Depending on the decade in which you saw him on screen, Carl Weathers may evoke memories of seriousness or laughter, meaning that he had range as an actor with roles large and small. He died Thursday at age 76 and leaves behind a solid body of work in television and film.
After trying his hand at professional football, Weathers switched his career to acting, starting out as an extra before landing credited appearances on the '70s shows “Good Times” and “Kung Fu.” His most recent television work included a recurring role in the “Star Wars” series “The Mandalorian” as Greef Karga, which earned him an Emmy nomination for guest actor in a drama series in 2021. And he wasn't just an actor: He also directed two episodes of “Mandalorian” and episodes of the television series “FBI,” “Law & Order” and “Hawaii Five-0.”
While his television credits are extensive, Weathers is perhaps best known for his iconic film roles, which included the “Rocky” films, “Predator” and “Happy Gilmore.” They are among the essential works of his that you can stream online now.
'Rocky' I-IV
Weathers played Apollo Creed, the heavyweight boxing champion who was loosely based on a number of real-life fighters, opposite Sylvester Stallone in the first four films of the “Rocky” franchise. “Rocky” was released in 1976 and was his breakout movie break: Weathers' film credits up to that point were for the Blaxploitation films “Friday Foster” and “Bucktown.” Creed became one of his best-known roles. In an interview with The Times in 2014, Weathers recalled walking the streets of New York before the film's premiere like anyone else, anonymously. Everything changed shortly after. “On Saturday morning he was taking a walk through Manhattan and the street vendors were shouting, 'Hey, Apollo!' That is scary. “You are not prepared for that,” he stated. All four films are available to stream on Max. (Look “Rocky“, “rocky ii“, “rocky iii” and “rocky iv”in max.)
'Predator'
Following his involvement in the “Rocky” franchise, Weathers co-starred in this 1987 sci-fi action film alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jesse Ventura and Shane Black. Weathers played George Dillon, a CIA agent who is part of a team on a rescue mission before realizing that he is being chased by a huge alien creature. Although it received mixed reviews (Times film critic Michael Wilmington was particularly scathing, calling it “one of the emptiest, weakest and most derivative scripts ever made as a major studio film”), it has come to be regarded as one of the best science fiction or action films ever created. Although the movie is not available to stream on a service, you can rent it on Apple TV, YouTube, Prime Video, and other movie rental sites.
'Happy Gilmore'
This 1996 comedy film written by Tim Herlihy and Adam Sandler, who also star, showed how Weathers was more than just an action movie star and held his own alongside Sandler. He played Derick “Chubbs” Peterson, a former professional golfer who steps in to help Happy Gilmore, an aspiring Sandler hockey player, hone his golf skills to help raise money to pay his beloved grandmother's tax bill. and defeat his antagonist on the circuit. , Marksman McGavin (Christopher McDonald). His delivery of lines like “Just play it” and “It's all in the hips” made the film quotable and a classic '90s comedy and demonstrated Weathers' versatility. (See in peacock)
'The Mandalorian'
The epic Disney+ “Star Wars” series, spanning three seasons, features several episodes with Weathers as Greef Karga, the leader of a bounty hunting organization. Of particular note is “Chapter 12: The Siege,” the fourth episode of Season 2, which Weathers directed and earned him an Emmy nomination for guest actor in a drama series. He stands out for his action sequences reminiscent of “A New Hope” and showed that the television series could have special effects reminiscent of the “Star Wars” films. (Watch on Disney+)
'Arrested development'
Although Weathers appeared in only four episodes during the show's run, they were memorable appearances in which the actor played himself. We first meet him in season 1, when Tobias Fünke (David Cross) meets Weathers on an airport shuttle and mentions that he is also an actor. He agrees to become Tobias' acting coach for $1,100, but Weathers' advice is mainly about how to save money in any situation. Weathers' other appearances on the series are in seasons 2 and 4. (Watch on Netflix)
