Rocky Johnson Wayde Douglas Bowles ( August 24 , 1944 ) is a retired Canadian professional wrestler best known by his ring name Rocky Johnson . Quite popular in his own right in the 1970s and 1980s , he is also known for being the father of actor and former wrestler Dwayne " The Rock " Johnson . During his wrestling career he became a 1 - time National Wrestling Alliance ( NWA ) Georgia Champion and also became a 1 - time NWA Southern Heavyweight Memphis Champion as well as winning many other championships . Along with his partner Tony Atlas , Johnson was a part of the first black tag team to win the World Tag Team championship in the World Wrestling Federation ( WWF ) . Early life . Rocky Johnson was born Wayde Douglas Bowles in Amherst , Nova Scotia , where he was raised , the fourth of five sons of Lillian and James Henry Bowles . His ancestors were slaves who escaped from the American South . At the age of 16 , Johnson moved to Toronto , Ontario , where he began wrestling and worked as a truck driver . Initially , he trained to be a boxer and eventually sparred with greats such as Muhammad Ali and George Foreman , but he was always fascinated by wrestling . Professional wrestling career . National Wrestling Alliance . Johnson began his career as a professional wrestler in the mid - 1960s . He was a top contender in the National Wrestling Alliance in the 1970s , receiving title matches against then - World Champions Terry Funk and Harley Race . He was well - suited to tag team wrestling , winning several regional tag team championships in the NWA . World Wrestling Federation . In 1983 , he was recruited by the World Wrestling Federation and paired with Tony Atlas . They defeated the Wild Samoans ( Afa and Sika ) for the Tag Team Championship on November 15 , 1983 . They were the first black wrestlers to hold the title . Together , Johnson and Atlas were known as " The Soul Patrol " . Retirement . After retiring in 1991 , Johnson along with Pat Patterson , trained his son Dwayne to wrestle . While he initially resisted his son ' s entry into the business because he knew it was extremely difficult , he agreed to train his son on the condition that he would not go easy on him . Johnson was instrumental in getting Dwayne ( later dubbed " Rocky Maivia " after both Rocky Johnson ' s and Peter Maivia ' s ring names ) signed to a WWF developmental deal . Initially , Johnson had an on - camera presence at his son ' s matches , jumping into the ring on his son ' s behalf after he was attacked by several other wrestlers at WrestleMania 13 . Johnson was not seen on - camera again after the Rocky Maivia character flopped , but this was actually a blessing , as his son achieved crossover popularity as a cocky heel , The Rock . Johnson was hired as a trainer for the WWE developmental territory , Ohio Valley Wrestling , in early 2003 but was let go in May of that year . On February 25 , 2008 , Johnson was announced as an inductee for the 2008 class of the WWE Hall of Fame along with his father - in - law " High Chief " Peter Maivia . They were inducted into the Hall of Fame on March 29 , 2008 by his son and former professional wrestler , Dwayne " The Rock " Johnson . One week earlier on March 22 , Rocky Johnson wrestled his retirement match in Toronto for Stranglehold Wrestling . Personal life . Johnson married into the prolific Samoan wrestling family , which included the Anoa ' i family , by marrying " High Chief " Peter Maivia ' s daughter Ata Maivia . Ata met Rocky after Maivia and Johnson were tag team partners in a match on the independent scene . Maivia disapproved of the relationship — not because of anything personal against Johnson , but because of Johnson ' s chosen profession . The couple had a son , Dwayne , in 1972 . Dwayne Johnson portrayed his father in an episode of " That ' 70s Show " . Johnson lived in Davie , Florida with his wife , Ata , but they later divorced . He also has two other children , as he announced in his 2008 HOF induction , a son Curtis , and a daughter Wanda from his first marriage in 1967 . Johnson is honored being the first non - Samoan to be named High Chief . His title is High Chief Tafiaiafi .