NEW YORK (AP) — Carl Weathers, a former NFL linebacker
who became a Hollywood action movie and comedy star,
playing nemesis-turned-ally Apollo Creed in the “Rocky”
movies, starring alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger in
“Predator” and teaching golf in “Happy Gilmore,” has died.

Matt Luber, his manager, said Weathers died Thursday. His
family issued a statement saying he died “peacefully in his
sleep. No cause of death was mentioned.

Comfortable flexing his muscles on the big screen in “Action
Jackson” as he was joking around on the small screen in
such shows as “Arrested Development,” Weathers was
perhaps most closely associated with Creed, who made
his first appearance as the cocky, undisputed heavyweight
world champion in 1976’s “Rocky,” (below) starring Sylvester
Stallone.

William O’Connell, whose extensive TV and film acting credits in
the 1960s and ’70s included a memorably villainous role on Star
Trek and a string of adversaries in the films of his frequent
collaborator Clint Eastwood, died January 15 at his home in
Sherman Oaks, CA.

William O’Connell with William Shatner in Star
Trek Episode 39: Journey To Babel (11-17-1967)

William O’Connell
(May 12, 1929 – January 15, 2024)

With the stirring notes of the William Tell Overture and a shout of
“Hi-yo, Silver! Away!” The Lone Ranger debuted on Detroit’s radio
station WXYZ January 30, 1933 and went on for 2,956 episodes.

The creation of station-owner George Trendle and writer Fran
Striker, the “masked rider of the plains” became one of the most
popular and enduring western heroes of the 20th century. Joined
by his trusty steed, Silver, and Native American scout, Tonto, the
Lone Ranger battled western outlaws and Native Americans.

Francis Hamilton " Fran " Striker
(August 19, 1903 – September 4, 1962)        
        

Brace Beemer became the third radio voice of the Lone
Ranger on April 18, 1941, after the death of Earle Graser 
and remained so until the series’ last new episode on
September 3, 1954. During the 13 years that Beemer
played the title character, he was required by contract
to restrict his radio acting to that one role until the
program left the air.    
    
    
    
    
    
   

The classic rags-to-riches story got a macho spin in the Oscar-
winning Rocky, which was written by its star, Sylvester Stallone,
and began filming on January 9, 1976. Stallone had his own rags-
to-riches tale: Born in the gritty Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood of
New York City, he was a juvenile delinquent who was kicked out
of a number of schools before he turned 15. After attending high
school in Philadelphia and studying drama at the University of
Miami, Stallone moved back to New York and later to Los Angeles,
with dreams of becoming an actor.

When shooting his famous jog through the streets of Philadelphia, Stallone pulled a tendon in his leg and
was taken to a nearby hospital in a wheelbarrow.

Most of the jogging scenes of Rocky jogging were
shot guerrilla-style, with no permits, no equipment,
and no extras. The entire movie w as shot in 28
days.

David Soul (David Richard Solberg)
(August 28, 1943 – January 4, 2024)

Actor David Soul,  the blond half of the TV crime-fighting duo
"Starsky and Hutch"who went on to become a successful pop
singer, has died.

Soul was a 3 pack a day smoker for fifty years. Although he
stopped smoking ten years prior, he was seriously affected
by COPD. He had also had a lung removed due to cancer.

Soul died in a London hospital, surrounded by family on
Thursday.   

1975