Apollo Creed in the Rocky films was 76 years old – The Hollywood Reporter

Carl Weathers, the former NFL player who made his mark in Hollywood as boxer Apollo Creed in the first four rocky films and with appearances in other projects such as predator, Happy Gilmore And The Mandalorian, He died. He was 76 years old.

His manager, Matt Loper, announced in a statement that Withers died Thursday in his sleep at his home in Los Angeles.

“Carl was an extraordinary human being who lived an extraordinary life,” he said. “Through his contributions to film, television, the arts and sports, he left an indelible mark that was recognized around the world and across generations. He was a brother, father, grandfather, partner and friend.”

The charismatic Weathers portrayed Detective Beaudreaux on the 1991-1993 syndicated cop show Street justice; Police Chief Hampton Forbes in the final two seasons of the CBS hit In the heat of the night In 1992-1994; A caricature of himself in Fox episodes Developers arrestedt from 2004-13; And anti-Karl in toy story 4 (2019).

She also recurs as attorney Mark Jeffries Chicago fire, Chicago PD And chicago justice.

Weathers has been building a new generation of fans thanks to his work on the Disney+ series The Mandalorian. He played Greef Karga, a bounty hunter turned government official who is one of the main character’s allies, earning an Emmy nomination in 2021. It’s the role that catapulted him into the role. star Wars fandom, putting him in autographs and photo lines at conventions like Star Wars Celebration in London.

He was also building a directing career, directing two episodes of a television series The Mandalorian As well as installments Law and order And Chicago Med.

Born in New Orleans on January 14, 1948, Withers boxed, wrestled, and participated in football, gymnastics, soccer and other sports at St. Augustine High School in San Diego and at Long Beach (Calif.) Poly High School.

He starred as a defensive end at Long Beach City College before transferring to San Diego State University, where he helped the Aztecs to an 11-0 record in 1968. He went on to play for the NFL’s Oakland Raiders in 1970-71. And for the Oakland Raiders. BC Lions of the Canadian Football League from 1971 to 1973.

During vacation periods, he attended San Francisco State University and earned a bachelor’s degree in drama in 1974, the year he quit football.

Withers appeared as a demonstrator in Magnum power (1973) and in 1975 he appeared in black exploitation films Bucktown And Foster Friday And on rings happy times, Kung Fu, cannon, Converts, The six million dollar man, SWAT And Bronc.

He landed the gritty role of Creed – inspired by Muhammad Ali – in rocky (1976), with his character, then undefeated heavyweight champion, deciding to face Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky Balboa, an unknown fighter from Philadelphia, when the No. 1 contender gets hurt and is unable to make the Bicentennial Match.

Creed wins a bloody and controversial split decision, but Balboa prevails in the rematch Rocky 2 (1979). In the third film, released in 1982, Creed has Rocky on his side when he confronts James “Clubber” Lange (Mr. T), and is killed by Soviet boxer Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren) in Rocky IV (1985).

(Michael B. Jordan plays Adonis “Donnie” Johnson, son of Apollo, in the film Doctrine Movies released in 2015, 2018 and last year.)

After appearing in Power 10 of Navarone (1978) and as Colonel Dillon in predator (1987), Withers graduated to leading man, playing a Detroit cop Action Jackson (1988).

in Happy Gilmore (1996), he played Derek “Chubbs” Peterson, a professional golfer who was forced to retire after his hand was bitten off by an alligator – he then used a wooden hand – and then reprized the role in recent commercials for a golf retailer.

He also appeared in FanDuel’s Super Bowl campaign, playing the man who coaches Rob Gronkowski to kick a field goal.

Weathers played Colonel Brewster on the 1989-89 CBS series Duty tour He was the father of characters Michael Strahan and Darryl “Chill” Mitchell on the 2009 Fox sitcom the brothers. His big screen biography is also included The four draws (1975), Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977), Hurricane Smith (1992) and Little Nicky (2002).

Survivors include his sons, Matthew and Jason;

When he auditioned for his career-making role in the first rockyTell THR In 2015, “there was no one to read with, and they said you would read with the writer.” That writer, of course, was Stallone.

“And we read the scene, and at the end of it, I didn’t feel like it had really sailed, that the scene had sailed, and they were quiet and there was a moment of awkwardness, anyway. So I was like, ‘I could do a lot better if I got a real actor to work with.’ “So I insulted the movie star without really knowing it and not meaning to.

Apparently, Stallone felt that the verbal jab was something Apollo would say, and Withers was hired. “Sometimes it’s mistakes that keep you going,” he said.

Dara Head contributed to this report.