CARL WEATHERS
Name: Carl Weathers
Born: 14 January 1948 New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
Carl Weathers (born January 14, 1948) is an American actor, as well as former
professional American and Canadian league football player. He is perhaps best
known for his role as Apollo Creed in the Rocky series of films.
Weathers was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. He graduated from St. Augustine
High School and then went to San Diego State University. Outside of acting, he
is a member of both Big Brothers and the United States Olympic Committee. In
April 2007, he married Jennifer Peterson, a documentary filmmaker.
At San Diego State University, Carl was a member of the football team. This led
to a brief career as a linebacker with the Oakland Raiders, where he played 7
games in 1970 and one game in 1971. He joined the British Columbia Lions of the
Canadian Football League in 1971 and played until 1973, 18 games in total. He
retired in 1974 to become an actor.
Weathers had his first parts in two Arthur Marks directed 1970s blaxploitation
films: Bucktown and Friday Foster, both in 1975. Weathers also appeared in an
episode on the 70's sitcom Good Times as an angry husband who suspected his wife
of cheating on him with JJ. Ironically, though his character was presumably
supposed to be older, Carl is actually one year younger than Jimmie Walker.
In 1976, he starred alongside Sylvester Stallone in Rocky as Apollo Creed, a
role he would reprise in the next three Rocky films in 1979, 1982, and 1985. For
the most recent film in the Rocky series, Rocky Balboa, Sylvester Stallone asked
Weathers, Mr. T, and Dolph Lundgren for permission to use footage from their
appearances in the earlier Rocky movies. Mr. T and Dolph Lundgren gave him their
graces, however Weathers wanted an actual part in the movie, even though his
character died in Rocky IV. Stallone refused and Weathers decided not to allow
Stallone to use his image for Rocky flashbacks from the previous movies. They
instead decided to use new footage of a fighter who looks similar to Weathers.
In 1978 Carl portrayed infamous 60's misogynist Vince Sullivan in the TV movie,
Not This Time. The role helped break new ground for Carl as a dramatic lead.
Audiences across America were taken aback to see their beloved Carl portray such
a vicious woman beater as Sullivan with great conviction. Though Sullivan felt
at the time the film greatly exaggerated his misdeeds, he did agree that Carl
was the right man for the role.
Weathers also starred in a number of action films, both theatrically and on
television, including: Force 10 from Navarone (1978), Predator (1987), Action
Jackson (1988), and Hurricane Smith (1992), and is briefly seen as an Army MP in
one of the three released versions of Close Encounters of the Third Kind. As a
member of the cast of Predator, Weathers worked with future California governor
Arnold Schwarzenegger and future Minnesota governor Jesse Ventura. Many years
later he appeared in a spoof segment on Saturday Night Live, announcing that he
was running for political office and urging viewers to vote for him on the basis
that "he was the other guy in Predator".
He also appeared in Michael Jackson's "Liberian Girl" music video. He also had
the role of Chubbs in Happy Gilmore.
During the final season of In the Heat of the Night, his character of Hampton
Forbes replaced Bill Gillespie at the chief of the Sparta, Mississippi police.
He continued that role in the television movies based on the series. His noted
other TV role was on the cop show Street Justice where he played Sgt. Adam
Beaudreaux. He also played as MACV-SOG Colonel Brewster in the CBS series Tour
of Duty.
In 2004, Weathers received a significant career revival as a comedic actor.
Since he had worked primarily as a dramatic actor in action films throughout the
first half of his career, he began appearing in many works that were quite
different from his past. Beginning in 2004 with appearances in 3 episodes of the
cult hit comedy series Arrested Development as a cheapskate caricature of
himself, Weathers began appearing in largely comedic roles. This series of guest
spots led to him getting roles in the comedies The Sasquatch Dumpling Gang and
The Comebacks, which was his first major role in a film since 1992's Hurricane
Smith.
Weathers had a guest role in two episodes (to date) of the critically acclaimed
television show The Shield as the former training officer of main character Vic
Mackey.
Weathers provided the voice for Colonel Samuel Garret in the Pandemic Studios
video game, Mercenaries: Playground of Destruction. In 2005, he was a
narrator on Conquest! The Price Of Victory - Witness The Journey of the Trojans!,
an 18-part television show about USC athletics.
Weathers is a principal of Red Tight Media, a film and video production company
that specializes in tactical training films made for the United States armed
forces.
He is currently acting as "Brian "Gebo" Fitzgerald" in advertising for Old Spice's
sponsorship of NASCAR driver Tony Stewart.
In 2008 entertainment activist Patrick Bonfrisco gained international support
for a petition to have Carl Weathers appear in the next Rambo film. States
Bonfrisco in a press release: "Carl Weathers should appear in the next Rambo
film. His chemistry with Stallone in the first four Rocky films is undeniable.
As Stallone himself has stated that this year's Rambo film may not be the last
in the series, it is safe to assume that Rambo will be back in the near future,
and who better to have at his side than the "Master of Disaster," Carl Weathers?"
Name: Carl Weathers
Born: 14 January 1948 New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
Carl Weathers (born January 14, 1948) is an American actor, as well as former
professional American and Canadian league football player. He is perhaps best
known for his role as Apollo Creed in the Rocky series of films.
Weathers was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. He graduated from St. Augustine
High School and then went to San Diego State University. Outside of acting, he
is a member of both Big Brothers and the United States Olympic Committee. In
April 2007, he married Jennifer Peterson, a documentary filmmaker.
At San Diego State University, Carl was a member of the football team. This led
to a brief career as a linebacker with the Oakland Raiders, where he played 7
games in 1970 and one game in 1971. He joined the British Columbia Lions of the
Canadian Football League in 1971 and played until 1973, 18 games in total. He
retired in 1974 to become an actor.
Weathers had his first parts in two Arthur Marks directed 1970s blaxploitation
films: Bucktown and Friday Foster, both in 1975. Weathers also appeared in an
episode on the 70's sitcom Good Times as an angry husband who suspected his wife
of cheating on him with JJ. Ironically, though his character was presumably
supposed to be older, Carl is actually one year younger than Jimmie Walker.
In 1976, he starred alongside Sylvester Stallone in Rocky as Apollo Creed, a
role he would reprise in the next three Rocky films in 1979, 1982, and 1985. For
the most recent film in the Rocky series, Rocky Balboa, Sylvester Stallone asked
Weathers, Mr. T, and Dolph Lundgren for permission to use footage from their
appearances in the earlier Rocky movies. Mr. T and Dolph Lundgren gave him their
graces, however Weathers wanted an actual part in the movie, even though his
character died in Rocky IV. Stallone refused and Weathers decided not to allow
Stallone to use his image for Rocky flashbacks from the previous movies. They
instead decided to use new footage of a fighter who looks similar to Weathers.
In 1978 Carl portrayed infamous 60's misogynist Vince Sullivan in the TV movie,
Not This Time. The role helped break new ground for Carl as a dramatic lead.
Audiences across America were taken aback to see their beloved Carl portray such
a vicious woman beater as Sullivan with great conviction. Though Sullivan felt
at the time the film greatly exaggerated his misdeeds, he did agree that Carl
was the right man for the role.
Weathers also starred in a number of action films, both theatrically and on
television, including: Force 10 from Navarone (1978), Predator (1987), Action
Jackson (1988), and Hurricane Smith (1992), and is briefly seen as an Army MP in
one of the three released versions of Close Encounters of the Third Kind. As a
member of the cast of Predator, Weathers worked with future California governor
Arnold Schwarzenegger and future Minnesota governor Jesse Ventura. Many years
later he appeared in a spoof segment on Saturday Night Live, announcing that he
was running for political office and urging viewers to vote for him on the basis
that "he was the other guy in Predator".
He also appeared in Michael Jackson's "Liberian Girl" music video. He also had
the role of Chubbs in Happy Gilmore.
During the final season of In the Heat of the Night, his character of Hampton
Forbes replaced Bill Gillespie at the chief of the Sparta, Mississippi police.
He continued that role in the television movies based on the series. His noted
other TV role was on the cop show Street Justice where he played Sgt. Adam
Beaudreaux. He also played as MACV-SOG Colonel Brewster in the CBS series Tour
of Duty.
In 2004, Weathers received a significant career revival as a comedic actor.
Since he had worked primarily as a dramatic actor in action films throughout the
first half of his career, he began appearing in many works that were quite
different from his past. Beginning in 2004 with appearances in 3 episodes of the
cult hit comedy series Arrested Development as a cheapskate caricature of
himself, Weathers began appearing in largely comedic roles. This series of guest
spots led to him getting roles in the comedies The Sasquatch Dumpling Gang and
The Comebacks, which was his first major role in a film since 1992's Hurricane
Smith.
Weathers had a guest role in two episodes (to date) of the critically acclaimed
television show The Shield as the former training officer of main character Vic
Mackey.
Weathers provided the voice for Colonel Samuel Garret in the Pandemic Studios
video game, Mercenaries: Playground of Destruction. In 2005, he was a
narrator on Conquest! The Price Of Victory - Witness The Journey of the Trojans!,
an 18-part television show about USC athletics.
Weathers is a principal of Red Tight Media, a film and video production company
that specializes in tactical training films made for the United States armed
forces.
He is currently acting as "Brian "Gebo" Fitzgerald" in advertising for Old Spice's
sponsorship of NASCAR driver Tony Stewart.
In 2008 entertainment activist Patrick Bonfrisco gained international support
for a petition to have Carl Weathers appear in the next Rambo film. States
Bonfrisco in a press release: "Carl Weathers should appear in the next Rambo
film. His chemistry with Stallone in the first four Rocky films is undeniable.
As Stallone himself has stated that this year's Rambo film may not be the last
in the series, it is safe to assume that Rambo will be back in the near future,
and who better to have at his side than the "Master of Disaster," Carl Weathers?"