Sylvester Stallone

Biography

Early life

Stallone was born in Baltimore to Frank Stallone and Jacqueline "Jackie" Labofish, an astrologer. Stallone's father was an immigrant from Castellammare del Golfo, Sicily while his mother is American; one of his maternal great-grandmothers, Rosa Rabinovich, was from Odessa, Ukraine. At fifteen, his classmates voted him the one "most likely to end up in the electric chair." In the 1960s, Stallone attended the University of Miami for three years. He came within a few credit hours of graduation, before he decided to drop out and pursue an acting career. After Stallone's request that his acting and life experiences be accepted in exchange for his remaining credits, he was granted a Bachelors of Fine Arts (BFA) degree by the President of the University of Miami in 1999. He is now married to Nicole D'Angelo and resides in Philadelphia.

Early film roles

Stallone's career began with the leading role, Stud, in a hard-core pornographic film called Party at Kitty and Stud's. The film was originally hard core and depicted sexual acts, but after Stallone's later success, the film was re-cut to soft-core amd re-packaged as Italian Stallion (a reference to Rocky Balboa's nickname). The hardcore footage is apparently lost.

Stallone's first few film roles were minor, and included brief uncredited appearances in Woody Allen's Bananas (1971) as a subway thug, in the psychological thriller Klute (1971) as an extra dancing in a club, and in the Jack Lemmon vehicle Prisoner of 2nd Avenue (1975) as a youth. In the latter film, Jack Lemmon chases and tackles Stallone, thinking he is a pickpocket. He had his first starring role in the cult hit The Lords of Flatbush (1974). In 1975 he appeared in supporting roles in Farewell, My Lovely, Capone, and another cult hit Death Race 2000. He also made guest appearances on TV series such as Police Story and Kojak.

Success with Rocky

Sylvester Stallone: footprints and hands stamped at Hollywood walkthrough

Stallone did not gain world-wide fame until his starring role in the smash hit Rocky (1976), the film awarded the 1976 Academy Award for Best Picture. On March 24, 1975, Stallone saw the Ali-Chuck Wepner fight which inspired the foundation idea of Rocky. That night Stallone went home, and in three days he had written the script for Rocky. After that, he tried to sell the script with the intention of playing the lead role. Robert Chartoff and Irwin Winkler in particular liked the script, and planned on courting a star like Burt Reynolds or James Caan for the lead role.

The final result was an unqualified success; Rocky was nominated for ten Academy Awards in all, including two for Stallone himself, for Best Actor and for Best Original Screenplay. In addition to winning Best Picture, Rocky won for Best Director and Best Film Editing. Rocky cost about US$1.1 million to make, and grossed about US$225 million worldwide. The movie has made the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art a Philadelphia tourist attraction.

On the list of the top heroes of all time by American Film Institute (AFI) in 2003, Stallone is listed seventh as Rocky Balboa behind Gregory Peck (Atticus Finch), Harrison Ford (Indiana Jones), Sean Connery (James Bond), Humphrey Bogart (Rick Blaine), Gary Cooper (Will Kane) and Jodie Foster (Clarice Starling).

Post-Rocky work

Stallone in 1983.

Stallone had another major franchise success as John Rambo in First Blood (1982) and the sequels, Rambo: First Blood Part II, and Rambo III. During the 1980s he built a reputation as a major action star. His last major box office success for many years was 1993's Cliffhanger; since then his career declined (arguably due to a major viewer shift away from the 'action stars' of the 1980s, but also due to his starring in a string of ill-advised movies, including questionable attempts to move into the comedy genre, with such films as Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot), although he has made a comeback with the sixth installment of the Rocky series, Rocky Balboa, in 2006. His worldwide recognition and popularity (and the advent of DVD sales) was able to gain him roles in films and continued commercial success, and until recently he was still able to command high salaries for roles. Stallone also has a new chapter in his Rambo franchise, Rambo IV: Pearl of The Cobra, upcoming and in production. Stallone appeared in the family film Spy Kids 3-D as the Toy Maker who is the villain of the story.

Stallone made an appearance on World Wrestling Entertainment's RAW brand on the 18th of December edition to give an exclusive interview.

Serious actor

Following his breakthrough performance in Rocky, critic Roger Ebert said he could become the next Marlon Brando - however arguably Stallone has never recaptured the critical acclaim he won in Rocky. Stallone did receive plaudits for his role in Cop Land in which he starred alongside Robert De Niro and Ray Liotta, but the film was only a minor success at the box office.

His most recent performance in Rocky Balboa has been praised and been given very strong reviews.

Director

Stallone's debut as a director came in 1978 with Paradise Alley, which he also wrote and starred in. In addition, he directed the sequel to Saturday Night Fever, Staying Alive, along with Rocky II, III, IV and Rocky Balboa.

Writer

In addition to writing all six Rocky films, Stallone also wrote Cobra and Driven. He has co-written several other films, such as F.I.S.T. and Over the Top, and the first three Rambo films. His last major success as a co-writer came with 1993's Cliffhanger.

Current status

The new Rocky film Rocky Balboa was released on December 20 2006. At the time of writing, Stallone is in production on the latest Rambo sequel Rambo IV: Pearl of The Cobra.

It was also recently announced that Sylvester Stallone would be directing a movie on The Forty Days of Musa Dagh, based on the book written by Franz Werfel.

Personal life

Family

Stallone's family include his brother, former actor/singer Frank Stallone, his mother, Jacqueline Stallone, who achieved notoriety in the middle 1990s as an astrologer and his son, Sage Stallone, who played Rocky's son in 1990's Rocky V and appeared in his 1996 movie, Daylight. At the time of ownership, Stallone's pet Rottweiler, Butkus Stallone, appeared in the first Rocky film as an often-teased favorite pet of Balboa's who lived in Adrian's pet shop.

Marriages

Stallone has been married three times, to Sasha Czack (1974 - 1985), Brigitte Nielsen (1985 - 1987), and Jennifer Flavin (1997 - present). He has five children, sons Sage Moonblood, and Seargeoh, who is autistic (with Czack, born 1976 and 1979 respectively), and daughters Sophia Rose, Sistine Rose, and Scarlett Rose (with Flavin, born 1996, 1998, 2002 respectively). He and Flavin, an Irish-American, were married at Winston Churchill's birthplace, Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire, England.

In addition to these marriages, he has had romantic relationships with models Susan Anton, Angie Everhart, Pamela Anderson, Naomi Campbell and Janice Dickinson. The latter once believed that Stallone was the father of her daughter Savannah.

Planet Hollywood

He owns shares in Planet Hollywood restaurants with Bruce Willis and formerly Arnold Schwarzenegger (who recently sold his part).

Trivia

Stallone claims to have been able to bench press 385-400 lbs and squat 500 lbs in his prime. While in a bench pressing contest with former Mr. Olympia Franco Columbu, he severely tore his pectoral muscle and needed over 160 stitches on it. This is why one half of his chest is more veiny than the other.

With the monetary success of the Rocky films, Stallone gave professional wrestler Hulk Hogan his first mainstream exposure, personally offering him the role as the character Thunderlips in 1982's Rocky III. Stallone inducted Hogan into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005.

He and The Contender co-host Sugar Ray Leonard were pallbearers at the late Najai Turpin's funeral. Najai, one of the contestants of the show, committed suicide.

According to NNDB.com, "Stallone has always been politically active, but his politics defy easy labels. He has written checks for candidates as far to the left as Jerry Brown and Barbara Boxer, and as far right as John Ashcroft and Rick Santorum.". However, he has openly been known to identify himself as a Republican. In his book "Rush Limbaugh is a Big Fat Idiot and Other Observations" Al Franken openly cited Stallone as one of the biggest Republican supporters in Hollywood.

He is one of President George W. Bush's two favorite actors. The other is fellow action hero and conservative Chuck Norris. Both men attended Bush's inauguration as President in 2001.

Coincidentally, Stallone was born on July 6, 1946, the exact day that Bush was born.

Stallone supported President Bill Clinton during his impeachment trial and hosted a Democratic fund raiser at his Miami home on 9 July 1998.

A long-time football fan and supporter of the Philadelphia Eagles, Stallone used his Rocky persona to introduce Monday Night Football on ABC; set in a gymnasium, he pounded a punch ball, glared at the camera with clenched fist and uttered the signature tagline "Are ya ready for some football?"

Stallone's film's have grossed over 1.7 billion in the USA and over 3.5 billion worldwide

Filmography

Poe (2008) .... director only

Rambo IV: Pearl of The Cobra (2008) .... John J. Rambo

Rocky Balboa (2006) .... Rocky Balboa (also director and writer)

Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over (2003) .... The Toymaker

Shade (2003) .... Dean 'The Dean' Stevens

Taxi 3 (2003) .... Le premier passager (cameo)

Avenging Angelo (2002) .... Frankie Delano

D-Tox (2002) (released on DVD as Eye See You ) .... FBI Agent Jake Malloy

Driven (2001) .... John Tanto (also writer)

Get Carter (2000) .... Jack Carter

Antz (1998) .... Weaver (voice)

The Good Life (1997) .... Boss

Cop Land (1997) .... Sheriff Freddy Heflin

An Alan Smithee Film: Burn Hollywood Burn (1997) .... Himself (cameo)

Daylight (1996) .... Kit Latura

Judge Dredd (1995) .... Judge Joseph Dredd

Assassins (1995) .... Robert Rath

The Specialist (1994) .... Ray Quick

Last Action Hero (1993) .... The Terminator (fictional poster for Terminator 2: Judgment Day)

Cliffhanger (1993) .... Gabe Walker (also writer)

Demolition Man (1993) .... John Spartan

Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot! (1992) .... Sgt. Joe Bomowski

Oscar (1991) .... Angelo 'Snaps' Provolone

Rocky V (1990) .... Rocky Balboa (also writer)

Lock Up (1989) .... Frank Leone

Tango & Cash (1989) .... Raymond 'Ray' Tango

Rambo III (1988) .... John J. Rambo (also writer)

Over the Top (1987) .... Lincoln Hawk (also writer)

Cobra (1986) .... Lieutenant Marion 'Cobra' Cobretti (also writer)

Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985) .... John J. Rambo(also writer)

Rocky IV (1985) .... Rocky Balboa (also director and writer)

Rhinestone (1984) .... Nick Martinelli (also writer)

Staying Alive (1983) .... Man on Street (cameo; also director, producer, and writer)

Rocky III (1982) .... Rocky Balboa (also director and writer)

First Blood (1982) .... John J. Rambo (also writer)

Nighthawks (1981) .... Det. Sgt. Deke DaSilva

Victory (1981) .... Captain Robert Hatch

Rocky II (1979) .... Rocky Balboa (also director and writer)

F.I.S.T. (1978) .... Johnny D. Kovak (also writer)

Paradise Alley (1978) .... Cosmo Carboni (also director and writer)

Cannonball .... Mafioso (1976)

Rocky (1976) .... Rocky Balboa (also writer)

The Prisoner of Second Avenue (1975) .... Youth in Park

Capone (1975) .... Frank Nitti

Death Race 2000 (1975) .... Machine Gun Joe Viterbo

Farewell, My Lovely (1975) .... Jonnie

The Lords of Flatbush (1974) .... Stanley Rosiello (also writer)

Bananas (1971) .... Subway Thug #1

Klute (1971) .... Extra/Man dancing in club

No Place to Hide (1970) .... Jerry Savage

Lovers and Other Strangers (1970) .... Extra

Party at Kitty and Stud's (1970) (re-released as The Italian Stallion) .... Stud

Salary

Some information in this article or section has not been verified and may not be reliable. Please check for inaccuracies, and modify and cite sources as needed.

Rocky Balboa (2006)

Avenging Angelo (2002)

D-Tox (2002) - $20,000,000

Driven (2001)

Get Carter (2000)

Cop Land (1997) - $60,000

Daylight (1996) - $17,500,000

Assassins (1995)

Judge Dredd (1995)

The Specialist (1994) - $14,500,000

Demolition Man (1993)

Cliffhanger (1993) - $10,000,000

Oscar (1991)

Rocky V (1990) - $25,000,000

Tango & Cash (1989)

Lock Up (1989)

Rambo III (1988) - $18,000,000

Over the Top (1987) - $12,000,000

Rocky IV (1985) - $15,000,000

Staying Alive (1983)

First Blood (1982) - $3,500,000

Rocky III (1982)

Rocky II (1979)

Rocky (1976) - $23,000

Death Race 2000 (1975) - $1,000/week

Party at Kitty and Stud's (1970) - $200

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