Canadian filmmaker Ted Kotcheff, best know for directing Sylvester Stallone and introducing Vietnam War veteran John Rambo in the classic “First Blood,” along with directing the Nick Nolte sports film “North Dallas Forty,” has died. Kotcheff was 94.
Kotcheff died on Thursday. His passing was confirmed by his family to Canadian publication The Globe and Mail.
Kotcheff also directed hit comedies like 1989’s “Weekend at Bernie’s.”
Born in 1931, after beginning his career in Canadian television in the 1950s, Kotcheff broke out and gained international recognition with 1974’s “The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz,” starring Richard Dreyfuss. His 1971 Australian thriller “Wake in Fright” earned critical acclaim and was later rediscovered and celebrated at Cannes in 2009.
Kotcheff’s most commercially successful film was 1982’s “First Blood,” which introduced the world to John Rambo and launched a classic franchise. Despite the film’s success, Kotcheff passed on directing any sequels, citing his opposition to the Vietnam War.
“They offered me the first sequel, and after I read the script I said, ‘In the first film he doesn’t kill anybody. In this film he kills 75 people,’” Kotcheff said in a 2016 interview with Filmmaker Magazine.
“It seemed to be celebrating the Vietnam War, which I thought was one of the stupidest wars in history,” He added. “Fifty-five-thousand young Americans died and so many veterans committed suicide. I couldn’t turn myself inside out like that and make that kind of picture. Of course, I could have been a rich man today — that sequel made $300 million.”
Kotcheff’s other notable credits include “Fun With Dick and Jane,” which was his first American studio movie, “North Dallas Forty,” and “Uncommon Valor.” Kotcheff eventually transitioned to television, serving as executive producer on “Law & Order: SVU” for 13 seasons.
A documentary about his life, “The Apprenticeship of Ted Kotcheff,” narrated by Dreyfuss, is currently in development.
Kotcheff is survived by his two children, Thomas and Alexandra.
