Rocky films trainer Tony Burton dies aged 78

Tony Burton, the veteran character actor best known for brief but memorable appearances as the no-nonsense trainer and corner man in the first six Rocky movies, has died aged 78. Burton's wife, Aurelian, said the actor died of pneumonia at a southern California hospital. Failing health had prevented him from appearing in Creed, the seventh Rocky movie. Sylvester Stallone is nominated for an Oscar for that film at Sunday's ceremony. In the first two Rocky movies, Burton is heavyweight champion Apollo Creed's trainer when Creed defends, and eventually loses, his title to Stallone's Rocky Balboa. In subsequent films, he becomes Rocky's corner man and confidant. Burton also appeared in dozens of other films and TV shows, including The Shining, Sanford And Son and The Rockford Files.

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