director, producer, and director in the United States. In the early 1970s, Weathers played professional football with the Oakland Raiders and the British Columbia Lions before leaving in 1974 to pursue an acting career. His famous performances include Apollo Creed in the “Rocky” series from 1976–1985, Colonel Al Dillon in “Predator,” Jericho “Action” Jackson in “Action Jackson,” and Chubbs Peterson in “Happy Gilmore.” Carl has over seventy-five acting credits to his name (1996). He has appeared in four episodes of the critically acclaimed television series “Arrested Development” (2004 and 2013), and in 2019 he began playing Greef Karga on the Disney+ series “The Mandalorian.” Aside from “Silk Stalkings,” “Hawaii Five-0,” and “Chicago Med” (all of which he has directed episodes of), Carl has also produced “The Defiant Ones” (1986), “Fortune Dane,” and “Always Night,” all of which he has directed (2013). Short film “A Burger And a Bullet” was also co-written and directed by him.
Carl Weathers Early Life
On January 14, 1948, Carl Weathers was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. A day labourer, Carl’s father made a little living. During his eighth grade year at St. Augustine High School, Weathers was awarded an athletic scholarship and enrolled in sports such as football, soccer and wrestling. He also competed in judo and gymnastics. Carl was a student at Long Beach Polytechnic High School in Southern California, where the family had later relocated. He first enrolled in Long Beach City College in 1966 before transferring to San Diego State University the following year. Carl graduated with a bachelor’s degree in theatre in 1974.
Carl Weathers Football Career
Weathers played football in college as a defensive end for the school’s team. The ankle injury sustained in 1966 prevented him from participating in Long Beach City College’s football team that year. A two-year letterman for the Aztec football team at San Diego State University, he helped the Aztecs win the 1969 Pasadena Bowl. In 1970, Carl signed a free agency contract with the Oakland Raiders after finishing 18th in the final UPI poll.
He played linebacker for the team in 1970 and 1971, appearing in seven games. In 1970, he played with the Raiders and helped them win the AFC West Division, but he was released by the organisation in 1971 and signed with the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League. From 1971 through 1973, Carl played for the Lions, appearing in 18 games until hanging up his cleats in 1974. As an NFL Films narrator from 1999 to 2001 and as a pre-draft analyst for the NFL Network in 2017, he provided commentary on season recaps.
Carl Weathers Acting Career
Weathers had uncredited roles in “Magnum Force” in 1973 and “Friday Foster” and “Bucktown” in 1975, as well as guest appearances on “Good Times,” “The Six Million Dollar Man,” and “Kung Fu” during his tenure as a football player. Following that, he appeared on “Starsky & Hutch” and “Barnaby Jones,” appeared in “The Four Deuces,” and portrayed Apollo Creed in “Rocky,” which earned $225 million at the box office. In 1979’s Rocky II, 1982’s Rocky III, and 1985’s Rocky IV, Carl reprised his role.
“Rocky” proved to be a huge success, and Weathers went on to feature in a number of other films and television shows, including “Semi-Tough,” “Force 10 from Navarone,” “Death Hunt,” and the TV movies “Braker,” “The Bermuda Depths,” and “The Defiant Ones” (1986). In 1986, he starred as the lead character in the criminal thriller “Fortune Dane,” and in 1987, he was a co-star in the science fiction picture “Predator,” alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Carl appeared in “Action Jackson” in 1988 and “Tour of Duty,” a CBS military drama, playing Colonel Brewster from 1989 to 1990. As Adam Beaudreaux in “Street Justice” (1991–1993) and as Hampton Forbes, Police Chief in “In the Heat of The Night” (1993–1995). His film debut was in 1992’s “Hurricane Smith,” and he went on to participate in three Adam Sandler films: “Happy Gilmore,” “Little Nicky,” and “Eight Crazy Nights,” all of which he voiced. The Shadow Warriors flicks “Assault on Devil’s Island”
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(1997) and “Hunt for the Death Merchant” (1999) both featured Weathers, and he appeared as a guest star on “The Shield” in both 2003 and 2007. On Fox’s “Arrested Development,” he appeared in three episodes as a guest star in 2004, then he returned for one more episode in 2013 after Netflix brought the show back. His film and television credits include roles in the films “The Sasquatch Gang” (2006) and “The Comebacks” (2007), as well as guest appearances on “ER” (2008) and “Psych” (2007). (2010).
“Toy Story 4” raked in $1.073 billion at the box office as Weathers voiced Combat Carl in both its 2013 TV special and its 2019 film. As Bolton “Beau” Miller on USA Network’s “Colony,” as well as State’s Attorney Mark Jefferies on NBC’s “Chicago Justice,” he has acted in films such as “Sheriff Tom Vs. The Zombies” (2013) and “Think Like a Man Too” (2014). From 2017 to 2019, Carl provided the voice of Omnitraxus Prime and other characters on “Star vs. the Forces of Evil,” and in 2018, he appeared as a guest star on “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” and “Magnum P.I.”. After starring as Greef Karga on “The Mandalorian,” Weathers directed “Chapter 12: The Siege,” which airs in 2020.
Carl Weathers Personal Life
On February 17, 1973, Carl married Mary Ann Castle, and they had two sons, Matthew and Jason, before divorcing in 1983. His first marriage to Rhona Unsell ended in divorce in 2006, and he then married Jennifer Peterson for a short time before divorcing her in early 2009.
Carl Weathers Awards and Nominations
RIP Wayne Hawkins. “Once a Raider, Always a Raider”! Condolences to the Hawkins family. #BePeace pic.twitter.com/vQJtSmypSy
— Carl Weathers (@TheCarlWeathers) July 29, 2022
Weathers was nominated for an NAACP Image Award in 1988 for his performance in “Action Jackson.” Toy Story of Terror! was nominated for a Behind the Voice Actors Award for Best Male Vocal Performance in a TV Special/Direct-to-DVD Title or Short and Carl garnered a nod for Best Vocal Ensemble. Weathers was honoured with induction into the International Mustache Hall of Fame in 2016 by the organization’s members.