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Polybius

(21,782 posts)
Tue Mar 3, 2026, 05:27 AM Tuesday

Bo Gritz, Green Beret Who Inspired Sylvester Stallone's 'Rambo', Dead at 87

Source: Yahoo! News

Bo Gritz, also known as James Gordon Gritz, has died at the age of 87, according to his wife. The Green Beret and Vietnam War veteran was a major inspiration for Sylvester Stallone's character of John Rambo in the 1992 movie First Blood.

According to TMZ, Gritz's wife confirmed he had died on Friday, Feb.27, at their Sandy Valley home in Nevada. His cause of death has not officially been confirmed, with his wife having previosly documenting his health battles and cancer diagnosis.

His wife posted on social media days before that she had taken Gritz back to their home from the hospital after a recent diagnosis. She claims Gritz had always said he wanted to die in Sandy Valley, where he's lived for 45 years.

Read more: https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/bo-gritz-green-beret-inspired-181548393.html



I remember him from Ruby Ridge.
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Bo Gritz, Green Beret Who Inspired Sylvester Stallone's 'Rambo', Dead at 87 (Original Post) Polybius Tuesday OP
He also... 2naSalit Tuesday #1
he also ran for president a few times Eugene Tuesday #2
He mostly... 2naSalit Tuesday #4
Now that's a blast from the past Rastapopoulos Tuesday #3
david duke considered gritz as a vp candidate in 1988. rampartd Tuesday #5
Good Riddance n/t gay texan Tuesday #6
Could you understand what he was saying? twodogsbarking Tuesday #7
Stallone turned into a moron - was it because of this character? mdbl Tuesday #8
Stallone is an actor PCB66 Tuesday #9
I wouldn't agree with "not anything noteworthy" besides Rocky 1 Polybius Tuesday #10
Cop Land is a worthwhile film. nt miyazaki Tuesday #11

2naSalit

(101,898 posts)
1. He also...
Tue Mar 3, 2026, 06:47 AM
Tuesday

Ran for office in Idaho a couple times as a libertarian. He got some votes because, well, it's Idaho.

Eugene

(67,033 posts)
2. he also ran for president a few times
Tue Mar 3, 2026, 07:08 AM
Tuesday

I never heard of him until I got a direct mailing in 1984.

2naSalit

(101,898 posts)
4. He mostly...
Tue Mar 3, 2026, 08:04 AM
Tuesday

Ran for president. I think he only ran for statewide office once somewhere in there. I didn't pay a lot of attention to him since he didn't have a real chance at anything. It was only interesting that he got enough votes to make it onto the news for a few weeks.

Rastapopoulos

(743 posts)
3. Now that's a blast from the past
Tue Mar 3, 2026, 07:48 AM
Tuesday

I remember when he ran for president in the 1992 election. He probably took a few votes from GHW Bush.

rampartd

(4,478 posts)
5. david duke considered gritz as a vp candidate in 1988.
Tue Mar 3, 2026, 08:06 AM
Tuesday

according to wikipedia......

"After meeting Duke, Gritz described him as "a brash, untraveled, overly opinionated, bigoted young man" and declared, "I will not support anyone that I know to hate any class of Americans."[30]"

i'm trying to remember his involvement in the iran hostage rescue attempt if anyone has that memory.

PCB66

(107 posts)
9. Stallone is an actor
Tue Mar 3, 2026, 11:04 AM
Tuesday

He did great in the first Rocky. Not anything noteworthy besides that.

In the book that First Blood was based upon the real hero was the Sheriff.

Polybius

(21,782 posts)
10. I wouldn't agree with "not anything noteworthy" besides Rocky 1
Tue Mar 3, 2026, 02:10 PM
Tuesday

Rocky 2, 3 and 4 were still very good movies. First Blood was also excellent, although as you mentioned, it differed considerably from the book.

Granted, he's no Arnold though.

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