Remembering Carl Weathers

It is one of my fondest memories of Calgary Expo, or Comic Con as it is called by many people. I got to meet one of my favourite actors, talk to him, get his autograph and a picture taken with him, then hear some genuine pearls of wisdom.

I will never forget the day I met Carl Weathers almost two years ago.

Especially now.

I heard he passed away two days ago at the age of 76.

Pre-history
Weathers is best known for playing Apollo Creed in the first four “Rocky” movies, the title character in “Action Jackson”, and parts in “Predator” and “Happy Gilmore”. On TV he had major roles in “The Defiant Ones”, a TV movie, as well as series such as “Fortune Dane”, “Tour of Duty”, “Street Justice”, “In the Heat of the Night”, “Chicago Justice”, and “Arrested Development”. Most recently he was in “The Mandalorian”, garnering a Primetime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series.

He was also a former pro football player with the Oakland Raiders and B.C. Lions.

Picture perfect
Two years ago Carl Weathers came to Calgary Expo and I immediately bought a photo op with him. He was pretty much exactly what I expected when my spouse and I stood on either side of him for a photo. He was about the same height I am, which is about six feet and three inches, and he was still muscular and in good shape. I could not believe he was approaching his mid-70s.

Up close and personal
Getting autographs is different from photo ops. With autographs, you stand in line, while the celebrity sits at the front behind a table. Beside him or her is their “handler” who takes the money, because it is all cash only. You can bring something for the celebrity to sign. Alternatively, there is usually a selection of glossy photographs you can choose from to get signed. It costs the same, and I don’t have anything of my own to sign, so I always get the glossy photo. Besides, I can choose a photo that represents what I remember the celebrity best in.

For Carl Weathers the choice was simple – Apollo Creed.

As you wait for an autograph, when you pay and choose the photo, the “handler” will often ask what you want the message to be. They either write it on a post-it note or let you write it. Then they will place the photo and the note in front of the celebrity.

Signed, sealed, delivered
From the time we left Claresholm for Calgary I thought about what I wanted that message to be.

I kept coming back to one thing.

There is a scene in “Rocky III” where Rocky Balboa is on the verge of giving up in his quest to beat Clubber Lang and re-gain the World Heavyweight Boxing Championship. He is jogging on the beach with Apollo Creed, his trainer and friend. Suddenly Rocky just stops and mutters, “We’ll do it tomorrow.”

Apollo looks him in the eye and yells, “There is no tomorrow.”

Now was their time.

I have used that as a life lesson many times. I have also used that movie to motivate myself many times, including the beginning of every summer slow-pitch season when I was still in university.

So, that’s what I had Carl Weathers inscribe on the photo of Apollo Creed.

He said amen to that.

I told him it was one of my favourite movies.

Then, I noticed not much of a line behind me, so I thought I’d ask him a question.

“Anybody ever ask you about ‘Fortune Dane’?” It was a show that lasted five episodes in 1986.

Matter of factly he replied, “A couple times a year.”

“What was it like acting with Adolph Caesar?” I asked.

He was a storied Black actor who had starred in Shakespeare, was nominated for an Academy Award for “A Soldier’s Story”, and whose last role was playing Fortune Dane’s father opposite Carl Weathers. He died at the age of 52.

Weathers looked me in the eye and said, “It was an honour. He was taken far too young.”

Then he shook my hand.

“I appreciate you man,” he said.

I still get goose bumps when I think of that.

Words of wisdom
Another part of Calgary Expo is the panel. There are panels that present information on a particular topic, and celebrity panels where the celebrity appears on stage. Sometimes they are alone, talk for a bit and answer questions. Sometimes they go directly to questions, and sometimes there is someone with them on stage to kind of chat and interview them.

I will never forget Carl Weathers’ panel because he provided two pearls of wisdom I still think about.

He talked about his time as a professional football player with the B.C. Lions, and his lengthy acting career. Then he said something that really struck me.

Every day, before he goes to work he asks himself, “What can I learn today?”

If that wasn’t enough, he said something even more profound: “Luck is visited on those who are prepared.”

What does that mean? For example, if you write a script, and you have it with you, if you run into a director by luck – you can give them your script. If you are not prepared, it is just a missed opportunity.

So, when I was telling my spouse about this later in the day she smiled.

A friend of ours had written a script that she pictured actor Elijah Wood in. Well Elijah Wood was going to be at Comic Con, so she brought her script with her. She met him later that same day and gave him the script, and he took it.

Luck is visited on those who are prepared.

Parting thoughts
This may be a first for me. I blogged about a favourite actor of mine, then met in him in person. Now I am eulogizing him.

I guess what makes his death affect me more than a lot of celebrity deaths, even of favourite actors, writers, directors, musicians, and leaders, is that I actually met Carl Weathers and he was so nice to me.

That, above any role, will be my lasting memory of Carl Weathers.

For that, I will be eternally grateful.

Rest in peace Carl. I hope you run into Adolph Caesar up there too.