What Did the American Gladiators Do After ‘American Gladiators’?
American Gladiators was certainly tough for the contestants, those brave souls who faced off against bodybuilders and athletes in challenges of physical strength and endurance. But the ‘90s-era syndicated hit was hell on the gladiators themselves, judging from the sound of two upcoming docuseries about the show.
First up is the two-part 30 for 30: The American Gladiators Documentary, in which the show’s cast and crew “look back on it all, with their memories complicated by regret over what it did to many of the gladiators’ lives,” according to ESPN.
Then comes the five-episode Muscles & Mayhem: An Unauthorized Story of American Gladiators, which “chronicles the meteoric rise, dramatic fall, and gripping behind-the-scenes stories” of the show and “reveals untold stories of the iconic American Gladiators’ triumph, turmoil, and ultimate price of fame,” Netflix teases.
While we wait for those dueling docs, get updates on some of the longest-serving Gladiators in the photo gallery below.
Jim Starr (“Laser”)
After Gladiators, Starr became a personal trainer and the VP of product development of 24 Hour Fitness, as he told MontanaSports.com. He also served as director of product development at Life Time Fitness, a Minnesota-based gym chain, and he’s the owner of Sports Nutrition Consulting Group, per GladiatorsTV.com.
Raye Hollitt (“Zap”)
Hollitt’s Gladiators stint led to a guest-starring arc on the CBS procedural JAG and a role in the UPN reality competition Manhunt. These days, she works as a personal trainer, massage therapist, and snowboard instructor, according to her Instagram bio.
Lee Reherman (“Hawk”)
Reherman, who died in 2016 at age 49, found steady work in Hollywood after the show, guest-starring on TV shows including The X-Files, The Shield, NCIS, and Jane the Virgin, and recurring on Look and The First Family. He also hosted the shows Off-Road Overhaul and Hot Rod TV.
Galen Tomlinson (“Turbo”)
Tomlinson became a high school volleyball coach and then the head coach and director of a San Diego-area volleyball club, per GladiatorsTV.com. He also helped raise Olympic volleyball player Carli Lloyd, his niece, starting from when she was 4 years old, according to the Tampa Bay Times.
Lori Fetrick (“Ice”)
Fetrick became a financial professional for Transamerica, per GladiatorsTV.com, and she started touring the country, offering health and financial wellness seminars, per Sports Illustrated. She also hosts a podcast titled Chillin’ With Ice, on which she interviews her former Gladiators costars.
Dan Clark (“Nitro”)
In 2009, Clark released Gladiator: A True Story of ’Roids, Rage, and Redemption, a book detailing his years of steroid abuse. The following year, he founded the 5K Gladiator Rock’n Run obstacle race. And in 2017, he released the book F Dying: How Cheating Death Kicked My Ass Into Loving, Learning, and Living My Best Life, which delves into his near-fatal 2013 heart attack.
Michael Horton (“Gemini”)
Horton moved on from his Gladiator fame to become a Los Angeles-based physical fitness consultant, Sports Illustrated reports. His son Wes became a defensive end for the Carolina Panthers, and his son Shane played football at the University of South California.
Sha-Ri Pendleton-Mitchell (“Blaze”)
Pendleton-Mitchell became a substitute teacher and a track coach in Bellflower, CA, according to Sports Illustrated. She and her husband, Rodney Mitchell of the syndicated Gladiators imitator Knights and Warriors, have a son, Re-al, who’s a quarterback for the University of San Diego.
Lynn “Red” Williams (“Sabre”)
After Gladiators, Williams played Jax in the martial arts movie Mortal Kombat: Annihilation and voiced characters in the Saints Row video game series. As of the Sports Illustrated update, he was a grandfather of three and a scripture teacher in the Los Angeles area.
William “Billy” Smith (“Thunder”)
Smith, who died in 2021 at age 56, went on to become founder, president, and CEO of Intrafitt Enterprises, according to GladiatorsTV.com. He also owned and operated a teaching facility called Intrafitt Total Health & Fitness Center.
