It is with a heavy heart that we bid farewell to the legendary actor Carl Weathers, best known for his role as Apollo Creed in the iconic “Rocky” film series. The news of Weathers’ passing has left fans and the entertainment industry in mourning. He was 76 years old.

Weathers’ portrayal of Apollo Creed was nothing short of remarkable. He brought charisma, strength, and a magnetic presence to the character, captivating audiences with every scene. His on-screen chemistry with Sylvester Stallone, who played Rocky Balboa, was undeniably electrifying, making their iconic boxing matches some of the most memorable moments in cinematic history.

In addition to his role in the “Rocky” franchise, Weathers had a diverse and successful career in both film and television. He starred in movies such as “Predator” and “Happy Gilmore,” showcasing his range as an actor. Weathers also made appearances in popular TV shows like “Arrested Development” and “The Mandalorian,” further cementing his status as a versatile performer.

Weathers’ talent and dedication to his craft earned him critical acclaim and recognition. He was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series for his work in “The Mandalorian.” Beyond his acting prowess, Weathers was also an accomplished athlete. He excelled in various sports including boxing, football, soccer, wrestling, and gymnastics.

Born on January 14, 1948, in New Orleans, Weathers’ journey to stardom took a unique path. While pursuing a degree in theatre arts at San Diego State University, he signed with the Oakland Raiders as a free agent. Weathers played in the NFL as a linebacker before ultimately finding his true calling in acting.

Throughout his career, Weathers touched the lives of countless fans and colleagues with his talent, generosity, and larger-than-life personality. He will be remembered for his memorable performances, his infectious smile, and the impact he made on the entertainment industry.

The details of Carl’s passing are unclear at this time.

We extend our deepest condolences to Weathers’ ex-wife, Mary Ann, their two sons, as well as their family and loved ones during this difficult time. Carl Weathers’ legacy will forever live on, and his contributions to the world of entertainment will never be forgotten.

Rest in peace, Carl Weathers, the unforgettable “Apollo Creed.” You will forever remain a champion in our hearts.

Source

The post R.I.P. – ‘Rocky’s’ “Apollo Creed” Actor, Carl Weathers, Passes Away At 76 appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

There was a time when the beef between “Apollo Creed” (Carl Weathers) and “Rocky” (Sylvester Stallone) was not just on-screen in the 1976 Rocky movie. Nope not at all, it turns out that they actually had some REAL-LIFE tension that started around the year 2005. Prior to that, they were on really good terms though.

What apparently happened, was that in 2005, Sylvester Stallone approached Carl and asked him if he would allow him to use some of his footage from the previous Rocky films in his then-upcoming Rocky sequel, Rocky Balboa. Stallone had also asked Mr. T and Dolph Lundgren (the big Russian dude who starred as “Rocky’s” opponent in Rocky IV) for that same permission to their video footage usage. Mr. T and Lundgren were cool with that idea and agreed to it, but Weathers wanted an actual part in the film, although his character had died in the ring in Rocky IV.

Embed from Getty Images

Stallone gave Weathers a big, fat “N” to his wanting to return to the movie. Weathers, in turn, gave Stallone a big ol’ “No,” in response to Stallone’s request to using his footage for Rocky flashbacks from the previous movies. Therefore, Stallone improvised and instead used footage of a fighter who looks like he could be Weathers’ “play-cousin.”

Weathers once stated this about being written out of the Rocky movie script:

First of all, when I found out about it, what are you going to do? You’re either in or you’re not in, and then you’re dead anyway. You’re going to be utilized so that Rocky can go on. In a strange way I think [Apollo’s] arc was as complete as anybody could have it be. What would I do after going in and beating the Russian?

[Source: MTV]

Here’s how fans on one forum reacted upon learning about this situation between Weathers and Stallone:

Anonymous #1
“Stallone f’d up. Weathers put Stallone on the map, Sly forgot to pay his dues.”

Anonymous #2
“How do you get…Carl Weathers in the film without Apollo coming back from the dead?
Does he get visited by his ghost, who just so happens to look [much older than he did] when he died? Cornball ish, even for Rocky.”

Anonymous #3
“It’s pretty easy actually, you shoot a new scene of Rocky remembering a moment/conversation with Apollo that would have been relevant to the plot of Rocky Balboa. The scene where Rocky Ali’s about Apollo in the restaurant for example. Just use makeup tricks to make the two actors look like they’re younger selves and shoot with a very soft focus lense.”

Anoymous #4
“No amount of makeup or cgi is gonna make Carl Weathers any less … Sly made the right call in my opinion.”

[Source: thecoli.com]
After Weathers’ refusal to let Stallone use his footage, there have been reports of tension between the two, but like we said, just a couple years prior to that, everything was cool as a fan between them.

Let’s sidetrack for a minute, because we think this footage of Stallone and Weathers choreographing their fight scene for Rocky back in the day, is really interesting. Check it out below…

In February (2015), TMZ caught up with Weathers and asked him what he thought about the then-upcoming 2015 Rocky movie (which will be centered around “Apollo Creed’s” grandson following in his grandfather’s footsteps and being trained by “Rocky”). Carl quickly shunned them away, dryly stating – and I quote- “I have no comments about the new Rocky movie, I have NO comments, about the new Rocky movie.” Then he walked off, looking annoyed that he was asked about the film.

Good news is that now it seems they’ve squashed their beef, because as you can see in the photo up top, they’re once again cheesin’ it up for the cameras…TOGETHER. So, that’s a step in the right direction.

The post Actor, Carl Weathers, Disclosed Why He Had Beef With Sylvester Stallone In Real Life appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

There was a time when the beef between “Apollo Creed” (Carl Weathers) and “Rocky” (Sylvester Stallone) was not just on-screen in the 1976 Rocky movie. Nope not at all, it turns out that they actually had some REAL-LIFE tension that started around the year 2005. Prior to that, they were on really good terms though.

What apparently happened, was that in 2005, Sylvester Stallone approached Carl and asked him if he would allow him to use some of his footage from the previous Rocky films in his then-upcoming Rocky sequel, Rocky Balboa. Stallone had also asked Mr. T and Dolph Lundgren (the big Russian dude who starred as “Rocky’s” opponent in Rocky IV) for that same permission to their video footage usage. Mr. T and Lundgren were cool with that idea and agreed to it, but Weathers wanted an actual part in the film, although his character had died in the ring in Rocky IV.

Embed from Getty Images

Stallone gave Weathers a big, fat “N” to his wanting to return to the movie. Weathers, in turn, gave Stallone a big ol’ “No,” in response to Stallone’s request to using his footage for Rocky flashbacks from the previous movies. Therefore, Stallone improvised and instead used footage of a fighter who looks like he could be Weathers’ “play-cousin.”

Weathers once stated this about being written out of the Rocky movie script:

First of all, when I found out about it, what are you going to do? You’re either in or you’re not in, and then you’re dead anyway. You’re going to be utilized so that Rocky can go on. In a strange way I think [Apollo’s] arc was as complete as anybody could have it be. What would I do after going in and beating the Russian?

[Source: MTV]

Here’s how fans on one forum reacted upon learning about this situation between Weathers and Stallone:

Anonymous #1
“Stallone f’d up. Weathers put Stallone on the map, Sly forgot to pay his dues.”

Anonymous #2
“How do you get…Carl Weathers in the film without Apollo coming back from the dead?
Does he get visited by his ghost, who just so happens to look [much older than he did] when he died? Cornball ish, even for Rocky.”

Anonymous #3
“It’s pretty easy actually, you shoot a new scene of Rocky remembering a moment/conversation with Apollo that would have been relevant to the plot of Rocky Balboa. The scene where Rocky Ali’s about Apollo in the restaurant for example. Just use makeup tricks to make the two actors look like they’re younger selves and shoot with a very soft focus lense.”

Anoymous #4
“No amount of makeup or cgi is gonna make Carl Weathers any less … Sly made the right call in my opinion.”

[Source: thecoli.com]
After Weathers’ refusal to let Stallone use his footage, there have been reports of tension between the two, but like we said, just a couple years prior to that, everything was cool as a fan between them.

Let’s sidetrack for a minute, because we think this footage of Stallone and Weathers choreographing their fight scene for Rocky back in the day, is really interesting. Check it out below…

In February (2015), TMZ caught up with Weathers and asked him what he thought about the then-upcoming 2015 Rocky movie (which will be centered around “Apollo Creed’s” grandson following in his grandfather’s footsteps and being trained by “Rocky”). Carl quickly shunned them away, dryly stating – and I quote- “I have no comments about the new Rocky movie, I have NO comments, about the new Rocky movie.” Then he walked off, looking annoyed that he was asked about the film.

Good news is that now it seems they’ve squashed their beef, because as you can see in the photo up top, they’re once again cheesin’ it up for the cameras…TOGETHER. So, that’s a step in the right direction.

The post Carl Weathers Exposed Why He Had Beef With Sylvester Stallone In Real Life appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

Remember the trainer/manager who first trained “Apollo Creed” and then “Rocky Balboa” in the film, Rocky? We all knew him as “Tony ‘Duke’ Evers,” the no-nonsense character, but what we didn’t know is that the real man behind the character, the late Tony Burton, had something in common with “Duke.”

In real life, he was a boxer, before the world ever knew him. He even won the Michigan Golden Gloves Light Heavyweight Boxing Championship and boxed professionally for a short time.

But before Burton got his start in acting, he was living the wild life on the streets and going for broke every chance he got. One day his luck ran out and he got hit with three and a half years in prison for robbery. He served his time at the California Institution for Men in Chino, CA.

Realizing robbing folks was bad decision, he began attempting to turn his life around while in prison and you better believe that he definitely flipped the script on his destiny! While in the pen,’ Burton got focused and eventually earned his college degree behind bars. He also found his other true passion- acting.

In past interviews, he revealed that his agent never wanted him to make his prison time known to the public, but he wasn’t trying to hear that because of this reason:

“I prayed and it was revealed to me that I should let it be known. How can I show what Christ did for me, unless I tell my story of what it was?”

“Prison for me, was productive because I applied myself while I was there. I got my high school diploma and degree from the University of California. But most important, I got myself together and found out who I was and how I could proceed without destroying myself.”

Embed from Getty Images

Via Calhoun Times: In prison, Burton said he lost his urge to steal. He was also introduced to the joys of acting in a group that used psychodrama as a form of therapy. in one exercise Burton did with another prisoner, burton said his acting partner had an emotional breakthrough that made Burton realized the power of theater and propelled him on his current career.

After prison Burton started acting in small theater groups in L.A. and he eventually acquired an agent- the same agent as Carl Weathers a.k.a. ‘Apollo Creed.” realizing Burton’s acting abilities, Carl actually helped to land Burton the role of “Duke” in Rocky.

After all that he’s been through Burton said this of his success: “I never expected it and I’m grateful because I realize it didn’t have to happen to me. I’m just grateful I’m the one the Holy Sprit chose.”

It’s no secret that many Black men, whether falsely accused or not, have unfortunately had some type of brush with the law, or served serious prison time like Burton, but he is another excellent example of what it means to not allow your current circumstances/realities dictate your destiny. We have the power to create the destiny that we want to live, we just have to fight beyond our personal comfort zones to end any unhealthy cycles and pathologies we’ve learned along the way, and acquire or build on the healthy ones.

Tony Burton sadly passed away on February 25, 2016 at age 78, after complications from pneumonia. Respect to Burton for having openly shared his story and his wisdom with the world.

The post “Rocky” Actor Served Years In Prison And Learned A Valuable Lesson appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

Well, that was then and this is now, and today Mr. T. has a new gig that’s a far cry from the bad brotha persona from the past. He’s now dancing…that’s right, ‘Clubber Lang’ is putting down the gloves and putting on the sequence suits and shiny shoes for a good cause. He’s joined Dancing With The Stars this season to hopefully win money for the charity he stands behind, St. Jude’s Hospital, which is a children’s hospital dedicated to helping kids with illnesses, primarily cancer, get healed and live healthy lives.

Mr. T. admitted that he can’t dance a lick, but he’s gonna be out there trying his hardest to two-step and cut a rug for those kids.

He even promised to shave off his signature mohawk if he wins.

I never saw Mr. T. as the dancing type, so this should be interesting to watch.

In case you haven’t heard, Mr. T. is a cancer survivor. He battled the disease and won the battle after he was diagnosed with T-Cell lymphoma in 1995. So his DWTS cause hits close to home for him.

Another thing many may not know about Mr. T. is that he’s a devout Christian who is known for helping others behind the scenes. In 2005 he decided to stop wearing the many gold chains around his neck that he became known for. His reason had everything to do with seeing so many people in New Orleans, La. lose everything in Hurricane Katrina, which is where he went to help out with the cleanup efforts at that time:

Mr. T: “As a Christian, when I saw other people lose their lives and lose their land and property … I felt that it would be a sin before God for me to continue wearing my gold. I felt it would be insensitive and disrespectful to the people who lost everything, so I stopped wearing my gold.” -via Sky News

Gotta luv this dude. Mr. T. is a big guy but his heart is even bigger. Hopefully he’ll get the ‘W’ at the end of his Dancing With The Stars stint.

The post Mr.T May Be Tough But Can He Hang w/His NEW JOB He Signed Up For At 64? appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

According to MLive.com, Burton had been hospitalized for the past year, but he never received an official diagnosis, so his illness and cause of his death has been a mystery to his family and loved ones.

Burton’s Rocky co-star, Carl Weathers (who played “Apollo”) tweeted the news of Burton’s passing on Thursday: “@E_Woodyard @TheSlyStallone Sad news. RIP Tony Burton. His intensity and talent helped make the Rocky movies successful. #BePeace,” Weathers, wrote.
Burton’s sister, Loretta “Peaches” Kelley, has also confirmed that her big brother has passed away in California.

Although Burton has starred in many films throughout his career, including Stir Crazy in 1980 and Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor King in 1976, he is best known for his role as “Duke,” “Apollo Creed’s” and “Rocky Balboa’s” trainer, in the first 6 Rocky installments. In his real-life, Burton was a professional boxer back in the day and also won the Flint Golden Gloves light heavyweight titles in 1955 and 1957. He is originally from Flint, MI.
He was on the set of the latest Rocky installment, Creed, a few times and catching up on old times with Sylvester Stallone, but unfortunately, due to health concerns, it’s been reported that he never got to see the film after it was released last year, because he was hospitalized soon after visiting the set of the movie.

The post R.I.P. “Rocky” Star Dies At 78, Details On Mystery Surrounding His Death appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

Remember the trainer/manager who first trained “Apollo Creed” and then “Rocky Balboa” in the film, Rocky? We all knew him as “Tony ‘Duke’ Evers,” the no-nonsense character, but what we didn’t know is that the real man behind the character, the late Tony Burton, had something in common with “Duke.”

In real life, he was a boxer, before the world ever knew him. He even won the Michigan Golden Gloves Light Heavyweight Boxing Championship and boxed professionally for a short time.

But before Burton got his start in acting, he was living the wild life on the streets and going for broke every chance he got. One day his luck ran out and he got hit with three and a half years in prison for robbery. He served his time at the California Institution for Men in Chino, CA.

Realizing robbing folks was bad decision, he began attempting to turn his life around while in prison and you better believe that he definitely flipped the script on his destiny! While in the pen,’ Burton got focused and eventually earned his college degree behind bars. He also found his other true passion- acting.

In past interviews, he revealed that his agent never wanted him to make his prison time known to the public, but he wasn’t trying to hear that because of this reason:

“I prayed and it was revealed to me that I should let it be known. How can I show what Christ did for me, unless I tell my story of what it was?”

“Prison for me, was productive because I applied myself while I was there. I got my high school diploma and degree from the University of California. But most important, I got myself together and found out who I was and how I could proceed without destroying myself.”Via Calhoun Times: In prison, Burton said he lost his urge to steal. He was also introduced to the joys of acting in a group that used psychodrama as a form of therapy. in one exercise Burton did with another prisoner, burton said his acting partner had an emotional breakthrough that made Burton realized the power of theater and propelled him on his current career.

After prison Burton started acting in small theater groups in L.A. and he eventually acquired an agent- the same agent as Carl Weathers a.k.a. ‘Apollo Creed.” realizing Burton’s acting abilities, Carl actually helped to land Burton the role of “Duke” in Rocky.

After all that he’s been through Burton said this of his success: “I never expected it and I’m grateful because I realize it didn’t have to happen to me. I’m just grateful I’m the one the Holy Sprit chose.”

It’s no secret that many Black men, whether falsely accused or not, have unfortunately had some type of brush with the law, or served serious prison time like Burton, but he is another excellent example of what it means to not allow your current circumstances/realities dictate your destiny. We have the power to create the destiny that we want to live, we just have to fight beyond our personal comfort zones to end any unhealthy cycles and pathologies we’ve learned along the way, and acquire or build on the healthy ones.

Tony Burton sadly passed away on February 25, 2016 at age 78, after complications from pneumonia. Respect to Burton for having openly shared his story and his wisdom with the world.

The post Here’s Why This “Rocky” Actor Served Years In Prison & Learned A Valuable Lesson appeared first on I Love Old School Music.

Since today is the 4th of July, we thought we’d cover this story because simply put, we dig “Apollo Creed’s” boxing outfit from the film, Rocky, and thought it couldn’t be more fitting for a holiday like today.

Okay family let’s get down to the nitty-gritty of this story, here’s the deal: There was a time when the beef between “Apollo Creed” (Carl Weathers) and “Rocky” (Sylvester Stallone) was not just on-screen in the 1976 Rocky movie. Nope not at all, it turns out that they actually had some REAL-LIFE tension that started around the year 2005. Prior to that, they were on really good terms though.

What apparently happened, was that in 2005, Sylvester Stallone approached Carl and asked him if he would allow him to use some of his footage from the previous Rocky films in his then-upcoming Rocky sequel, Rocky Balboa. Stallone had also asked Mr. T and Dolph Lundgren (the big Russian dude who starred as “Rocky’s” opponent in Rocky IV) for that same permission to their video footage usage. Mr. T and Lundgren were cool with that idea and agreed to it, but Weathers wanted an actual part in the film, although his character had died in the ring in Rocky IV.

Embed from Getty Images

Stallone gave Weathers a big, fat “N” to his wanting to return to the movie. Weathers, in turn, gave Stallone a big ol’ “No,” in response to Stallone’s request to using his footage for Rocky flashbacks from the previous movies. Therefore, Stallone improvised and instead used footage of a fighter who looks like he could be Weathers’ “play-cousin.”

Weathers once stated this about being written out of the Rocky movie script:

First of all, when I found out about it, what are you going to do? You’re either in or you’re not in, and then you’re dead anyway. You’re going to be utilized so that Rocky can go on. In a strange way I think [Apollo’s] arc was as complete as anybody could have it be. What would I do after going in and beating the Russian?

[Source: MTV]

Here’s how fans on one forum reacted upon learning about this situation between Weathers and Stallone:

Anonymous #1
“Stallone f’d up. Weathers put Stallone on the map, Sly forgot to pay his dues.”

Anonymous #2
“How do you get…Carl Weathers in the film without Apollo coming back from the dead?
Does he get visited by his ghost, who just so happens to look [much older than he did] when he died? Cornball ish, even for Rocky.”

Anonymous #3
“It’s pretty easy actually, you shoot a new scene of Rocky remembering a moment/conversation with Apollo that would have been relevant to the plot of Rocky Balboa. The scene where Rocky Ali’s about Apollo in the restaurant for example. Just use makeup tricks to make the two actors look like they’re younger selves and shoot with a very soft focus lense.”

Anoymous #4
“No amount of makeup or cgi is gonna make Carl Weathers any less … Sly made the right call in my opinion.”

[Source: thecoli.com]
After Weathers’ refusal to let Stallone use his footage, there have been reports of tension between the two, but like we said, just a couple years prior to that, everything was cool as a fan between them.

Let’s sidetrack for a minute, because we think this footage of Stallone and Weathers choreographing their fight scene for Rocky back in the day, is really interesting. Check it out below…

In February (2015), TMZ caught up with Weathers and asked him what he thought about the then upcoming 2015 Rocky movie (which will be centered around “Apollo Creed’s” grandson following in his grandfather’s footsteps and being trained by “Rocky”). Carl quickly shunned them away, dryly stating – and I quote- “I have no comments about the new Rocky movie, I have NO comments, about the new Rocky movie.” Then he walked off, looking annoyed that he was asked about the film.

Good news is that now it seems they’ve squashed their beef, because as you can see in the 2017 photo up top, they’re once again cheesin’ it up for the cameras…TOGETHER. So, that’s a step in the right direction.

The post So This is Why Sylvester Stallone and Carl Weathers Had Beef In Real Life… appeared first on I Love Old School Music.