All All. Sign In. List activity. Sylvester Stallone. Actor Producer Writer Rocky His father was an Italian immigrant, and his mother's heritage is half French from Brittany and half German.
Initially, he struggled in small parts in films such as the soft-core The Party at Kitty and Stud's , the thriller Klute and the comedy Bananas He got a crucial career break alongside fellow young actor Henry Winkler , sharing lead billing in the effectively written teen gang film The Lords of Flatbush Further film and television roles followed, most of them in uninspiring productions except for the opportunity to play a megalomaniac, bloodthirsty race driver named "Machine Gun Joe Viterbo" in the Roger Corman -produced Death Race However, Stallone was also keen to be recognized as a screenwriter, not just an actor, and, inspired by the Muhammad Ali-Chuck Wepner fight in Cleveland, Stallone wrote a film script about a nobody fighter given the "million to one opportunity" to challenge for the heavyweight title.
Rocky became the stuff of cinematic legends, scoring ten Academy Award nominations, winning the Best Picture Award of and triggering one of the most financially successful movie series in history!
Whilst full credit is wholly deserved by Stallone, he was duly supported by tremendous acting from fellow cast members Talia Shire , Burgess Meredith and Burt Young , and director John G. Avildsen gave the film an emotive, earthy appeal from start to finish. Stallone had truly arrived on his terms, and offers poured in from various studios eager to secure Hollywood's hottest new star. Stallone followed Rocky with F. The second outing for the "Italian Stallion" wasn't as powerful or successful as the first "Rocky", however, it still produced strong box office.
Subsequent films Nighthawks and Victory failed to ignite with audiences, so Stallone was once again lured back to familiar territory with Rocky III and a fearsome opponent in "Clubber Lang" played by muscular ex-bodyguard Mr.
