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Tony Burton is a Actor American born on 23 march 1937 at Flint (USA)

Tony Burton

Tony Burton
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Birth name Anthony Burton
Nationality USA
Birth 23 march 1937 at Flint (USA)
Death 25 february 2016 (at 78 years)

Anthony "Tony" Burton (born March 23, 1937) is an American actor. He is best known for his role as Tony "Duke" Evers in the Rocky series, and is one of four actors (along with Sylvester Stallone, Burt Young and real life commentator Stu Nahan) who have appeared in all six Rocky films.

Biography

Early life & football career
Burton was born in Flint, Michigan. A Flint Northern High School graduate, he was a Michigan Golden Gloves heavyweight boxing champion and two-time all-state football player.

At Northern he played halfback. In 1954 he scored 13 touchdowns and led his team in scoring. Many of the scoring runs were of 50 yards or more. He gained 820 yards rushing that year and one of his runs was for 95 yards. In 1954, he was selected to the first teams of the All City and All Valley teams as a halfback. He was also chosen as an All State honorable mention. He was the team's co-captain and Most Valuable Player. Tony led his team in yards gained and receiving yards. In one game against Grand Rapids Catholic, he gained 213 total yards.

At Northern, Tony was also the leading baseball pitcher, pitching the team to the city championship title.


Boxing career
His boxing career included the Flint Golden Gloves light heavyweight championship in 1955 and 1957. Burton won the State Golden Gloves Light Heavyweight Championship in 1957 and lost in the Chicago Tournament of Champions semi-finals. He fought as a professional boxer in 1958 and 1959. During that time he was knocked out by knockout artist Lamar Clark who holds the record for most consecutive knockouts at 44.


Prison
Life after boxing minus any marketable skills or a high school diploma proved a poor formula for success, and before long, Burton wound up in prison, doing three and a half years for robbery at the California Institution for Men in Chino, California. In the end, it proved a valuable experience, as Burton recounted to NEA's Frank Sanello in March 1988:


Prison for me was productive because I got my high school diploma and a degree from the University of California. But most important, I got myself together and found out who I was and how I could proceed without destroying myself.
More specifically, one of the skills acquired at Chino landed Burton his current wife, Rae, whom he met on a TV repair house call. Moreover, a workshop in the prison that used psychodrama as a form of therapy pointed Burton towards his current career, when an emotional breakthrough achieved by one of his partners in an acting exercise demonstrated dramatically theater's potential power, on both sides of the footlights.


Acting career
After prison, Burton started getting work with small theater companies in and around Los Angeles, garnering favorable notices early on.

A life member of The Actors Studio, Burton numbers among his many credits a co-starring role on the 1980s CBS comedy-drama Frank's Place and parts in films such as Hook, Stir Crazy, and The Toy. Burton is also known for his role as Wells, one of the prisoners trapped in the besieged police station, Precinct 9, Division 13, in John Carpenter's 1976, Howard Hawks-inspired action film Assault on Precinct 13. He also starred in the Rocky films as a trainer to Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) and Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone). He appeared in an episode of the NBC dramatic series Gibbsville in 1976.


Recognitions
In 1993, Burton was inducted into the Greater Flint Afro-American Hall of Fame. Burton also is known as a talented chess player. Master chess player Stanley Kubrick was defeated by him on the set of The Shining, in which Burton played Larry the garage owner. Speaking with Kubrick biographer Vincent LoButto, Burton recalled his first day on the set:


My contract was for a week. I just had two short scenes in the movie. I stayed for six weeks because Stanley and I were playing chess... Stanley was a stronger player than I but I was strong enough to give him sufficient struggle to where he enjoyed it. I beat him in the first or second game we played, and then I didn't win any more after that, but it was always a tight struggle. That's what he loved; I guess there was no one else around that played strong.
Personal life
He has been living in California for nearly 40 years. He is married and currently attends Immanuel Baptist Church in Highland, California.

Best films

Rocky IV (1985)
(Actor)
Rocky III (1982)
(Actor)
Rocky Balboa (2006)
(Actor)
Inside Moves (1980)
(Actor)

Usually with

Burt Young
Burt Young
(7 films)
Stu Nahan
Stu Nahan
(6 films)
Talia Shire
Talia Shire
(6 films)
Source : Wikidata

Filmography of Tony Burton (27 films)

Display filmography as list

Actor

Hack!
Hack! (2007)
, 1h29
Origin USA
Genres Comedy, Horror
Themes Films about films, Medical-themed films, Snuff films in fiction, Films about television, Serial killer films, Films about psychiatry
Actors Danica McKellar, Jay Johnson, William Forsythe, Tony Burton, Sean Kanan, Juliet Landau
Roles Sheriff Stoker
Rating41% 2.0604252.0604252.0604252.0604252.060425
On a small island, a man (Kane Hodder) is chased by an unseen figure. As he stops to catch his breath, he is decapitated by his pursuer. Meanwhile, a group of teenage college students, including the social outcast Emily (Danica McKellar), Emily's love interest Johnny (Jay Kenneth Johnson), the flamboyant homosexual Ricky (Justin Chon), jock Tim (Travis Schuldt), boyish lesbian Maddy (Adrienne Frantz), stoner Q (Won-G) and girly-girl Sylvia (Gabrielle Richens), are chosen to go on a field trip to a small island. The group, along with their teacher Mr. Argento (Mike Wittlin), meet Captain J.T. Bates (Burt Young) who takes them to the island on his boat. Here, the group meet the eccentric couple Vincent King (Sean Kanan) and Mary Shelley (Juliet Landau) who they will be staying with. Mary begins to film the group on her hand-held recorder, saying that she is an aspiring director.
Rocky Balboa, 1h42
Directed by Sylvester Stallone
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Action
Themes Sports films, Martial arts films, Boxing films, Le boxe anglaise
Actors Sylvester Stallone, Burt Young, Milo Ventimiglia, Geraldine Hughes, Tony Burton, Geraldine Hughes
Roles Tony 'Duke' Evers
Rating70% 3.548313.548313.548313.548313.54831
In 2006, Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) has been retired from boxing for twenty years and lives a quiet life as a widower. His wife Adrian Pennino Balboa (Talia Shire) had died from cancer four years earlier. He runs a small but very successful Italian restaurant named after her, where he regales his patrons with stories of his past. He also battles personal demons involving his grief over Adrian's death, the changing times, and his eroding relationship with his son Robert (Milo Ventimiglia), a struggling corporate employee. Paul "Paulie" Pennino (Burt Young), Rocky's brother-in-law and best friend, continues to keep by his side, but is tired of reliving the past.
Shade
Shade (2003)
, 1h41
Origin USA
Genres Thriller, Action, Crime
Themes Jeu, Films about magic and magicians, Poker, Heist films, Gangster films, Escroquerie
Actors Stuart Townsend, Sylvester Stallone, Melanie Griffith, Jamie Foxx, Paul Walker, Thandie Newton
Roles Fedora
Rating62% 3.14913.14913.14913.14913.1491
Many years ago, a young Dean is playing in a mob-run illegal underground poker game. The game is raided by robbers who order everyone to put up their hands. The Dean reluctantly does so, revealing the card he's concealed. Incensed, a fellow player grabs a gun and starts shooting, setting off a firefight that kills everyone in the club except the Dean and one of the mobsters. The two men point their guns at each other's heads.
Hook
Hook (1991)
, 2h24
Directed by Steven Spielberg
Origin USA
Genres Science fiction, Fantastic, Comedy, Fantasy, Adventure
Themes Films about animals, Films about magic and magicians, Seafaring films, Transport films, Pirate films, Mermaids in film, Les fées, Films about disabilities, Children's films
Actors Dustin Hoffman, Robin Williams, Julia Roberts, Bob Hoskins, Maggie Smith, Lisa Wilhoit
Roles Bill Jukes
Rating67% 3.3999753.3999753.3999753.3999753.399975
Peter Banning is a successful corporate lawyer who spends more time at work than with his wife Moira and children Jack and Maggie. The Bannings fly to London to visit Moira's grandmother, an older Wendy Darling, to celebrate her charity work for orphans, which once included Peter. During the visit, Peter is distracted by phone calls from his office and on one occasion, shouts at his children when they interrupt him, leading Moira to throw his cellphone out of an open window. Later, while Peter, Moira, and Wendy attend a banquet ceremony hosted by Great Ormond Street Hospital, a strange presence abducts Jack and Maggie. Tootles, another of Wendy's orphans who lives at her house, informs Peter that Captain Hook took the children to Neverland. Peter dismisses Tootles' warning and calls the police instead. With no sign of the children anywhere, Wendy informs Peter that he is actually Peter Pan and that he lost his memories of Neverland when he decided to stay in London with Wendy many years ago. Once again, Peter dismisses these claims and waits for the police to find his children.
House Party 2, 1h34
Directed by George Jackson
Origin USA
Genres Comedy, Romantic comedy, Musical, Romance
Themes Films about music and musicians, Hip hop films, Musical films, Buddy films
Actors Martin Lawrence, Christopher "Kid" Reid, Christopher Judge, Christopher "Play" Martin, Tisha Campbell-Martin, Iman
Roles Mr. Lee
Rating53% 2.651032.651032.651032.651032.65103
After Play gives Kid's college scholarship check to a con artist Sheila Landreaux posing as a record executive. Kid, Play, Bilal, Stab, Zilla,& Pee Wee go to the record company to cut and record a demo until the cops arrive and tell them don't give no money to Sheila, Kid and Play fight each other over the scholarship check. The con artists Sheila and Rick sweet talk,manipulate and trick Sydney's college roommate Zora into signing a record deal with them. Kid is doing a page assignment for Professor Sinclair while Play, Bilal, and Jamal are having fun with girls in Kid's dorm room. Kid is given one week by the dean (Dean Kramer) to pay his tuition fee or face being kicked out of college. The dean takes Kid's student ID, The deans assistant Miles helps Kid with an extension and a job in the kitchen working for Mr.Lee in order to stay in college and to make expenses meet. Kid steals the key to the faculty dining hall. In order to raise the money, Kid, Play, Bilal and Kid's roommate, Jamal secretly hold a pajama themed party for the students in the faculty dining hall to raise money for Kid to stay in college until Play sees the con artists and Kid sees Miles with Sydney. Kid, Play and campus security go upstairs to stop the con artists and Miles. Kid fights Miles on the faculty dining roof. The dean and the police comes in to stop the party. Play tells the dean where Kid's check went to the con artists, Rick and Sheila are arrested and Miles is arrested and fired from his job. The dean tells Kid,Play,Bilal and Jamal to clean up the faculty dining hall or they will face expulsion. Mr.Lee arrives and he is disappointed at Kid for throwing the party in the faculty dining hall without permission and threatens Kid until he gives the money to Mr.Lee for the damages. Kid goes to his pop's grave in the cemetery feeling down until Play arrives, Kid still mad at Play for the check and moves out of the college dorm until Play arrives with the tuition money and gives it to Kid and apologizes to him and they become friends, Kid moves back to his dorm to finish college. Meanwhile,Kid's former high school rivals Stab, Zilla & Pee Wee take jobs as campus security in order to make Kid's life miserable one more time as Kid tries to balance work and study along with his relationship with Sydney.
Rocky V
Rocky V (1990)
, 1h51
Directed by Sylvester Stallone, John G. Avildsen
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Action
Themes Sports films, Martial arts films, Boxing films, Le boxe anglaise
Actors Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Burt Young, Sage Stallone, Richard Gant, Burgess Meredith
Roles Tony 'Duke' Evers
Rating53% 2.654672.654672.654672.654672.65467
Shortly after Rocky Balboa's victory over Ivan Drago in Moscow, he, his wife Adrian, his brother-in-law Paulie, and his trainer Tony "Duke" Evers return to the U.S., where they are greeted by Rocky's son Robert. At a press conference, boxing promoter George Washington Duke attempts to goad Rocky into fighting his boxer Union Cane for the World Heavyweight Championship in Tokyo, but Rocky declines the offer. Upon returning home, it is discovered that Paulie unknowingly had Rocky sign a "power of attorney" over to Rocky's accountant, who had squandered all of his money on real estate deals gone sour; in addition, the accountant had failed to pay Rocky's taxes over the past six years, and the mansion is discovered to be unpaid by $400,000.
Side Out
Side Out (1990)
, 1h40
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Comedy, Romance
Actors C. Thomas Howell, Peter Horton, Courtney Thorne-Smith, Kathy Ireland, Tony Burton, Harley Jane Kozak
Roles Louie
Rating55% 2.7521252.7521252.7521252.7521252.752125
Monroe Clark moves to California to pursue a law career. At the airport he meets Wiley Hunter who offers him a drive to Monroe's uncle Max's house and it is not long before they become friends. Monroe then meets his Uncle Max to discuss how Monroe will earn money for law school. Max assigns Monroe the job of handing homeowners a "pay or quit" notice to either to vacate the premises or pay past rent due and to be back by 6 o'clock. Monroe handles some of the evictions until he meets Zack Barnes's "companion" after they engaged in sexual activities. Monroe meets Zack unknowingly after he tricks him that Zack is heading for the lifeguard station, only to lead him to his gambling agent who throws Monroe's suitcase into the ocean. Monroe then meets Samantha, who was the one who recovered his suitcase from the ocean. While Monroe is in California's beaches, he runs into Wiley, who shows Monroe the joys of living a carefree lifestyle and the popularity of volleyball. Wiley asks a nearby volleyball team consisted of Moothart and O'Bradovich to challenge the duo to a quick volleyball game.
You Ruined My Life, 1h40
Origin USA
Themes Children's films
Actors Soleil Moon Frye, Allen Garfield, Paul Reiser, Alison Sweeney, Mimi Rogers, Tony Burton
Roles Moustache
Rating6% 0.3210030.3210030.3210030.3210030.321003
You Ruined My Life is about 11-year-old Minerva (Soleil Moon Frye), a girl who lives in a Las Vegas casino with her Uncle Howie (Allen Garfield), who spoils her by giving her everything she wants. Minerva gets into trouble and her strict Aunt Hermione (Edith Fields) threatens to take her away. Dexter, a clever Mathematics professor,(Paul Reiser) finds out a foolproof way to cheat and win in blackjack, but he is caught. Dexter is burdened with a gigantic gambling debt. Uncle Howie makes sure Dexter tutors Minerva so she can gain admissions into a private school. It takes a while for this arrangement to work out between Dexter and Minerva, but finally they make great strides and Minerva amazingly learns everything very quickly. She runs away by herself to take the exam and pass. Meanwhile, Dexter and Uncle Howie's assistant Charlotte played by Mimi Rogers fall in love.
Armed and Dangerous, 1h28
Directed by Mark Lester, Mark L. Lester
Origin USA
Genres Thriller, Comedy, Action, Crime
Actors John Candy, Eugene Levy, Robert Loggia, Kenneth McMillan, Meg Ryan, Brion James
Roles Cappy
Rating57% 2.8502852.8502852.8502852.8502852.850285
Officer Frank Dooley (John Candy) of the LAPD is framed for the theft of a television set by two corrupt detectives (who Dooley had actually caught robbing an appliance store). He is dismissed from the force, but escapes criminal punishment at his day in court. The next case in the courtroom features hapless defense attorney Norman Kane (Eugene Levy) attempting to defend a Charles Manson-type white supremacist leader named Lawrence Lupik (Glenn Withrow), who threatens him with death should Kane fail to keep him out of prison. A fearful Kane reveals his ineptitude and the death threat to the judge (Stacy Keach, Sr.), who tells Kane that he will give Lupik "A sentence so long he won't even remember his own name, let alone yours" so long as Kane agrees to find another line of work with a "lot less responsibility".
Rocky IV
Rocky IV (1985)
, 1h31
Directed by Sylvester Stallone
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Action
Themes Politique, Sports films, Martial arts films, Boxing films, Political films, Le boxe anglaise, Robot films
Actors Sylvester Stallone, Dolph Lundgren, Burt Young, Talia Shire, Carl Weathers, Tony Burton
Roles Duke
Rating69% 3.4516253.4516253.4516253.4516253.451625
In 1985, Ivan Drago (Lundgren), a muscular 6-foot-5, 261-pound Soviet boxer, arrives in the United States with his wife Ludmilla (Nielsen), and a team of trainers from the USSR and Cuba. His manager, Nicolai Koloff (Pataki), takes every opportunity to promote Drago's athleticism as a hallmark of Soviet superiority. Motivated by patriotism and an innate desire to prove himself, Apollo Creed (Weathers) challenges Drago to an exhibition bout. Rocky (Stallone) has reservations, but agrees to train Apollo despite his misgivings about the fight. He asks Apollo whether the fight is against the Russian, or "you against you".
The Toy
The Toy (1982)
, 1h42
Directed by Richard Donner
Origin USA
Genres Comedy
Themes Films about children, Jeu, Films about toys, Buddy films
Actors Jackie Gleason, Richard Pryor, Ned Beatty, Wilfrid Hyde-White, Scott Schwartz, Teresa Ganzel
Rating58% 2.9001852.9001852.9001852.9001852.900185
Jack Brown (Pryor) is an unemployed newspaper reporter in Baton Rouge, Louisiana in danger of losing his house to the bank. After numerous unsuccessful attempts to get a job working for the local paper, the Bugle, he becomes so desperate that he ends up taking a job as a "cleaning lady" for wealthy U.S. Bates (Gleason), who owns the paper and many other businesses. Brown is humiliated as he clumsily attempts to serve food at a luncheon. He is fired, but lands a part-time job in a department store owned by Bates.
Rocky III
Rocky III (1982)
, 1h39
Directed by Sylvester Stallone
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Action
Themes Sports films, Martial arts films, Boxing films, Le boxe anglaise
Actors Mr. T, Carl Weathers, Talia Shire, Burt Young, Burgess Meredith, Tony Burton
Roles Tony 'Duke' Evers
Rating68% 3.400883.400883.400883.400883.40088
In the four and a half years since winning the world heavyweight title, Rocky Balboa has had a string of successful title defenses (10) and has seen his fame, wealth and celebrity increase. While unveiling a statue of himself at the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, Rocky is publicly challenged by James "Clubber" Lang (Mr. T), a ferocious new boxer rapidly climbing the ranks. Lang accuses Rocky of intentionally accepting challenges from lesser opponents, and after making a sexual remark toward Rocky's wife Adrian (Talia Shire), his challenge is accepted.
Stir Crazy
Stir Crazy (1980)
, 1h51
Directed by Sidney Poitier
Origin USA
Genres Comedy, Action
Themes Prison films, Buddy films
Actors Gene Wilder, JoBeth Williams, Richard Pryor, Georg Stanford Brown, Barry Corbin, Craig T. Nelson
Roles Guy who Punches Big Mean (uncredited)
Rating66% 3.348483.348483.348483.348483.34848
Writer Skip Donahue and actor Harry Monroe are fired from their jobs in New York, and leave for Hollywood. Along the way, they take odd jobs to make ends meet. During one such job in Arizona, Skip and Harry perform a song and dance routine dressed as woodpeckers as part of a promotion for a bank. While the duo is taking a break, two men steal the costumes and rob the bank. Harry and Skip are arrested, whisked through a speedy trial and handed 125-year jail sentences. Their court-appointed lawyer, Len Garber, advises them to wait until he can appeal their case.