Ted Kotcheff, the acclaimed director, who introduced moviegoers to Sylvester Stallone’s traumatised Vietnam War veteran John Rambo in First Blood, has died at the age of 94 his family confirmed to The Globe and Mail, a publication in his native Canada. First Blood, released in 1982, spawned the Rambo movie franchise which now boasts five movies. But Kotcheff moved on to lighter fare helming many comedies including the iconic and much pariodied Weekend at Bernie’s in 1989. He did double duties on that movie also playing the father of Jonathan Silverman's character Richard.
Devastated fans took to social media to share their sadness at his death. "'Weekend at Rambo's' would've made a great mash-up. RIP," one quipped. "RIP Ted Kotcheff. You wouldn't expect a subgenre to produce one of its stone classics 10+ years in on a film fad. But that's exactly what director Kotcheff did with FIRST BLOOD," another penned.
"Weekend at Bernie's and First Blood, despite their importance to popular culture, are films that many people frown upon. And they are excellent films, each in their own genre," a third chimed in.
A fourth shared a news report of his death and wrote: "Just rewatched FIRST BLOOD for the umpteenth time this week. Ted Kotcheff, thank you for directing one of the most influential action films ever made."
"RIP Ted Kotcheff. WAKE IN FRIGHT is one of the most uncomfortable film-watching experiences I've had, and that has nothing to do with the justly infamous kangaroo hunt scene, because strictly speaking you couldn't say I watched that part," a fifth recalled.
A sixth commented: "RIP the great Ted Kotcheff thank you for all the greatness, sir - godspeed..."
Ted began his career in Canadian television and also enjoyed a stint working in the U.K. industry. His breakthrough came with the 1971 Australian thriller Wake in Fright and also his 1974 feature The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz. Starring a yet to break through Richard Dreyfuss it took home the Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival and earned an Academy Award nomination for best adapted screenplay for the writers and put Ted on the US filmmaking map.
He scored a Hollywood box office hit with the marital bank heist satire Fun With Dick and Jane, starring George Segal and Jane Fonda, and the football insider drama North Dallas Forty, starring Nick Nolte before taking the helm of First Blood.The film was Ted's largest commercial success and the 13th-highest-grossing release of its year.
Describing his filmmaking ethos to Variety in 2014 he said: “I am not the judge of my characters, and that became part of my artistic credo. That’s how I approach all of my characters.”
Ted never directed a theatrical feature after the turn of the century but found a whole new audience in television directing TV movies and serving as an executive producer of Law & Order: SVU for over a decade. In 2011, he was awarded the lifetime achievement award by the Directors Guild of Canada.
