Rocky actor Tony Burton has died at the age of 78.
Burton, a former boxer, was best known for playing “Duke,” Apollo Creed’s trainer, in the first six installments of the Rocky franchise alongside Sylvester Stallone and Carl Weathers. Weathers tweeted about the news on Thursday, Feb. 25. “@E_Woodyard @TheSlyStallone Sad news. RIP Tony Burton,” Weathers, 68, wrote. “His intensity and talent helped make the Rocky movies successful. #BePeace.”
His former classmate, Gerald Moore, added, ”It’s just like someone in my own family passed. Whenever we got together we would reminisce on old times.”
Meanwhile, Burton’s younger sister, Loretta Kelley, confirmed the news late Thursday telling MLive.com that her brother had been in and out of the hospital over the past year but never received an official diagnosis. Due to his failing health, Kelly revealed that Burton wasn’t able to see Creed, which centered on Rocky Balboa’s rival’s son.
“There’s a scene in the restaurant of that movie [Creed] where his picture is on the wall,” Kelley told the Michigan publication. “We didn’t talk about [Rocky] a lot. I mean we were excited, but other people were more excited. Whenever he would come home [to Michigan] other people would just come over.”
Burton graduated from Flint Northern High School in 1955, becoming an all-star football and baseball player. He went on to appear in the Rocky franchise, as well as The Shining, Stir Crazy, Assault on Precinct 13 and The Toy and Hook. His TV credits included appearances in “The A-Team,” “NYPD Blue,” “Kojak” and “Twin Peaks.” With his last role being Sheriff Stoker in 2007’s Hack!.
Prior to his death, Burton had been living in California with his wife, Rae. In 2014, his son Martin died of a heart attack at the age of 43. He is lost but never forgotten.
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