Hollywood director Ted Kotcheff has died at the age of 94, leaving his family and fans in mourning.
Born in Toronto, the outstanding filmmaker, known for directing the iconic comedy Weekend at Bernie's and kick-starting the Rambo series with First Blood, died in Hospital Joya in Nuevo Nayarit, Mexico, while in the company of his loving family. Though his cause of death is still unknown, it is certain that the film industry has lost one of its cherished members.
His son, Thomas Kotcheff, broke the news of his father's death on Friday night, as quoted by TMZ, saying his father's end came "peacefully." Tributes have been pouring in from admirers far and wide. One heartfelt tribute read on X, "One of the great Canadian directors. RIP Ted."
Devoted followers also expressed their admiration, with one commenting, "Just watched First Blood last week, and viewed his comments in the special features. You could tell the guy loved making movies. Absolutely infectious commentary. RIP." Yet another added, "RIP Ted Kotcheff. One of the most artful and entertaining filmographies of the assignment directors of his era," while an additional fan shared, "Gone too soon."
Throughout a career filled with remarkable achievements, his most celebrated success remains the 1982 blockbuster First Blood starring Sylvester Stallone, who impeccably brought to life the character John Rambo under Ted's guidance. The film became the director's biggest box office hit, amassing over $125 million globally, yet he chose to distance himself from the subsequent sequels, despite their vast commercial triumphs.
"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,'" Ted told Filmmaker magazine in 2016. "It seemed to be celebrating the Vietnam War, which I thought was one of the stupidest wars in history."
He elaborated on his decision, saying, "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."
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Ted is also known for directing the 1989 hit comedy Weekend at Bernie's, featuring Andrew McCarthy and Jonathan Silverman, as well as directing the 1977 classic Fun with Dick and Jane, starring Jane Fonda and George Segal. Transitioning to television, Ted produced an impressive 13 seasons of the enduring series Law and Order: Special Victims Unit, which stars Mariska Hargitay as Olivia Benson and follows an elite squad of detectives from the NYPD.
Ted married Sylvia Kay in 1960 and together they had three children before their divorce in 1972. Sylvia passed away in January 2019, aged 82. Later, Ted married Laifun Chun, and the couple welcomed two children. His remarkable career and life are currently being chronicled in a documentary under production.
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