RIP "Duke": Rocky Star Tony Burton Apollo Creed Trainer Dead
- Thread starter HeathCliff
- Start date
'Rocky' Star Tony Burton Apollo Creed Trainer Dead
2/26/2016 3:39 AM PST BY TMZ STAFF
Breaking News
Tony Burton, one of only a handful of actors to appear in the 1st 6 installments of the "Rocky" franchise, has died.
Burton played Duke, Apollo Creed's trainer. Prior to acting he was himself a professional light heavyweight boxer and football player.
Burton was apparently ill and unable to see "Creed."
The actor also starred in "The Shining" and "Stir Crazy."
"Rocky" co-star Carl Weathers confirmed the death in a tweet, "RIP Tony Burton. intensity and talent helped make the Rocky movie successful #BePeace."
Burton was 78.
RIP
Was it a gaf on Carl Weathers part that at the 0:51 part of the above clip that he called him "Tony" (his real name) or was "Tony" another name "Duke" used in the "Rocky" series?
R.I.P.
Creed COULD have been and SHOULD have been his last best role..I posted this in the Creed thread last year..
A PROPER Creed story would have had him in LA..working with Creed's old corner man Duke Evers (Actor Tony Burton is still around in his 70s)
No opening title or music, we go right into the story of the young man who never knew his father but has the same drive and even tho he's a gifted fighter able to adapt and use many styles, he's modeled his fighting style after his father. The attitude, the trash talk and big personality BUT unlike Apollo he doesn't wear it easy, its obvious he's walking in his fathers shoes and he's successful, he's winning fights and bringing the name Creed back but deep down hes STILL troubled because its NOT HIM..its his father. He's successful until he gets to that one opponent he can't beat..Apollo's style and tactics doesn't work on him and Adonis not only suffers his first lost but a Ronda Rousey type lost. With the rematch scheduled his gotta find HIMSELF if he wants to have any chance of beating this guy. Nothing in Apollo's bag of tricks can help him this time.
At the midpoint of the story he has a heart to heart with Apollos wife and she tells him about his father (this gives more meat to Phyllicia Rashad who was underused IMO) then he talks to his corner man Duke, then to his girlfriend who tells him to be himself this is intercut with the training session with duke who telling him pointers on his fathers style.
During the rematch in the 3rd act it plays out very similar to the movie where both fighters are trading blows until Adonis gets knocked down late in the fight. He gets to his feet before the 10 count and goes to his corner where Duke is freaking out because Apollo died like this and it looks like history repeating itself. Adonis just closes his eyes and we see flashbacks of Apollo, his wife, Duke and his girlfriend telling to find himself and the bell rings and the final round starts and Adonis switches from his father's style and tactics to something else and throughout the round scores major blows ending in a knock out of his nemesis. Then we go to the epilogue where Adonis is in Philly and he goes into the Italian restaurant Adrian's and Rocky comes out and they talk. Rocky compliments him on his win and says he was wondering when he was going to stop being Apollo and start being himself. And Adonis asks Rocky who won the secret 3rd fight between them and Rocky looks at the picture of them on the wall, looks down then looks at Apollo's son and says "Well if you must know...." and just as he's about to say it we cut to black, and in big letters we see the word CREED (the first time we see the title of the movie)...credits roll..
His own music and style...not rocky's, living his own life not rocky's...if he has a surrogate father figure its Duke, not rocky. And Tony Burton and Phylicia Rashad would have had much fuller roles. Thats what Creed should have been.
A PROPER Creed story would have had him in LA..working with Creed's old corner man Duke Evers (Actor Tony Burton is still around in his 70s)
No opening title or music, we go right into the story of the young man who never knew his father but has the same drive and even tho he's a gifted fighter able to adapt and use many styles, he's modeled his fighting style after his father. The attitude, the trash talk and big personality BUT unlike Apollo he doesn't wear it easy, its obvious he's walking in his fathers shoes and he's successful, he's winning fights and bringing the name Creed back but deep down hes STILL troubled because its NOT HIM..its his father. He's successful until he gets to that one opponent he can't beat..Apollo's style and tactics doesn't work on him and Adonis not only suffers his first lost but a Ronda Rousey type lost. With the rematch scheduled his gotta find HIMSELF if he wants to have any chance of beating this guy. Nothing in Apollo's bag of tricks can help him this time.
At the midpoint of the story he has a heart to heart with Apollos wife and she tells him about his father (this gives more meat to Phyllicia Rashad who was underused IMO) then he talks to his corner man Duke, then to his girlfriend who tells him to be himself this is intercut with the training session with duke who telling him pointers on his fathers style.
During the rematch in the 3rd act it plays out very similar to the movie where both fighters are trading blows until Adonis gets knocked down late in the fight. He gets to his feet before the 10 count and goes to his corner where Duke is freaking out because Apollo died like this and it looks like history repeating itself. Adonis just closes his eyes and we see flashbacks of Apollo, his wife, Duke and his girlfriend telling to find himself and the bell rings and the final round starts and Adonis switches from his father's style and tactics to something else and throughout the round scores major blows ending in a knock out of his nemesis. Then we go to the epilogue where Adonis is in Philly and he goes into the Italian restaurant Adrian's and Rocky comes out and they talk. Rocky compliments him on his win and says he was wondering when he was going to stop being Apollo and start being himself. And Adonis asks Rocky who won the secret 3rd fight between them and Rocky looks at the picture of them on the wall, looks down then looks at Apollo's son and says "Well if you must know...." and just as he's about to say it we cut to black, and in big letters we see the word CREED (the first time we see the title of the movie)...credits roll..
His own music and style...not rocky's, living his own life not rocky's...if he has a surrogate father figure its Duke, not rocky. And Tony Burton and Phylicia Rashad would have had much fuller roles. Thats what Creed should have been.
Creed approached dukes son at the beginning..lil duke.. That's when he got his ass beat in that sparring match..Creed COULD have been and SHOULD have been his last best role..I posted this in the Creed thread last year..
A PROPER Creed story would have had him in LA..working with Creed's old corner man Duke Evers (Actor Tony Burton is still around in his 70s)
No opening title or music, we go right into the story of the young man who never knew his father but has the same drive and even tho he's a gifted fighter able to adapt and use many styles, he's modeled his fighting style after his father. The attitude, the trash talk and big personality BUT unlike Apollo he doesn't wear it easy, its obvious he's walking in his fathers shoes and he's successful, he's winning fights and bringing the name Creed back but deep down hes STILL troubled because its NOT HIM..its his father. He's successful until he gets to that one opponent he can't beat..Apollo's style and tactics doesn't work on him and Adonis not only suffers his first lost but a Ronda Rousey type lost. With the rematch scheduled his gotta find HIMSELF if he wants to have any chance of beating this guy. Nothing in Apollo's bag of tricks can help him this time.
At the midpoint of the story he has a heart to heart with Apollos wife and she tells him about his father (this gives more meat to Phyllicia Rashad who was underused IMO) then he talks to his corner man Duke, then to his girlfriend who tells him to be himself this is intercut with the training session with duke who telling him pointers on his fathers style.
During the rematch in the 3rd act it plays out very similar to the movie where both fighters are trading blows until Adonis gets knocked down late in the fight. He gets to his feet before the 10 count and goes to his corner where Duke is freaking out because Apollo died like this and it looks like history repeating itself. Adonis just closes his eyes and we see flashbacks of Apollo, his wife, Duke and his girlfriend telling to find himself and the bell rings and the final round starts and Adonis switches from his father's style and tactics to something else and throughout the round scores major blows ending in a knock out of his nemesis. Then we go to the epilogue where Adonis is in Philly and he goes into the Italian restaurant Adrian's and Rocky comes out and they talk. Rocky compliments him on his win and says he was wondering when he was going to stop being Apollo and start being himself. And Adonis asks Rocky who won the secret 3rd fight between them and Rocky looks at the picture of them on the wall, looks down then looks at Apollo's son and says "Well if you must know...." and just as he's about to say it we cut to black, and in big letters we see the word CREED (the first time we see the title of the movie)...credits roll..
His own music and style...not rocky's, living his own life not rocky's...if he has a surrogate father figure its Duke, not rocky. And Tony Burton and Phylicia Rashad would have had much fuller roles. Thats what Creed should have been.
yeah I know..then he went to a white man for help and that white man alone gets an oscar nom..but thats another thread. The way I posted gives shine and props to Duke..something that would have been fitting considering todays news..
RIP
Rest in Peace to the elder man, didn't know he was from Flint too....I wanted to see him in Creed so bad that shit woulda made it even more fire.
"NO PAIN, NO PAIN, NO PAIN"
"YOU SEE HE'S A MAN! YOU HURT HIM! YOU CUT HIM!"
"YOU GOT TO PUNCH AND PUNCH TILL YOU CANT PUNCH NO MORE!!! THIS IS YA WHOLE LIFE HERE!!!"
OG brought the fire up outta niggas man!
"NO PAIN, NO PAIN, NO PAIN"
"YOU SEE HE'S A MAN! YOU HURT HIM! YOU CUT HIM!"
"YOU GOT TO PUNCH AND PUNCH TILL YOU CANT PUNCH NO MORE!!! THIS IS YA WHOLE LIFE HERE!!!"
OG brought the fire up outta niggas man!
He was SO GANGSTA in this scene! An intense actor, so underrated. Was waiting to see him in Creed...
RIP brother!
I remember this cat man RIP.
I don't want yo money , I want to kick yo ass!
RIP...."There is no tomorrow!"....Need to start living the quote...
R.I.P
R.I.P.
In the movies his name is Tony "Duke" Evers.
Rest in peace & condolences to his family.
Rest peacefully....
RIP O.G growing up I always thought he was exactly what a boxing trainer was supposed to look like. He definitely was an inspiration in the Rocky series and one hell of an actor.
