christmas, and Mark quits his job to work on his own film once more ("What You Own"). The characters' parents leave several worried messages on their phones ("Voice Mail #5"), and on Christmas Eve, exactly one year having passed, Mark prepares to screen his now-completed film to his friends. Roger has written his song, but no one can find Mimi for him to play it to. Benny's wife, discovering Benny's relationship with Mimi, has pulled Benny out of the East Village. The power suddenly blows and Collins enters with handfuls of cash, revealing that he reprogrammed an ATM at a grocery store to provide money to anybody with the code (A-N-G-E-L). Maureen and Joanne abruptly enter carrying Mimi, who has been homeless and is now weak and close to death. She begins to fade, but not before telling Roger that she loves him ("Finale"). Roger tells her to hold on as he plays her the song he wrote for her, which reveals the depths of his feelings for her ("Your Eyes"). Mimi appears to die, but abruptly awakens, claiming to have been heading into a white light, except that a vision of Angel told her to go back. The remaining friends gather together in a final moment of shared happiness and resolve to enjoy whatever time they have left with each other, affirming that there is "no day but today" ("Finale B").[20]

text: Musical numbers[edit]

text:
Act 1

"Tune Up #1" — Mark and Roger
"Voice Mail #1" — Mark's Mother
"Tune Up #2" — Mark, Roger, Collins, and Benny
"Rent" — Mark, Roger, Benny, Collins, Joanne, and Company
"You Okay Honey?" — Homeless Man, Angel, and Collins
"Tune Up #3" — Mark and Roger
"One Song Glory" — Roger
"Light My Candle" — Mimi and Roger
"Voice Mail #2" — Mr. and Mrs. Jefferson
"Today 4 U" — Collins, Roger, Mark, and Angel
"You'll See" — Benny, Mark, Roger, Collins, and Angel
"Tango: Maureen" — Joanne and Mark
"Life Support" — Gordon, Paul, Mark, and Company
"Out Tonight" — Mimi
"Another Day" — Mimi, Roger, and Company
"Will I?" — Steve and Company
"On the Street" — Three Homeless People, Squeegee Man, Mark, Collins, Angel, and Homeless Woman
"Santa Fe" – Collins, Angel, Mark, and Company
"I'll Cover You" — Angel and Collins
"We're Okay" — Joanne
"Christmas Bells" — Company
"Over the Moon" — Maureen
"La Vie Bohème A" — Mark, Waiter, Roger, Benny, Mimi, Collins, Angel, Maureen, Joanne, Mr. Grey, and Company
"I Should Tell You" — Mimi and Roger
"La Vie Bohème B" — Maureen, Collins, Joanne, Mark, Angel, and Company

Act 2

"Seasons of Love A" — Company
"Happy New Year A" — Mark, Roger, Mimi, Collins, Angel, Maureen, and Joanne
"Voice Mail #3" — Mark's Mother and Alexi Darling
"Happy New Year B" — Mark, Roger, Mimi, Collins, Angel, Maureen, Joanne, and Benny
"Take Me or Leave Me" — Maureen and Joanne
"Seasons of Love B" — Company
"Without You" — Roger and Mimi
"Voice Mail #4" — Alexi Darling
"Contact" — Angel and Company
"I'll Cover You (Reprise)" — Collins and Company
"Halloween" — Mark
"Goodbye Love" — Mark, Roger, Mimi, Collins, Maureen, Joanne, and Benny
"What You Own" — Mark and Roger
"Voice Mail #5" — Roger's Mother, Mimi's Mother, Mr. Jefferson, and Mark's Mother
"Finale A" — Homeless People, Mark, Roger, Collins, Maureen, Joanne, and Mimi
"Your Eyes" — Roger
"Finale B" — Company

text: Roles[edit]

text: Main characters[edit]

text:
Mark Cohen (Lead): A struggling Jewish-American documentary filmmaker and the narrator of the show. He is Roger's roommate; at the start of the show, he was recently dumped by Maureen.
Roger Davis (Lead): A once-successful-but-now-struggling musician and ex-lead singer and rock guitarist who is HIV-positive and an ex-junkie. He hopes to write one last meaningful song before he dies. He is having a hard time coping with the fact that he, along with many others around him, knows that he is going to die. His girlfriend, April, killed herself after finding out that she was HIV-positive. He is roommates with Mark.
Mimi Márquez (Lead): A Hispanic-American club dancer and drug addict. She lives downstairs from Mark and Roger, is Roger's love interest, and, like him, has HIV. She is also Benny's ex-lover.
Tom Collins (Support): An anarchist professor with AIDS. He is described by Mark as a "computer genius, teacher, and vagabond anarchist who ran naked through the Parthenon." Collins dreams of opening a restaurant in Santa Fe, where the problems in New York will not affect him and his friends. He was formerly a roommate of Roger, Mark, Benny, and Maureen, then just Roger and Mark, until he moves out.
Angel Dumott Schunard (Support): A young drag queen who uses both she/her pronouns when in drag and he/him pronouns when out of drag. Angel is a street percussionist with a generous disposition, who has AIDS; Collins' love interest.[21]
Maureen Johnson (Support): A performance artist who is Mark's ex-girlfriend and Joanne's current girlfriend. She is very flirtatious and cheated on Mark (presumably with Joanne). Larson considered Maureen a lesbian, despite her relationships with men, and he specifically identified her as "lesbian" in the script itself. However, an old lesbian friend of Larson told him it was wrong to call Maureen a lesbian because of her attraction to men, and that is where the idea of her being bisexual started.[22]
Joanne Jefferson (Support): An Ivy League-educated public interest lawyer and a lesbian. Joanne is the woman for whom Maureen left Mark. Joanne has very politically powerful parents (one is undergoing confirmation to be a judge, the other is a government official).
Benjamin "Benny" Coffin III (Support): Landlord of Mark, Roger, and Mimi's apartment building and ex-roommate of Mark, Collins, Roger, and Maureen. Now married to Alison Grey of the Westport Greys, a very wealthy family involved in real estate, and he is considered yuppie scum and a sell-out by his ex-roommates. He at one time had a relationship with Mimi.

text: Minor characters[edit]

text:
Mrs. Cohen: Mark's stereotypical Jewish mother. Her voicemail messages are the basis for the songs Voicemail #1, Voicemail #3, and Voicemail #5.
Alexi Darling: The producer of Buzzline, a sleazy tabloid company that tries to employ Mark after his footage of the riot makes primetime. Sings Voicemail #3 and Voicemail #4.
Mr. and Mrs. Jefferson: The wealthy parents of Joanne Jefferson, they leave her Voicemail #2. Mr. Jefferson is also one of the a cappella singers in Voicemail #5. Mr. and Mrs. Jefferson usually sing the solos in Seasons of Love.
Mrs. Davis: Roger's confused mother who calls in Voicemail #5, asking continuously, "Roger, where are you?"
Mrs. Marquez: Mimi's Spanish-speaking mother who sings in Voicemail #5, wondering, in Spanish, where she is.
Mr. Grey: Benny's father-in-law who wants to buy out the lot.
The Man: The local drug dealer whom Mimi buys from and Roger used to buy from. Based on the character Parpignol from La Bohème.[23]
Paul: The man in charge of the Life Support group.
Gordon: One of the Life Support members.
Steve: One of the Life Support members.
Ali: One of the Life Support members
Pam: One of the Life Support members
Sue: One of the Life Support members.
As notated in the script by Larson, the roles of all of the Life Support members are encouraged to take on the name that someone in the cast (or production) knows or has known to have succumbed to AIDS. In the final Broadway performance, Sue is renamed Lisa.
Squeegee Man: A homeless person who chants "Honest living!" over and over during "Christmas Bells".
The Waiter: A waiter at Life Cafe.
The Woman With Bags or Homeless Woman: A woman who attacks Mark for trying to help her during "On The Street".
The Preacher or The Pastor: The Preacher kicks Collins out of the church because he can't pay for Angel's funeral.

text: There are also many other non-named roles such as Cops, Bohemians, Vendors, Homeless People.

text: Reception[edit]

text: Rent received several awards including a Pulitzer Prize and four Tony Awards.[24]

text: Critical reception of Rent was positive not only for its acting and musical components, but for its representation of HIV positive individuals. Many critics praised the portrayal of characters such as Angel and Collins as being happy, with positive outlooks on life, rather than being resigned to death.[25] While critics and theatre patrons had largely positive reviews of the show, criticism was given to the show for the stereotypically negative portrayal of lesbian characters and the "glamourization" of the East Village in the late 1980s.[26]

text: Billy Aronson said, "For the record, although I was ambivalent about Jonathan’s ideas for Rent when we were working together on it, I have come to love the show. And as tragic as it is that he didn’t live to see his work become a huge success, I believe he knew it would be. In our last conversation I asked how the show was going and he said, with complete assurance, that it was incredible."[6]

text: Cultural impact and legacy[edit]

text: The song "Seasons of Love" became a successful pop song and often is performed on its own. Because of its connection to New Years and looking back at times past, it is sometimes performed at graduations or school holiday programs.

text: RENT-heads[edit]

text: Rent gathered a following of fans who refer to themselves as "RENT-heads." The name originally referred to people who would camp out at the Nederlander Theater for hours in advance for the discounted $20 rush tickets to each show, though it generally refers to anyone who is obsessed with the show.[27] These discounted tickets were for seats in the first two rows of the theater reserved for sale by lottery two hours prior to each show.[27][28] Other Broadway shows have followed Rent's example and now also offer cheaper tickets in efforts to make Broadway theater accessible to people who would otherwise be unable to afford the ticket prices.

text: The term originated in Rent's first months on Broadway. The show's producers offered 34 seats in the front two rows of the orchestra for $20 each, two hours before the performance. Fans and others interested in tickets would camp out for hours in front of the Nederlander Theater – which is on 41st Street, just outside Times Square – to buy these tickets.[29]

text: Popular culture references[edit]

text: The television series The Simpsons,[30] Family Guy,[31] Friends,[32] Will and Grace,[33] Scrubs,[34] Glee, The Big Bang Theory, Gilmore Girls, Felicity,[35] Saturday Night Live, The Office, Franklin & Bash, 2 Broke Girls, Girls, Seinfeld, The Neighbors, Modern Family, Smash, Supernatural, Superstore, and Bob's Burgers have included references to the show.

text: The film Team America: World Police includes a character who plays a lead role in Lease, a Broadway musical parody of Rent; the finale song is "Everyone has AIDS!".[36] Yitzhak in Hedwig and the Angry Inch wears a Rent T-shirt and speaks of his aspiration to play the role of Angel.[37]

text: The off-Broadway musical revue Forbidden Broadway Strikes Back includes parodies of Rent songs such as "Rant" ("Rent"), "Ouch! They're Tight" ("Out Tonight"), "Season of Hype" ("Seasons of Love"), "Too Gay 4 U (Too Het'ro 4 Me)" ("Today 4 U"), "Pretty Voices Singing" ("Christmas Bells") and "This Ain't Boheme" ("La Vie Bohème").[38]

text: In the film Deadpool, Wade Wilson is seen wearing a Rent T-shirt.

text: Lin-Manuel Miranda, the composer and writer of the Broadway show Hamilton, has cited Rent as a main source of inspiration.[39] He also referenced the show in a verse of the song "Wrote My Way Out" on The Hamilton Mixtape in the line "Running out of time like I'm Jonathan Larson's rent check".

text: Cast[edit]

text:
Role
1994 New York Theatre Workshop
Original Broadway Cast[40]
2005 film[41]
2008 Final Performance
Film[42]
2011 Off-Broadway
Revival[43]
2016 20th Anniversary
National Tour[44]

Mark Cohen
Anthony Rapp
Adam Kantor
Adam Chanler-Berat
Danny Kornfeld

Roger Davis
Tony Hoylen
Adam Pascal
Will Chase
Matt Shingledecker
Kaleb Wells

Mimi Márquez
Daphne Rubin-Vega
Rosario Dawson
Renée Elise Goldsberry
Arianda Fernandez
Skyler Volpe

Tom Collins
Pat Briggs
Jesse L. Martin
Michael McElroy
Nicholas Christopher
Aaron Harrington

Angel Dumott Schunard
Mark Setlock
Wilson Jermaine Heredia
Justin Johnston
MJ Rodriguez
David Merino

Maureen Johnson
Sarah Knowlton
Idina Menzel
Eden Espinosa
Annaleigh Ashford
Katie LeMark

Joanne Jefferson
Shelley Dickenson
Fredi Walker
Tracie Thoms
Corbin Reid
Jasmine Easler

Benjamin Coffin III
Michael Potts
Taye Diggs
Rodney Hicks
Ephraim Sykes
Christian Thompson

text: Productions[edit]

text: New York workshops and off-Broadway production[edit]

text: Rent had its first staged reading at New York Theatre Workshop in March 1993.[7] A further two-week New York Theatre Workshop version was performed in 1994 starring Anthony Rapp as Mark and Daphne Rubin-Vega as Mimi, and more workshops followed. The show opened on 1996, again at New York Theatre Workshop, and quickly gained popularity off-Broadway, receiving enthusiastic reviews. The New York Times theater critic Ben Brantley called it an "exhilarating, landmark rock opera" with a "glittering, inventive score" that "shimmers with hope for the future of the American musical."[45] Another reviewer wrote, "Rent speaks to Generation X the way that the musical Hair spoke to the baby boomers or those who grew up in the 1960s," while the New York Times similarly called it "a rock opera for our time, a Hair for the 90s."[46] The show proved extremely successful off-Broadway, selling out all of its performances at the 150-seat theatre.[2]

text: Original Broadway production[edit]

text: Due to its overwhelming popularity and the need for a larger theater, Rent moved to Broadway's previously derelict Nederlander Theatre on 41st Street on April 29, 1996.[2] On Broadway, the show achieved critical acclaim and word-of-mouth popularity. The production's ethnically diverse principal cast originally included Taye Diggs, Wilson Jermaine Heredia, Jesse L. Martin, Idina Menzel, Adam Pascal, Anthony Rapp, Daphne Rubin-Vega and Fredi Walker.

text: The production's controversial topics and innovative pricing, including same day-of-performance $20 tickets, helped to increase the popularity of musical theater amongst the younger generation.[47] The production was nominated for ten Tony Awards in 1996 and won four: Best Musical, Best Book, Best Original Score and Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical (Heredia)[48]

text: On April 24, 2006, the original Broadway cast reunited for a one-night performance of the musical at the Nederlander Theatre. This performance raised over $2,000,000 for the Jonathan Larson Performing Arts Foundation, Friends In Deed and New York Theatre Workshop. Former cast members were invited, and many from prior tours and former Broadway casts appeared, performing an alternate version of "Seasons of Love" as the finale of the performance.[49]

text: Rent closed on September 7, 2008, after a 12-year run and 5,123 performances,[50] making it the eleventh-longest-running Broadway show.[51] The production grossed over $280 million.[5]

text: Original cast ensemble members Rodney Hicks and Gwen Stewart returned to the cast at the time of the Broadway closing. Hicks played Benny and Stewart played the role she created, the soloist in the song "Seasons of Love". In addition, actress Tracie Thoms joined the cast at the end of the run playing Joanne, the role she portrayed in the 2005 film version.[50] The last Broadway performance was filmed and screened in movie theaters as Rent: Filmed Live on Broadway in September 2008. It was released on DVD and Blu-ray formats on February 3, 2009.

text: North American touring productions[edit]

text: Successful United States national tours, the "Angel Tour" and the "Benny Tour", launched in the 1990s. Later, the non-Equity tour started its run. There was also a Canadian tour (often referred to as the "Collins Tour").

text: The Angel tour began in November 1996 in Boston. Anthony Rapp joined the cast for the Chicago run, and Daphne Rubin-Vega joined for the Los Angeles run. The tour finished in San Francisco in September 1999. Other members of the Angel Cast included Carrie Hamilton, Amy Spanger, Luther Creek, Kristoffer Cusick, Tony Vincent.

text: The Benny Tour began in July 1997 in San Diego, CA at the LaJolla Playhouse. Michael Grief, the original director of the Broadway show was also the artistic director of the LaJolla Playhouse and was instrumental in arranging for the Benny tour to begin in the smaller city of San Diego rather than Los Angeles, CA. It originally featured Neil Patrick Harris in the role of Mark Cohen. The Benny tour generally played shorter stops and often-smaller markets than the Angel Tour did. Other cast members included Wilson Cruz and d'Monroe.

text: Tours ran each season from 2005 to 2008. Cast members throughout the run included Aaron Tveit, Ava Gaudet, Declan Bennett, Rebecca Naomi Jones, Heinz Winckler, Anwar Robinson and Karen Olivo.[citation needed] In 2009, a national tour starring Adam Pascal and Anthony Rapp, reprising their original Broadway roles, launched in Cleveland, OH. Original Broadway Cast member Gwen Steward also appeared, alongside Michael McElroy as Collins, The tour ended on February 7, 2010, in Sacramento, CA.[52] A 20th Anniversary touring production of Rent began in Dallas on September 20, 2016.[53] In the 20th Anniversary Tour, Danny Kornfeld has been known to dab during La Vie Bohème. That moment is often referred to as "the best part of the show".

text: UK productions[edit]

text: The show made its UK premiere on April 21, 1998 at the West End's Shaftesbury Theatre and officially opened on May 12, 1998. The original cast included Krysten Cummings as Mimi Marquez, Wilson Jermaine Heredia as Angel Schunard, Bonny Lockhart as Benjamin Coffin III, Jesse L. Martin as Tom Collins, Adam Pascal as Roger Davis, Anthony Rapp as Mark Cohen, and Jessica Tezier as Maureen Johnson. The show closed on October 30, 1999 after one-and-a-half years. Limited revivals took place at the Prince of Wales Theatre from December 4, 2001 to January 6, 2002; December 6, 2002 to March 1, 2003 (featuring Adam Rickett as Mark and Caprice as Maureen). There was also a successful production for a limited run in Manchester in 2006 with an additional 'goodbye' performance in 2008 from the Manchester cast.

text: On October 16, 2007, the heavily revised production titled Rent Remixed opened at the Duke of York's Theatre in London's West End. Directed by William Baker, it was set in the present day. The cast included Oliver Thornton (Mark), Luke Evans (Roger), Craig Stein (Benny), Leon Lopez (Collins), Francesca Jackson (Joanne), Jay Webb (Angel), Siobhán Donaghy (Mimi), and Denise Van Outen (Maureen). From December 24, 2007, the role of Maureen was played by Jessie Wallace.[54] The production received generally unfavorable reviews. The Guardian gave it only one out of five stars, writing, "They call this 'Rent Remixed'. I'd dub it 'Rent Reduced', in that the late Jonathan Larson's reworking of La Bohème, while never a great musical, has been turned into a grisly, synthetic, pseudo pop concert with no particular roots or identity."[55] The production closed on February 2, 2008.[56]

text: The production radically altered elements of the musical including defining the characters of Mimi, Angel and Mark as British. Songs were reordered (including Maureen's first appearance as the Act I finale). The rehaul of the score was masterminded by Steve Anderson and featured radically rearranged versions of Out Tonight, Today 4 U, Over the Moon and Happy New Year.

text: A one off Rent - The 20th Anniversary Concert was held at the Blackpool Opera house Monday November 11, 2013 A 20th anniversary tour opened at Theatr Clwyd in October 2016 before playing a two-month run at the St James Theatre, London. The cast included Layton Williams as Angel and Lucie Jones as Maureen.[57] The production then continued to tour the UK.[58]

text: Off-Broadway revival[edit]

text: The show was revived Off-Broadway at Stage 1 of New World Stages with previews starting July 14, 2011 and a scheduled opening of August 11, 2011. This was the first New York Revival of the show since the original production closed less than three years earlier. The production was directed by Rent's original director Michael Greif. Almost the entire show was different from the original yet the reinvention did not please the critics, who complained that the new actors did not have a feel for the characters they were playing and it made the show feel contrived.[59] The Off-Broadway production of RENT closed on September 9, 2012.[60]

text: Additional Productions[edit]

text: In 1999, an Australian production featured Justin Smith as Mark, Rodger Corser as Roger and Christine Anu as Mimi. The tour began in Sydney and finished in Melbourne. A production in Perth, Western Australia was mounted in 2007 and featured Anthony Callea as Mark, Tim Campbell as Roger, Courtney Act as Angel and Nikki Webster as Maureen.

text: The Dublin production had an extended run at the Olympia Theatre, Dublin in 2000. It starred Sean Pol McGreevy as Mark, Rachel Tucker as Maureen and Allyson Brown as Mimi under the direction of Phil Willmot. The Swedish production premiered on May 15, 2002 at The Göteborg Opera in Gothenburg, Sweden, playing until June 8, 2003. Sarah Dawn Finer played Joanne.[61]

text: Rent veteran Neil Patrick Harris directed a production at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, CA. The production played a three night engagement, August 6–8, 2010. The cast included Vanessa Hudgens as Mimi, Aaron Tveit as Roger, Skylar Astin as Mark, Wayne Brady as Collins, Telly Leung as Angel, Tracie Thoms as Joanne, Nicole Scherzinger as Maureen, Collins Pennie as Benny, and Gwen Stewart as Seasons of Love soloist (and additional roles).[62]

text: In 2017, the first tour for the German speaking countries was mounted by Berlin theatrical producer Boris Hilbert. The production travelled Germany, Austria and Switzerland and was directed by the British opera director Walter Sutcliffe.[63]

text: Rent: School Edition[edit]

text: In 2007, an abridged edition of Rent was made available to five non-professional acting groups in the United States for production. Billed as Rent: School Edition, this version omits the song "Contact" and eliminates some of the coarse language and tones down some public displays of affection of the original.[64] Shorewood High School in Shorewood, WI became the first high school to perform an early version of the adaptation in May 2006. The high school was selected to present a workshop performance as part of Music Theatre International's work to adapt the musical for younger actors and potentially more conservative audiences.[65] As of 2008, Music Theatre International began licensing "Rent School Edition" for performances by schools and non-professional amateur theaters in the United States and around the world.

text: International productions[edit]

text: Rent has been performed in countries around the world, including Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Belgium, the Netherlands, Ireland, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Switzerland, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Greece, Canada, the United States, Mexico, Panama, Bolivia, Brazil, Argentina, Russia, China, Hong Kong, South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, South Africa, Australia, Guam, New Zealand, Israel, Puerto Rico, Austria, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago, Dominican Republic, Cuba and the Czech Republic.

text: The musical has been performed in twenty-five languages: Danish, Estonian, Finnish, Icelandic, Norwegian, Swedish, Dutch, English, French, German, Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, Hungarian, Polish, Slovak, Greek, Russian, Mandarin Chinese, Cantonese Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Hebrew, Czech, and Catalan.

text: Recordings and adaptations[edit]

text: Audio recordings[edit]

text: The original Broadway cast recording features the musical material in the show on a double-disc "complete recording" collection with a remixed version of the song "Seasons of Love" featuring Stevie Wonder.[66] The label later issued a single-disc "best of" highlights.[67]

text: The film version also yielded a double-disc soundtrack recording of the complete score,[68] and single CD of highlights.[69]

text: There are also many foreign cast recordings.[70]

text: 2005 film[edit]

text: Rent was adapted into a movie directed by Chris Columbus with a screenplay by Stephen Chbosky. With the exception of Daphne Rubin-Vega and Fredi Walker, the original Broadway cast members reprised the principal roles. Rosario Dawson played Mimi and Tracie Thoms was cast as Joanne, as Rubin-Vega (Mimi) was pregnant at the time of filming and Walker (Joanne) felt she was too old for the part. Released on November 23, 2005, the film remained in the box office top ten for three weeks. Several plot elements were changed slightly, and some of the songs were changed to spoken dialogue in the film. The soundtrack was produced by Rob Cavallo, engineered by Doug McKean and features renowned session musicians Jamie Muhoberac, Tim Pierce and Dorian Crozier. The film received mixed reviews.

text: 2008 live filming[edit]

text: On September 7, 2008, the final performance of the Broadway production of Rent was filmed live and (also using footage shot at a live performance in August 2008) released as Rent: Filmed Live on Broadway in cinemas with high definition digital projection systems in the U.S. and Canada between September 24 and 28, 2008. Rent: Filmed Live on Broadway was released on February 3, 2009 on DVD & Blu-ray formats.[71][unreliable source?]

text: Upcoming documentary[edit]

text: Filmmaker and Rent alum Andy Señor, Jr. is currently producing a documentary, following his journey producing the musical in Cuba in late 2014. This production of Rent was the first Broadway musical to premiere in Cuba since diplomatic relations between the two countries became strained during the Cold War.

text: Rent Live![edit]

text: In May 2017, Fox announced plans to air a live television production of Rent in late 2018. However, on September 25, 2017, Fox announced the official air date for Rent Live! would be Sunday, January 27, 2019. Marc Platt is set to serve as executive producer along with the estate of Jonathan Larson.

text: Awards and honors[edit]

text: Original Broadway production[edit]

text:
Year
Award
Category
Nominee
Outcome

1996
Tony Award
Best Musical
Won

Best Book of a Musical
Jonathan Larson
Won

Best Original Score
Won

Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical
Adam Pascal
Nominated

Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical
Daphne Rubin-Vega
Nominated

Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical
Wilson Jermaine Heredia
Won

Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical
Idina Menzel
Nominated

Best Direction of a Musical
Michael Greif
Nominated

Best Choreography
Marlies Yearby
Nominated

Best Lighting Design
Blake Burba
Nominated

Drama Desk Award
Outstanding Musical
Won

Outstanding Book of a Musical
Jonathan Larson
Won

Outstanding Actor in a Musical
Adam Pascal
Nominated

Outstanding Actress in a Musical
Daphne Rubin-Vega
Nominated

Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical
Wilson Jermaine Heredia
Won

Outstanding Director of a Musical
Michael Greif
Nominated

Outstanding Orchestrations
Steve Skinner
Won

Outstanding Lyrics
Jonathan Larson
Won

Outstanding Music
Won

Outstanding Costume Design
Angela Wendt
Nominated

Pulitzer Prize for Drama
Won

Theatre World Award
Adam Pascal
Won

Daphne Rubin-Vega
Won

1997
Grammy Award
Best Musical Show Album
Nominated

text: Original West End production[edit]

text:
Year
Award
Category
Nominee
Result

1999
Laurence Olivier Award
Best New Musical
Nominated

Best Actress in a Musical
Krysten Cummings
Nominated

Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical
Wilson Jermaine Heredia
Nominated

text: 20th-Anniversary UK Tour[edit]

text:
Year
Award Ceremony
Category
Nominee
Result

2017
WhatsOnStage Awards
Best Regional Production
Nominated