On this day in 1976, Rocky, starring Sylvester Stallone as the underdog prizefighter Rocky Balboa, debuts in New York City. The movie, which opened in theaters across the United States on December 3, 1976, was a huge box-office hit and received 10 Academy Award nominations, including Best Actor and Best Original Screenplay for the then-little known Stallone. Rocky ultimately took home three Oscars, including one for Best Picture, and made Stallone one of the biggest stars in Hollywood.
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Sylvester Stallone was born on July 6, 1946, in New York City. By the early 1970s, he had begun his professional acting career, appearing in off-Broadway shows and bit movie roles. Frustrated by his lack of success, Stallone started penning screenplays, including The Lords of Flatbush (1974), in which he co-starred with another relatively unknown young actor named Henry Winkler. Stallone’s career was transformed after the success of his next screenplay, Rocky, in which he insisted on playing the lead.
Produced on a shoestring budget, the film told the story of Rocky Balboa, a small-time, down-on-his-luck Philadelphia boxer who works as a debt collector for a loan shark before getting a shot at the world heavyweight championship. Rocky includes such memorable lines as “Yo, Adrian!” (directed at Rocky’s love interest, played by Talia Shire) and “You’re gonna eat lightning, you’re gonna crap thunder,” as well as the now-iconic scene in which Rocky takes a training run up and down the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art as the movie’s theme song, “Gonna Fly Now,” plays. Stallone went on to write and star in five more Rocky movies: Rocky II (1979), Rocky III (1982), Rocky IV (1985), Rocky V (1990) and Rocky Balboa (2006).
Stallone struck Hollywood movie-franchise gold a second time playing the action-hero John Rambo, a troubled ex-Green Beret and Vietnam War vet. Stallone portrayed Rambo in First Blood (1982), Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985), Rambo III (1988) and Rambo (2008).
In addition to the Rocky and Rambo movies, Stallone’s long list of film credits includes Rhinestone (1984) with Dolly Parton; Tango & Cash (1989), with Kurt Russell; Cliffhanger (1993), with John Lithgow and Janine Turner; and Cop Land (1997), with Harvey Keitel and Ray Liotta. Stallone made his directorial debut with Paradise Alley (1978) and has also helmed several of the Rocky and Rambo films.
STALLONE WROTE THE FIRST DRAFT OF ROCKY IN THREE AND A HALF DAYS.
THE STUDIO WAS INTERESTED IN HAVING JAMES CAAN, BURT REYNOLDS, OR RYAN O’NEAL PLAY ROCKY.
ADRIAN WAS ALMOST PLAYED BY SUSAN SARANDON.
STALLONE AND CARL WEATHERS REHEARSED THEIR (FIRST) BIG FIGHT FOR FOUR WEEKS.
ROCKY AND ADRIAN VISITED THE SKATING RINK AFTER IT WAS CLOSED FOR BUDGETARY REASONS.
IT WAS A FAMILY AFFAIR FOR THE STALLONES.
CHARLIE CHAPLIN AND ELVIS PRESLEY WERE FANS OF THE FIRST MOVIE.
BURT YOUNG LOST WEIGHT FOR THE SEQUEL BECAUSE HE HADN’T PLANNED ON BEING IN IT.
ROCKY’S FAMOUS RUN LASTED FOR 30.61 MILES.
THERE WAS AN ALTERNATE ENDING TO ROCKY II
THERE WAS A BIG DEBATE OVER THE ROCKY STATUE.
WYOMING AND CANADA PLAYED THE ROLE OF THE SOVIET UNION IN ROCKY IV.
DOLPH LUNDGREN SENT STALLONE TO THE HOSPITAL
ROCKY WAS SUPPOSED TO DIE AT THE END OF ROCKY V.
BOXERS JOE FRAZIER AND CHUCK WEPNER FELT THAT STALLONE TREATED THEM UNFAIRLY AFTER HEAVILY BORROWING FROM THEIR LIVES TO WRITE THE MOVIES.
ROCKY’S TURTLES CUFF AND LINK OUTLIVED A COUPLE OF THE CHARACTERS.
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Details for each of the above 16 facts can be found in below link.
http://mentalfloss.com/article/71528/16-heavy-hitting-facts-about-rocky-movies
The artist who made the Rocky sculpture lives down the street from my parents in Evergreen, CO.
http://www.schombergstudios.com/
I think the best were the first and last.
The middle ones? Meh.
The one with Dolph Lundgren was the worst. Can’t stand Dolph. Rocky giving a speech to the Soviet Politburo … and then they clap for him?? Fucken ridiculous!
Do you mean Rocky Balboa or Creed?
I have never seen Rocky Balboa, but Creed was good.
I too enjoyed Creed..
But, I’m talking about Balboa. IMHO, the most “human” of the Rocky movies. The link below (please click on it if it doesn’t load) is a motivational speech Rocky gives his son about life and fatherhood I think it’s the best 4 minutes of Stallone’s acting career.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=mk82j1jQw_8
My favorite line in Rocky was when the driver of the loan shark says, “Take her to the zoo, retards like the zoo.” I’ll watch it every year or so.
Funny, but felt like a movie last night and pulled out Cliffhanger. All around, a good action flick. Stallone has always been watchable. The cop movie with DeNiro was also pretty damn good.
“Heat”? Good one, by Michael Mann, also directed Miami Vice episodes, and “Manhunter” a spooky thriller. Heat had Pacino, DeNiro, Kilmer, Judd, & a few other good actors in it. Cops & robbers in L.A.
Like the Star Wars movies, I’ve never seen any of the Rocky movies. Not trying to sound fancy, they just didn’t look like my king of thing. Once a movie achieves a certain level of popularity, I just assume it’s bullshit. I did see that one about the boat that sank. As I recall, they showed the main actress’s tits.
I was in highschool when it came out .I watched all of the Rocky movies through the years .Stallone doesn’t sound like a Liberal Progressive on most issues and that’s the only reason I can still tolerate his movies.