Carl Weathers, who played Apollo Creed in the first four Rocky movies and had appearances in several TV series and movies, including Happy Gilmore, Action Jackson, The Mandalorian, Predator, and many more, passed away on Tuesday, according to his family. He was seventy-six.
Carl Weathers’ family released a statement saying, “We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of Carl Weathers.” He passed away quietly on Thursday, February 1, 2024, while sleeping. Carl was a remarkable individual who led a remarkable life. He has made an enduring impact on movies, television, the arts, and sports, and he is well-known both internationally and among different generations. He was a cherished friend, partner, father, grandfather, and brother.
Over the course of his 50-year cinematic career, Weathers—who was born in New Orleans on January 14, 1948—appeared in over 75 motion pictures and television series. Over the course of the show’s three seasons on Disney+, he made nine appearances as Greef Karga, the leader of the Bounty Hunters Guild. As the series went on, the character grew closer to Pedro Pascal’s Mando. Weathers directed two episodes in Seasons 2 and 3 and was nominated for an Emmy in 2021.
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The Mandalorian & Grogu, a feature film helmed by series creator Jon Favreau, was confirmed to be in development by Lucasfilm last month. It’s unclear if Pascal or any other cast member from the series will appear in the movie, which is expected to start filming later this year.
In addition, he voiced Combat Carl in the 2019 Academy Award–winning Toy Story 4, having created the role for the 2013 television special Toy Story of Terror.
Additional credits include his leading role in Action Jackson (1988), following his role opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger in Predator (1987).
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However, his most well-known role is that of Apollo Creed, the world heavyweight champion who, in the 1976 film Rocky, gave journeyman Philly fighter Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) an opportunity to win the title. Rocky II (1979), which included a title rematch with Balboa, and Rocky III (1982), when he sparred with Clubber Lang (Mr. T), Weathers returned to the role. In the series’ last movie, Rocky IV (1985), Russian heavyweight Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren) kills Creed in the ring.
In Happy Gilmore, Weathers played the golf coach for the lead character, Derick “Chubbs” Peterson, alongside Adam Sandler. It was a memorable performance. After losing his hand to an alligator, professional golfer Peterson was forced to retire from the tour; jokes were based on his wooden prosthetic hand.
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During the Happy Gilmore production, he suffered severe injuries that left him in excruciating discomfort for years. In a 2020 interview with GQ, he said, “I didn’t know it until years later, but I fractured two vertebrae and osteophytes grew out and connected, and it did a kind of self-fuse in a really bad place.” “There, I was just in unbearable pain for three or four years.”
After graduating from San Diego State University, where he also delivered the 1987 commencement speech, Weathers started his career in the early 1970s doing cameos in popular TV shows including Cannon, Good Times, Kung Fu, S.W.A.T., and The Six Million Dollar Man. He had appearances in episodes of Switch, Barnaby Jones, Starsky and Hutch, The Streets of San Francisco, and other well-known shows as the decade progressed.
However, in the year of America’s bicentennial, his career took off.
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