Latest Breaking News

Polybius

(21,775 posts) Tue Mar 3, 2026, 05:27 AM Yesterday

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.

11 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Bo Gritz, Green Beret Who Inspired Sylvester Stallone's 'Rambo', Dead at 87 (Original Post) Polybius Yesterday OP

He also... 2naSalit Yesterday #1

he also ran for president a few times Eugene Yesterday #2

He mostly... 2naSalit Yesterday #4

Now that's a blast from the past Rastapopoulos Yesterday #3

david duke considered gritz as a vp candidate in 1988. rampartd Yesterday #5

Good Riddance n/t gay texan Yesterday #6

Could you understand what he was saying? twodogsbarking Yesterday #7

Stallone turned into a moron - was it because of this character? mdbl Yesterday #8

Stallone is an actor PCB66 Yesterday #9

I wouldn't agree with "not anything noteworthy" besides Rocky 1 Polybius 21 hrs ago #10

Cop Land is a worthwhile film. nt miyazaki 21 hrs ago #11

2naSalit

(101,873 posts)

1. He also...

Reply to Polybius (Original post)

Tue Mar 3, 2026, 06:47 AM

Yesterday

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

Eugene

(67,029 posts)

2. he also ran for president a few times

Reply to 2naSalit (Reply #1)

Tue Mar 3, 2026, 07:08 AM

Yesterday

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

2naSalit

(101,873 posts)

4. He mostly...

Reply to Eugene (Reply #2)

Tue Mar 3, 2026, 08:04 AM

Yesterday

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

Reply to Polybius (Original post)

Tue Mar 3, 2026, 07:48 AM

Yesterday

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

rampartd

(4,476 posts)

5. david duke considered gritz as a vp candidate in 1988.

Reply to Polybius (Original post)

Tue Mar 3, 2026, 08:06 AM

Yesterday

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.

gay texan

(3,197 posts)

6. Good Riddance n/t

Reply to Polybius (Original post)

Tue Mar 3, 2026, 08:08 AM

Yesterday

twodogsbarking

(18,329 posts)

7. Could you understand what he was saying?

Reply to Polybius (Original post)

Tue Mar 3, 2026, 08:28 AM

Yesterday

mdbl

(8,496 posts)

8. Stallone turned into a moron - was it because of this character?

Reply to Polybius (Original post)

Tue Mar 3, 2026, 08:42 AM

Yesterday

PCB66

(105 posts)

9. Stallone is an actor

Reply to mdbl (Reply #8)

Tue Mar 3, 2026, 11:04 AM

Yesterday

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

(21,775 posts)

10. I wouldn't agree with "not anything noteworthy" besides Rocky 1

Reply to PCB66 (Reply #9)

Tue Mar 3, 2026, 02:10 PM

21 hrs ago

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.

miyazaki

(2,629 posts)

11. Cop Land is a worthwhile film. nt

Reply to Polybius (Reply #10)

Tue Mar 3, 2026, 02:44 PM

21 hrs ago

Reply to this discussion