Ted Kotcheff, ‘First Blood’ and ‘Weekend at Bernie’s’ Director, Dies at 94

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94-year-old film director Ted Kotcheff, known for introducing audiences to Sylvester Stallone’s character John Rambo in “First Blood” and for directing comedies like “Weekend at Bernie’s,” “Fun With Dick and Jane,” and “The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz,” passed away on Thursday.

His death was confirmed by his family to Canadian publication The Globe and Mail.

Following his start in Canadian television and experience in the British film sector, director Kotcheff achieved prominence with his 1974 movie “The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz,” a screen adaptation of Mordechai Richler’s 1959 novel of the same name. This production, featuring the up-and-coming actor Richard Dreyfuss in the title role, won the Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival and received an Oscar nomination for best adapted screenplay (shared by Richler and Lionel Chetwynd). These accolades paved the way for Kotcheff’s entrance into the American film industry.

In the vibrant world of Tinseltown, I’ve had the privilege of overseeing projects that struck a chord with audiences, such as the witty marital spoof “Fun With Dick and Jane,” graced by the presence of George Segal and Jane Fonda, and the gripping football saga “North Dallas Forty,” featuring the charismatic Nick Nolte. However, it was in 1982 that I collaborated with a true cinematic powerhouse – Sylvester Stallone – on a project that has left an indelible mark on cinema: “First Blood.” This seminal post-Vietnam drama served as a poignant exploration of a tormented, war-weary soldier, who, driven to the brink by small-town law enforcement, unleashed a form of guerrilla warfare on America’s quiet Pacific Northwest heartland.

Despite its creepy reputation and lack of focus on spectacle suggested by the gun-wielding poster, “First Blood” established Sylvester Stallone (who also co-wrote the script) as a renowned American action star and provided him with another iconic character, alongside Rocky Balboa. This film not only catapulted Stallone to fame but also marked Kotcheff’s most successful commercial venture. It ranked as the 13th highest-grossing film of its year and sparked an action franchise, with four additional installments, one of which was released as recently as 2019.

More to come…

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2025-04-11 23:20