Carl Weathers obit

Carl Weathers Dies: ‘Rocky’ & ‘Predator’ Star Who Appeared In ‘Happy Gilmore’, ‘The Mandalorian’ & More Was 76

 

He was not on the list.

Carl Weathers, who starred as Apollo Creed in the first four Rocky films and appeared in Predator, The Mandalorian, Happy Gilmore, Action Jackson, Arrested Development and dozens of other films and TV shows, died Thursday, his family announced. He was 76.

“We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of Carl Weathers,” his family said in a statement. “He died peacefully in his sleep on Thursday, February 1st, 2024. … Carl was an exceptional human being who lived an extraordinary life. Through his contributions to film, television, the arts and sports, he has left an indelible mark and is recognized worldwide and across generations. He was a beloved brother, father, grandfather, partner and friend.

Born on January 14, 1948, in New Orleans, Weathers appeared in more than 75 films and TV shows during his 50-year screen career. He Greef Karga, the head of the Bounty Hunters Guild, in nine episodes of the Disney+ Star Wars series The Mandalorian over its three seasons. The character became close to Pedro Pascal’s Mando as the series progressed. Weathers was a 2021 Emmy nominee for the role and also directed a pair of episodes in Season 2 and 3.

Last month, Lucasfilm confirmed a Mandalorian feature film, The Mandalorian & Grogu, was in the works, with series creator Jon Favreau to direct. It’s unclear whether Pascal or any other of the series’ cast will be involved in the film, which is slated to begin production this year.

Weathers showed off his comedy chops in a memorable arc on Arrested Development, playing a version of himself as an ad-hoc acting coach who proudly offered tips on saving money at everything from food buffets to airport rides. He appeared in four episodes across the Emmy-winning series’ first four seasons.

He also appeared as Police Chief Hampton Forbes in more than two dozen episodes of the 1989-95 TV series In the Heat of the Night starring Carroll O’Connor and Howard Rollins. Weathers was a series regular in the 1993-94 seventh and final season and appeared in the post-series telefilms.

Weathers also voiced Combat Carl in the Oscar-winning Toy Story 4 (2019) after originating the character for the 2013 TV special Toy Story of Terror.

Other credits include his 1988 star turn in Action Jackson, which earned in an NAACP Image Award nom and came after he starred opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger in 1987’s Predator. In the latter film, Weathers played Al Dillon, a CIA operative and old Vietnam War buddy of Schwarzenegger’s Maj. Alan “Dutch” Schaefer. They are stalked by a mysterious life form that deploys thermo-imaging and cloaking abilities, and it doesn’t end well for Dillon.

But Weathers is best known for playing Apollo Creed, the heavyweight champion of the world who gave journeyman Philly boxer Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) a shot at the title in 1976’s Rocky. Weathers reprised the role in Rocky II (1979), which featured a title rematch with Balboa, and 1982’s Rocky III, where he trained Balboa to fight the brutish Clubber Lang (Mr. T). Creed’s final film in the franchise was Rocky IV (1985), where he was killed in the ring by chiseled Russian heavyweight Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren).

Weathers also had a memorable turn as Derick “Chubbs” Peterson opposite Adam Sandler in Happy Gilmore, playing the title character’s golf coach. Peterson was a pro golfer who was forced to leave the tour after losing his hand to an alligator; his wooden replacement paw was the source of many gags.

He was badly injured while filming a fall stunt during the Happy Gilmore shoot, leading to years of terrible pain. “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,” he told GQ in a 2020 interview. “There were three or four years there where I was just in excruciating pain.”

After playing linebacker at San Diego State University — he gave the 1987 commencement address there — Weathers went undrafted but signed with the Oakland Raiders. He played eight NFL games for Coach John Madden in 1970-71 before joining the B.C. Lions of the Canadian Football League, where he played from 1971-73.

He began his screen career during that era with guest shots in such hit TV series as Good Times, Kung Fu, S.W.A.T., The Six Million Dollar Man and Cannon. As the decade went on, he appeared in episodes of Starsky and Hutch, Barnaby Jones, Switch, The Streets of San Francisco and other popular shows. He returned to his action roots with the late-’90s TV movies Assault on Devil’s Island and Assault on Death Mountain, starring in both opposite Hulk Hogan and Shannon Tweed.

Weathers began amassing film credits in 1975 with a pair of blaxploitaton pics, Bucktown and Friday Foster. His other movie roles included Semi-Tough (1977), Force 10 from Navarone (1978), Death Hunt (1981) and Hurricane Smith (1992).

But his career took off in America’s bicentennial year.

Stallone was a nascent actor and screenwriter when United Artists released Rocky, the underdog-boxer drama that would enter the cultural zeitgeist. Weathers was cast as Creed, the beloved, star-spangled and understandably cocky heavyweight champion who sees dollar signs and good publicity by giving a local lug a title shot. Enter Rocky Balboa, who gets the gig in part due to his catchy nickname, “The Italian Stallion.” He’s a southpaw journeyman and part-time enforcer for a loan shark who beats the marrow out of sides of beef as part of his training — which Balboa takes seriously.

Creed? Not so much. He’s more interested in promoting the fight than training for it. When the two finally meet amid a jingoistic sea of red, white and blue — Creed enters the ring dressed as Uncle Sam — it turns into a bout for the ages, with both men beating the snot out of each other. Some bloody faces and broken ribs later, the final bell sounds. The fighters embrace each other, with Creed memorably saying, “Ain’t gonna be no rematch,” to which Balboa replies, “Don’t want one.”

The film won Best Picture and two other Oscars on 10 nominations, which included Best Actor and Original Screenplay for Stallone. And Bill Conti’s rousing, brass-meets-disco tune “Gonna Fly Now (Theme from Rocky)” topped the Billboard Hot 100.

That all set up Creed-Balboa II.

Rocky II was a smash and featured the championship rematch — this time with a different result. And it led to Rocky III, which introduced the world to champion bouncer-turned-actor Mr. T and his catchphrase “I pity the fool.” Asked for his prediction on the fight with Balboa, Lang replies, peering with menace straight into the camera: “Pain.”

Weathers would play Creed once more, in the Cold War-themed Rocky IV. His aging character agrees to an exhibition match with the driven Soviet behemoth Drago, which spells doom for the ex-champ.

The Apollo Creed role famously almost went to Ken Norton, the real-life heavyweight champ who’d split two Southern California bouts against Muhammad Ali in 1973. He broke Ali’s jaw in their first fight, which Norton won in a TKO. Ali would beat Norton in their controversial 1976 third match, two months before Rocky was released.

Michael B. Jordan plays Creed’s son, Adonis Johnson, in the Creed films.

Weathers also had an emerging career as a TV director. Along with The Mandalorian, in the past few years he helmed episodes of Chicago Med, FBI, Law & Order, The Last O.G., Hawaii Five-O, For the People, 18 Wheels of Justice, Strong Medicine and Pensacola: Wings of Gold.

 

Actor

Carl Weathers, Giancarlo Esposito, Pedro Pascal, Shirley Henderson, Paul Sun-Hyung Lee, Katee Sackhoff, Amy Sedaris, Omid Abtahi, Emily Swallow, and Katy O'Brian in The Mandalorian (2019)

The Mandalorian

8.7

TV Series

Greef Karga

2019–2023

9 episodes

 

Liam Neeson and Bryan Genesse in Actors and Athletes Against Gang Violence (2023)

Actors and Athletes Against Gang Violence

3.8

Music Video

Black Bart

2023

 

The Artful Escape (2021)

The Artful Escape

7.7

Video Game

Lightman (voice)

2021

 

Tom Hanks, Keanu Reeves, Tim Allen, Annie Potts, Tony Hale, Christina Hendricks, Keegan-Michael Key, Ally Maki, and Jordan Peele in Toy Story 4 (2019)

Toy Story 4

7.7

Combat Carls (voice)

2019

 

Alan Tudyk, Eden Sher, and Adam McArthur in Star vs. the Forces of Evil (2015)

Star vs. the Forces of Evil

7.9

TV Series

Additional Voices

Omnitraxus

Omnitraxus Prime (voice)

2017–2019

10 episodes

 

Christopher Atkins, Veronica Cartwright, Bruce Davison, Carl Weathers, Harry Hamlin, Tanna Frederick, Kelly De Sarla, and Clinton Valencia in Defrost: The Virtual Series (2019)

Defrost: The Virtual Series

7.4

TV Short

Doctor Bedford

2019

 

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999)

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

8.1

TV Series

SA Mark Jefferies

2018

1 episode

 

Magnum P.I. (2018)

Magnum P.I.

6.3

TV Series

Dan Sawyer

2018

1 episode

 

Explosion Jones (2017)

Explosion Jones

6.1

TV Series

Duke Firestorm

2017

 

Carl Weathers, Joelle Carter, Jon Seda, Philip Winchester, and Monica Barbaro in Chicago Justice (2017)

Chicago Justice

6.8

TV Series

Mark Jefferies

2017

13 episodes

 

Chicago P.D. (2014)

Chicago P.D.

8.1

TV Series

Mark Jefferies

2016–2017

4 episodes

 

Chicago Fire (2012)

Chicago Fire

8.0

TV Series

Mark Jefferies

2016–2017

2 episodes

 

Josh Holloway and Sarah Wayne Callies in Colony (2016)

Colony

7.3

TV Series

Beau

2016

7 episodes

 

Mortal Kombat X (2015)

Mortal Kombat X

8.2

Video Game

Jax - 'Dillon' Skin (voice)

2015

 

Gabrielle Union, Adam Brody, Meagan Good, Regina Hall, Kevin Hart, Dennis Haysbert, Taraji P. Henson, Jenifer Lewis, Romany Malco, Gary Owen, Michael Ealy, Wendi McLendon-Covey, La La Anthony, David Walton, Jerry Ferrara, Terrence Jenkins, and Caleel Harris in Think Like a Man Too (2014)

Think Like a Man Too

5.7

Mr. Davenport (uncredited)

2014

 

Mark Hamill, William Salyers, Sam Marin, and J.G. Quintel in Regular Show (2010)

Regular Show

8.5

TV Series

Basketball King

God of Basketball (voice)

2011–2013

2 episodes

 

Toy Story of Terror (2013)

Toy Story of Terror

7.5

TV Movie

Combat Carl

Combat Carl Jr. (voice)

2013

 

Jason Bateman, Jeffrey Tambor, Will Arnett, Michael Cera, and Alia Shawkat in Arrested Development (2003)

Arrested Development

8.7

TV Series

Carl Weathers

2004–2013

4 episodes

 

Joe Parascand in Sheriff Tom Vs. The Zombies (2013)

Sheriff Tom Vs. The Zombies

5.5

President Weathers

2013

 

American Warships (2012)

American Warships

2.8

Video

General Hugh McKraken

2012

 

Dulé Hill and James Roday Rodriguez in Psych (2006)

Psych

8.4

TV Series

Floyd Boone

2010

1 episode

 

Chadam (2010)

Chadam

6.5

TV Series

Narrator

2010

3 episodes

 

CCH Pounder, Carl Weathers, Daryl Mitchell, and Michael Strahan in Brothers (2009)

Brothers

4.7

TV Series

'Coach' Trainor

Trainor

Coach

2009

13 episodes

 

George Clooney, Anthony Edwards, Julianna Margulies, Ming-Na Wen, Noah Wyle, Laura Innes, Alex Kingston, Eriq La Salle, Kellie Martin, Paul McCrane, Michael Michele, Erik Palladino, Maura Tierney, and Goran Visnjic in ER (1994)

ER

7.9

TV Series

Louie Taylor

2008

1 episode

 

Eddie Shin and Jaime Winstone in Phoo Action (2008)

Phoo Action

4.7

TV Movie

Chief Benjamin Benson

2008

 

David Koechner in The Comebacks (2007)

The Comebacks

4.3

Freddie Wiseman

2007

 

Michael Chiklis in The Shield (2002)

The Shield

8.7

TV Series

Joe Clark

2003–2007

2 episodes

 

Joey Kern and Justin Long in The Sasquatch Gang (2006)

The Sasquatch Gang

6.2

Dr. Artimus Snodgrass

2006

 

Carl Weathers, Brad Johnson, and Erin Ross in Alien Siege (2005)

Alien Siege

3.5

TV Movie

General Skyler

2005

 

Mercenaries: Playground of Destruction (2005)

Mercenaries: Playground of Destruction

8.1

Video Game

Colonel Samuel Garrett (voice)

2005

 

Balto III: Wings of Change (2004)

Balto III: Wings of Change

6.1

Video

Kirby (voice)

2004

 

The Sweet Spot (2003)

The Sweet Spot

Short

Fantasy Cop

2003

 

Adam Sandler in Eight Crazy Nights (2002)

Eight Crazy Nights

5.3

GNC Guy (voice)

2002

 

Promo Poster

Little Nicky

5.3

Chubbs (uncredited)

2000

 

Elevator Seeking

4.9

Video

William

1999

 

Hulk Hogan in Assault on Death Mountain (1999)

Assault on Death Mountain

3.7

TV Movie

Roy Brown

1999

 

Shannon Tweed, Hulk Hogan, and Carl Weathers in Assault on Devil's Island (1997)

Assault on Devil's Island

4.0

TV Movie

Roy Brown

1997

 

Adam Sandler in Happy Gilmore (1996)

Happy Gilmore

7.0

Chubbs

1996

 

Carroll O'Connor and Howard E. Rollins Jr. in In the Heat of the Night (1988)

In the Heat of the Night

7.6

TV Series

Chief Hampton Forbes

Inspector Hampton Forbes

1993–1995

28 episodes

 

OP Center (1995)

OP Center

5.7

TV Mini Series

Gen. Mike Rodgers

1995

 

Carl Weathers, Eric McCormack, and Bryan Genesse in Street Justice (1991)

Street Justice

7.1

TV Series

Adam Beaudreaux

1991–1993

44 episodes

 

Carl Weathers and Cassandra Delaney in Hurricane Smith (1992)

Hurricane Smith

4.3

Billy 'Hurricane' Smith

1992

 

Stephen Caffrey in Tour of Duty (1987)

Tour of Duty

8.3

TV Series

Colonel Brewster

Col. Brewster

1989–1990

9 episodes

 

Dangerous Passion (1990)

Dangerous Passion

4.4

TV Movie

Kyle Western

1990

 

The Pointer Sisters: He Turned Me Out (1988)

The Pointer Sisters: He Turned Me Out

6.0

Music Video

'Action' Jackson

1988

 

Carl Weathers and Vanity in Action Jackson (1988)

Action Jackson

5.5

'Action' Jackson

1988

 

Arnold Schwarzenegger in Predator (1987)

Predator

7.8

Dillon

1987

 

Carl Weathers in Fortune Dane (1986)

Fortune Dane

6.2

TV Series

Fortune Dane

1986

6 episodes

 

The Defiant Ones (1986)

The Defiant Ones

6.1

TV Movie

Cullen Monroe

1986

 

James Brown in James Brown: Living in America (1985)

James Brown: Living in America

6.8

Music Video

Apollo Creed

1985

 

Sylvester Stallone, Tony Burton, and Burt Young in Rocky IV (1985)

Rocky IV

6.9

Apollo Creed

1985

 

Carl Weathers and Joseph Bottoms in Braker (1985)

Braker

4.3

TV Movie

Lieutenant Harry Braker

1985

 

Sylvester Stallone in Rocky III (1982)

Rocky III

6.8

Apollo Creed

1982

 

Charles Bronson, Angie Dickinson, and Lee Marvin in Death Hunt (1981)

Death Hunt

6.9

Sundog

1981

 

Rocky II (1979)

Rocky II

7.3

Apollo Creed

1979

 

Force 10 from Navarone (1978)

Force 10 from Navarone

6.4

Weaver

1978

 

The Bermuda Depths (1978)

The Bermuda Depths

5.6

TV Movie

Eric

1978

 

Burt Reynolds, Jill Clayburgh, and Kris Kristofferson in Semi-Tough (1977)

Semi-Tough

5.9

Dreamer Tatum

1977

 

Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)

Close Encounters of the Third Kind

7.6

Military Police

1977

 

The Hostage Heart (1977)

The Hostage Heart

6.0

TV Movie

Bateman Hooks

1977

 

Tales of the Unexpected (1977)

Tales of the Unexpected

7.2

TV Series

Dalby

1977

1 episode

 

The Streets of San Francisco (1972)

The Streets of San Francisco

7.3

TV Series

Officer Hague

1977

1 episode

 

Johnny Staccato (1959)

Delvecchio

6.7

TV Series

Sgt. Bell

1977

1 episode

 

Serpico (1976)

Serpico

6.8

TV Series

Snake

1976

1 episode

 

Buddy Ebsen in Barnaby Jones (1973)

Barnaby Jones

6.9

TV Series

Jack Hopper

1976

1 episode

 

Starsky and Hutch (1975)

Starsky and Hutch

7.0

TV Series

Al Martin

1976

1 episode

 

Sylvester Stallone and Talia Shire in Rocky (1976)

Rocky

8.1

Apollo

1976

 

Jo Ann Harris, Shelly Novack, and Robert Stack in Most Wanted (1976)

Most Wanted

6.8

TV Series

Holt

1976

1 episode

 

Dennis Weaver in McCloud (1970)

McCloud

6.9

TV Series

Delaney

1976

1 episode

 

Friday Foster (1975)

Friday Foster

6.0

Yarbro

1975

 

Jack Palance in Bronk (1975)

Bronk

6.8

TV Series

Clyde

1975

1 episode

 

Switch (1975)

Switch

7.2

TV Series

Lt. Gifford

1975

1 episode

 

Cannon (1971)

Cannon

6.8

TV Series

Dan Holloway

1975

1 episode

 

Lee Majors in The Six Million Dollar Man (1973)

The Six Million Dollar Man

7.1

TV Series

Stolar

1975

1 episode

 

S.W.A.T. (1975)

S.W.A.T.

6.7

TV Series

Ed

1975

1 episode

 

The Four Deuces (1975)

The Four Deuces

4.2

Taxi cab driver

1975

 

Pam Grier, Fred Williamson, Tony King, and Thalmus Rasulala in Bucktown (1975)

Bucktown

6.1

Hambone

1975

 

Kung Fu (1972)

Kung Fu

7.6

TV Series

Bad Sam

1975

1 episode

 

John Amos, Ralph Carter, Ja'net DuBois, Esther Rolle, BernNadette Stanis, and Jimmie 'JJ' Walker in Good Times (1974)

Good Times

7.4

TV Series

Calvin

1975

1 episode

 

Clint Eastwood in Magnum Force (1973)

Magnum Force

7.2

Demonstrator (uncredited)

1973

 

Director

Carl Weathers, Giancarlo Esposito, Pedro Pascal, Shirley Henderson, Paul Sun-Hyung Lee, Katee Sackhoff, Amy Sedaris, Omid Abtahi, Emily Swallow, and Katy O'Brian in The Mandalorian (2019)

The Mandalorian

8.7

TV Series

Director

2020–2023

2 episodes

 

Chicago Med (2015)

Chicago Med

7.6

TV Series

Director

2021–2023

2 episodes

 

Jeremy Sisto, Alana De La Garza, Missy Peregrym, John Boyd, Katherine Renee Kane, and Zeeko Zaki in FBI (2018)

FBI

7.1

TV Series

Director (directed by)

2022

1 episode

 

Sam Waterston, Camryn Manheim, Hugh Dancy, Reid Scott, Mehcad Brooks, and Odelya Halevi in Law & Order (1990)

Law & Order

7.8

TV Series

Director

2022

1 episode

 

Tracy Morgan in The Last O.G. (2018)

The Last O.G.

7.0

TV Series

Director

2021

2 episodes

 

Scott Caan, Jorge Garcia, Chi McBride, Meaghan Rath, Ian Anthony Dale, Alex O'Loughlin, and Beulah Koale in Hawaii Five-0 (2010)

Hawaii Five-0

7.4

TV Series

Director

2019

1 episode

 

A Burger and a Bullet

Short

Director

2018

 

Danny and the Deep Blue Sea

Video

Director

2017

 

Always Night

8.5

TV Mini Series

Director

2013

1 episode

 

Anjua Warfield-Maximo in ABC/TTV Micro-Mini Series (2004)

ABC/TTV Micro-Mini Series

7.1

TV Mini Series

Director (episode "Not Now, Kitty")

2004

 

For the People (2002)

For the People

5.8

TV Series

Director

2002

1 episode

 

Gena Lee Nolin in Sheena (2000)

Sheena

5.3

TV Series

Director

2001–2002

5 episodes

 

Billy Dee Williams, G. Gordon Liddy, Lisa Thornhill, and Lucky Vanous in 18 Wheels of Justice (2000)

18 Wheels of Justice

5.6

TV Series

Director

2000–2001

3 episodes

 

Patricia Richardson and Rosa Blasi in Strong Medicine (2000)

Strong Medicine

6.7

TV Series

Director

2001

1 episode

 

James Brolin, Sandra Hess, Bobby Hosea, Kenny Johnson, and Michael Trucco in Pensacola: Wings of Gold (1997)

Pensacola: Wings of Gold

6.0

TV Series

Director

1999–2000

2 episodes

 

Mitzi Kapture and Rob Estes in Silk Stalkings (1991)

Silk Stalkings

6.5

TV Series

Director

1993–1997

8 episodes

 

Lorenzo Lamas in Renegade (1992)

Renegade

5.9

TV Series

Director

1995

1 episode

 

Producer

A Burger and a Bullet

Short

executive producer

2018

 

Always Night

8.5

TV Mini Series

producer

2013

1 episode

 

Carl Weathers in Fortune Dane (1986)

Fortune Dane

6.2

TV Series

supervising producer

1986

1 episode

 

The Defiant Ones (1986)

The Defiant Ones

6.1

TV Movie

co-producer

1986