Death at 76 of Carl Weathers, the actor who played the legendary Apollo Creed in “Rocky”

The world of cinema is mourning the loss of American actor and former American football player, Carl Weathers, famous for his role as Apollo Creed in the first four “Rocky” films. His family announced his death at the age of 76 in a statement released Friday.

“He passed away peacefully in his sleep on Thursday, February 1, 2024. Carl was an exceptional person who lived an extraordinary life. Through his contributions to cinema, television, the arts and sports, he left an indelible mark,” recalled those close to him in the farewell text.

With an artistic career spanning approximately fifty years, Weathers (New Orleans, 1948) has starred in many notable films, such as the “Rocky” saga (1976), “Predator” (1987) alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger, “Action Jackson” (1988) and “Happy Gilmore” (1996), as well as in several television shows, including the most recent, “The Mandalorian” (2019) with Chilean Pedro Pascal.

“He will be recognized throughout the world over generations. He was a dear brother, father, grandfather, companion and friend,” the family statement concluded.

His most acclaimed character was that of world heavyweight champion Apollo Creed in “Rocky” (1976), due to his iconic battles against Sylvester Stallone, who played the lead role of Rocky in the popular franchise. Weathers reprized this role in “Rocky II” (1979), “Rocky III” (1982) and “Rocky IV” (1985), where he lost his life in the ring to Russian heavyweight Ivan Drago (played by Dolph Lundgren ).

He also voiced one of the characters in the Oscar-winning film “Toy Story 4” (2019) and previously appeared in the television special “Toy Story of Terror,” which aired six years previously.

Early in his career, the small screen was his favorite territory, appearing as a guest on series such as “SWAT” and “Starsky and Hutch” in the seventies. Additionally, Weathers played American football at San Diego State University, where he majored in theater, and played the 1970 season in the professional NFL league with the Oakland Raiders.