O. J. Simpson's top moments off the field (and courtroom), from Hertz ads to 'Naked Gun'

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

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: OJ Simpson's most memorable moments in pop culture