‘Rocky’ actor Tony Burton has died.
The 78-year-old actor – best known as Apollo Creed’s trainer Tony ‘Duke’ Evers, in the first six ‘Rocky’ movies alongside Sylvester Stallone – passed away on Thursday (25.02.16), his sister Loretta Kelley, confirmed to MLive.com.
Loretta revealed her brother had been admitted to hospital many times recently but had not yet been diagnosed.
Because of his ill-health he didn’t take part in the latest ‘Rocky’ movie, the Oscar-nominated ‘Creed’, which tells the story of Apollo’s son.
Loretta said: "There’s a scene in the restaurant of that movie where his picture is on the wall. We didn’t talk about ‘Rocky’ a lot. I mean we were excited, but other people were more excited. Whenever he would come home other people would just come over."
Co-star Carl Weathers took to Twitter to pay tribute, writing: "Sad news. RIP Tony Burton. His intensity and talent helped make the Rocky movies successful. #BePeace (sic)."
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."
Rocky actor Tony Burton dead at 78
