Weaver was born April 10, 1930, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and made his first foray into the entertainment industry as a stage performer in the 1950s. Prior to that – as per the Hollywood Reporter – he served four years in the U.S. Army, as well as working as a linotype engineer for The New York Times and serving as a promoter at the legendary Birdland jazz club.

He eventually transitioned from the stage to TV work, landing his first screen role in the adventure series Sheena, Queen of the Jungle.
The following two decades saw Weaver rise to recognition with television audiences through appearances in such shows as Good Morning World, I Spy, The Wild, Wild West, Mannix, Julia, and The Bill Cosby Show.

He later guest-starred in a number of other popular shows including Kojak, The Blue Knight, Soap, Good Times, The Jeffersons, and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.