Current:Home > BackO. J. Simpson's top moments off the field (and courtroom), from Hertz ads to 'Naked Gun'-LoTradeCoin
O. J. Simpson's top moments off the field (and courtroom), from Hertz ads to 'Naked Gun'
View Date:2024-12-23 18:44:11
O.J. Simpson, the former football star who was accused, tried and ultimately acquitted for the murders of ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman, but later convicted of armed robbery, died of prostate cancer at 76, his family confirmed Thursday.
"Our father, Orenthal James Simpson, succumbed to his battle with cancer," a post on social media said. "He was surrounded by his children and grandchildren. During this time of transition, his family asks that you please respect their wishes for privacy and grace."
Simpson, whose legacy was defined by that infamous 1995 trial, rose to fame as a star football player and parlayed it into a career as a movie actor and commercial spokesman, shaping pop culture in many ways and often as the butt of jokes. Here are some of his most memorable moments from the world of film and TV.
The Ford Bronco chase and murder trial
In one of the most infamous televised moments in American history, news stations carried live coverage of police pursuing Simpson in a Ford Bronco on June 17, 1994, following the murders. Simpson's subsequent trial in 1995 received widespread national attention and extensive TV coverage. He was acquitted, but later imprisoned on unrelated armed robbery and kidnapping charges related to memorabilia he claimed was stolen from his home.
'The Naked Gun,' 'The Towering Inferno' and more
Simpson became famous as a Heisman Trophy-winning player for USC and the running back for the Buffalo Bills. But even before he retired from the NFL in 1979, he had an acting career and as early as 1968 appeared in uncredited roles in episodes of "Ironside" and "Dragnet," according to IMDB.
Perhaps his most memorable role was as Detective Nordberg in the "Naked Gun" comedy films, which saw him engage in plenty of slapstick opposite star Leslie Nielsen. Simpson appeared in all three movies from 1988 to 1994; the third and final film was released the year of the murders.
Simpson also appeared on "Roots" and starred in the 1974 disaster movie "The Towering Inferno." In the latter, he played security officer Jernigan and memorably saved a cat.
In 1994, NBC shelved a pilot for a TV series called "Frogmen" that would have starred Simpson, as the murder investigation continued, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Hertz car rental commercials
In the 1970s, Simpson burnished his celebrity starring in commercials for Hertz, which showed the athlete sprinting through airports to quickly rent a car. By 1976, The New York Times reported he was making between $100,000 and $250,000 a year from the endorsements.
The Hertz commercials were so ubiquitous that they were spoofed by "Saturday Night Live" when Simpson hosted in 1978. In the sketch, Simpson attempts to pick up a car, only to be told it was rented to NFL star Walter Payton, who "had a better season."
Norm Macdonald's Weekend Update jokes
"Saturday Night Live" Weekend Update host Norm Macdonald was famous for his constant mockery of Simpson on the show. Following Simpson's acquittal in his 1995 murder trial, Macdonald announced, "Well, it is finally official: Murder is legal in the state of California." These jokes were later said to have resulted in Macdonald's removal as anchor of Weekend Update at the request of Don Ohlmeyer, a top NBC executive who was friends with Simpson.
Simpson's prank show 'Juiced'
In 2006, he hosted "Juiced," a pay-per-view prank show that saw him declare to participants, in a play on his NFL nickname the Juice, that they have "been juiced."
'The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story' and 'Made in America'
Simpson's murder trial was dramatized in the first season of Ryan Murphy's FX anthology series "American Crime Story," which starred Cuba Gooding Jr. as Simpson, in 2016. The show won nine Emmys, including best limited series.
Also in 2016, Simpson's life was chronicled in the ESPN "30 for 30" documentary "O.J.: Made in America," which won the Academy Award for best documentary feature film.
The Fox interview
In 2018, Fox aired a special titled "O.J. Simpson: The Lost Confession?" featuring a 2006 interview with Simpson describing a "hypothetical" explanation for the 1994 murders. It was originally tied to the book "If I Did It: Confessions of the Killer."
"I think he's confessed to murder," attorney Christopher Darden argued at the time. "I don't think there's any question that he's the person who's wielding the knife. … This is no hypothetical. This is reality."
The 'Who Is America?' appearance
Also in 2018, Simpson appeared in the final scene of Sacha Baron Cohen's Showtime series "Who Is America?," in which the "Borat" star pranked numerous famous figures while in character.
In the scene, Cohen attempted to lower Simpson's guard so that he would confess to the murders of Nicole and Ron. Though Simpson did not do so, he laughed along as Cohen's character described wanting to murder his girlfriend.
Contributing: Steve Gardner, USA TODAY
veryGood! (54374)
Related
- What is ‘Doge’? Explaining the meme and cryptocurrency after Elon Musk's appointment to D.O.G.E.
- How Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher Keep Pulling Off the Impossible for a Celebrity Couple
- How Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher Keep Pulling Off the Impossible for a Celebrity Couple
- As SpaceX Grows, So Do Complaints From Environmentalists, Indigenous Groups and Brownsville Residents
- AP Top 25: Oregon remains No. 1 as Big Ten grabs 4 of top 5 spots; Georgia, Miami out of top 10
- Warming Trends: A Possible Link Between Miscarriages and Heat, Trash-Eating Polar Bears and a More Hopeful Work of Speculative Climate Fiction
- The debt ceiling deadline, German economy, and happy workers
- In An Unusual Step, a Top Medical Journal Weighs in on Climate Change
- Joel Embiid injury, suspension update: When is 76ers star's NBA season debut?
- BaubleBar 4th of July Sale: These $10 Deals Are Red, White and Cute
Ranking
- Queen Bey and Yale: The Ivy League university is set to offer a course on Beyoncé and her legacy
- Tracking the impact of U.S.-China tensions on global financial institutions
- MTV News shut down as Paramount Global cuts 25% of its staff
- These Clergy Are Bridging the Gap Between Religion and Climate
- Can't afford a home? Why becoming a landlord might be the best way to 'house hack.'
- Proponents Say Storing Captured Carbon Underground Is Safe, But States Are Transferring Long-Term Liability for Such Projects to the Public
- Elon Musk picks NBC advertising executive as next Twitter CEO
- Blast Off With These Secrets About Apollo 13
Recommendation
-
Republican Gabe Evans ousts Democratic US Rep. Yadira Caraveo in Colorado
-
Why does the U.S. have so many small banks? And what does that mean for our economy?
-
Daniel Radcliffe Reveals Sex of His and Erin Darke’s First Baby
-
Should EPA Back-Off Pollution Controls to Help LNG Exports Replace Russian Gas in Germany?
-
AI could help scale humanitarian responses. But it could also have big downsides
-
Find Out What the Stars of Secret Life of the American Teenager Are Up to Now
-
Cue the Fireworks, Kate Spade’s 4th of July Deals Are 75% Off
-
Coach 4th of July Deals: These Handbags Are Red, White and Reduced 60% Off