Ted Kotcheff, the prolific Canadian-born filmmaker celebrated for directing a diverse range of films including “First Blood,” “Weekend at Bernie’s,” “Wake in Fright,” “The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz,” “Fun With Dick and Jane,” and “North Dallas Forty,” has passed away at the age of 94. He also served as an executive producer on “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” for an extended period. Kotcheff's daughter, Kate Kotcheff, confirmed that he died peacefully under sedation in a hospital in Nuevo Nayarit, Mexico, on Thursday night.

Throughout his 60-year career, Kotcheff demonstrated a unique ability to explore the lives of those on the fringes of society. In a 1975 interview with The Times, he articulated, “The sense of being outside of the mainstream of the community has always attracted me. All my pictures deal with people outside or people who don’t know what’s driving them.”

Born in Toronto on April 7, 1931, to Bulgarian immigrants, Kotcheff's journey in entertainment began in television during the early 1950s. His career led him to the U.K., where he directed for both stage and television. In 1971, he directed “Wake in Fright” in Australia, a film that The Times, upon its 2012 rerelease, described as “raw, unsettling and mesmerizing.”

Returning to Canada in the early 1970s, Kotcheff directed the 1974 adaptation of Mordecai Richler’s “The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz,” starring Richard Dreyfuss. This film achieved significant acclaim, winning the top prize at the Berlin Film Festival and earning writer Lionel Chetwynd an Academy Award nomination for adapted screenplay.

Kotcheff achieved considerable success in Hollywood with the 1982 film “First Blood,” which introduced audiences to the traumatized Vietnam veteran John Rambo, portrayed by Sylvester Stallone. Sheila Benson, a critic for The Times, noted that “This violent and disturbing film is exceptionally well made.” She further commented, “If it is possible to dislike and admire a film in almost equal measure, then ‘First Blood’ would win on that split ticket. … Kotcheff has seared so many lingering examples of exultant nihilism into our brains that words to the contrary are so much sop. It’s action, not words, that makes ‘First Blood’ run, and the action is frightening, indeed.”

While “First Blood” resonated with the despair and anxiety of post-Vietnam America, 1989’s “Weekend at Bernie’s” became a cultural phenomenon for its lighthearted and playful nature, showcasing Kotcheff's versatility. The film revolves around two ambitious young men (played by Andrew McCarthy and Jonathan Silverman) who concoct elaborate schemes to convince others that their dubious boss (Terry Kiser) is not actually dead. Kevin Thomas, in his review for The Times, remarked, “A weekend among the rich, the jaded and the corrupt is just the right cup of tea for an acid social satirist such as Kotcheff,” also highlighting Kotcheff’s cameo in the film as the father of one of the young men.

Later in his career, Kotcheff returned to television, contributing to nearly 300 episodes of “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” over more than a decade. In 2011, he was honored with a lifetime achievement award from the Directors Guild of Canada. He also published a memoir, “Director’s Cut: My Life in Film,” in 2017.

Kotcheff is survived by his wife, Laifun Chung; brother, Tim; children, Aaron, Kate, Joshua, Alexandra, and Thomas; and grandchildren, Isabella, Dante, Dorian, and Elsie. He was predeceased by his first wife, actor Sylvia Kay, and granddaughter, Matilda. A private funeral has already taken place in Mexico, and a memorial service will be held at a later date.