Carl Weathers
*Carl Weathers was born on this date in 1948. He was a Black football player and actor.
From New Orleans, LA., Weathers started performing in plays as early as grade school. In high school, athletics took him down another path, but he would reunite with his first love later in life. Weathers played college football at San Diego State University. He majored in theater and played for one season in the NFL for the Oakland Raiders in 1970. After retiring from a professional career in the early 70s,
Weathers began acting in blaxploitation cinema with minor roles in Bucktown and Friday Foster. His breakout became in 1976's Rocky, taking on a role initially intended for the real-life boxer Ken Norton. He allegedly got the role after criticizing Stallone's acting in his audition. Weathers then took roles in the next three Rocky movies, opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger in 1987's Predator and the lead in 1988's Action Jackson.
Weathers acted with Adam Sandler in Happy Gilmore and went on to appear in Arrested Development as an acting coach and the voice of Combat Carl in Toy Story 4. Carl Weathers died on February 1, 2024.
