Danny Villanueva, who who co-founded Univision and helped turned it into a powerhouse in Spanish-language TV, has died. He was 77 years old.

Deadline is reporting Villanueva died at a Ventura County hospital from complications of a stroke last week. Originally an NFL kicker for the Los Angeles Rams and Dallas Cowboys, Villanueva co-founded Spanish International Communications Corp., which later became Univision.

He first started his career in Television at KMEX while he was kicking for the Los Angeles Rams. He stayed at KMEX even after being traded to the Dallas Cowboys. After he retired from the game of football, he was the news director for the station.

After KMEX grew into a bigger TV station, the executives continued to secure financial interest in small broadcasters that eventually would make up Spanish International Communications Corp. and eventually become Univision -- of which KMEX is the flagship.

The Los Angeles Times reports that he hired the first field reporter for KMEX to cover specific events such as entertainment. When he was promoted to president, he made the station more community oriented with on-air fundraising and other events.

He was part-owner of Univision when it was sold to Hallmark Cards and First Chicago Capital in 1988.

Villanueva also founded the investment firm Bastion Capital in 1992 and co-founded Rustic Canyon/Fontis Partners, an investment firm aimed at helping family businesses. During his career, he also held stakes in a pair Los Angeles pro soccer clubs: Major League Soccer's Galaxy and the old NASL's Aztecs, both of which he was president at some point.

Villanueva is survived by his wife of 58 years, Myrna, and sons Danny and Jim; sisters Mary Blank, Lily Hernandez, Noemi Prince and Ester Aguilar; brothers Samuel, Paul, Ben and Primo; five grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.