Date of Birth:
6 July 1946, New York City, New York, USA
Birth Name:
Sylvester Gardenzio Stallone
Nickname:
Sly
Michael (as a teenager)
The Italian Stallion
Height :
5' 9½" (1.77 m)
Sylvester Stallone became one of Hollywood's highest paid actors, usually playing monosyllablic, antisociety, underdog heroes. While Stallone has attempted to extend his range into film comedies and drama, his real box office success continues in action films.
This athletically built, dark-haired U.S. actor/screenwriter/director of European parentage may never be mentioned by old-school film critics in the same breath as, say, Richard Burton or Alec Guinness; however, movie fans worldwide have been flocking to see Stallone's films for over 30 years, making "Sly" one of Hollywood's biggest-ever box office draws.
Born on July 6, 1946, in New York's gritty Hells Kitchen, the young Stallone attended the American College of Switzerland and the University of Miami, eventually obtaining a B.A. degree. Initially, he struggled in small parts in films such as the soft-core The Party at Kitty and Stud's (1970), the thriller Klute (1971) and the comedy Bananas (1971). He got a crucial career break alongside fellow young actor Henry Winkler, sharing lead billing in the effectively written teen gang film The Lord's of Flatbush (1974). Further film and TV 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 2000 (1975). However, Stallone was also keen to be recognized as a screenwriter, not just an actor, and, inspired by the 1975 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 (1976) became the stuff of cinematic legends, scoring ten Academy Award nominations, winning the Best Picture Award of 1976 and triggering one of the most financially successful movie franchises 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 (1976) with F.I.S.T (1978), loosely based on the life of Teamsters boss "Jimmy Hoffa", and Paradise Alley (1978) before pulling on the boxing gloves again to resurrect Rocky Balboa in the sequel Rocky II (1979). 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 (1981) and Victory (1981) failed to ignite with audiences, so Stallone was once again lured back to familiar territory with Rocky III (1982) and a fearsome opponent in "Clubber Lang" played by muscular ex-bodyguard Mr. T. The third "Rocky" installment far outperformed the first sequel in box office takings, but Stallone retired his prizefighter for a couple of years as another mega-franchise was about to commence for the busy actor.
The character of Green Beret "John Rambo" was the creation of Canadian-born writer David Morrell, and his novel was adapted to the screen with Stallone in the lead role in First Blood (1982), also starring Richard Crenna and Brian Dennehy. The movie was a surprise hit that polarized audiences because of its commentary about the Vietnam war, which was still relatively fresh in the American public's psyche. Political viewpoints aside, the film was a worldwide smash, and a sequel soon followed with Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985), which drew even stronger criticism from several quarters owing to the film's plotline about American MIAs allegedly being held in Vietnam. But they say there is no such thing as bad publicity, and "John Rambo's" second adventure was a major money spinner for Stallone and cemented him as one of the top male stars of the 1980s. Riding a wave of amazing popularity, Stallone called on old sparring partner Rocky Balboa to climb back into the ring to defend U.S. pride against a Soviet threat in the form of a towering Russian boxer named "Ivan Drago" played by monosyllabic Dolph Lundgren in Rocky IV (1985). The fourth outing was somewhat controversial with "Rocky" fans, as violence levels seemed excessive compared to previous "Rocky" films, especially with the savage beating suffered by Apollo Creed, played by Carl Weathers, at the hands of the unstoppable "Siberian Express".
Stallone continued forward with a slew of macho character-themed films that met with a mixed reception from his fans. Cobra (1986) was a clumsy mess, Over the Top (1987) was equally mediocre, Rambo III (1988) saw Rambo take on the Russians in Afghanistan, and cop buddy film Tango & Cash (1989) just didn't quite hit the mark, although it did feature a top-notch cast and there was chemistry between Stallone and co-star Kurt Russell.
Philadelphia's favorite mythical boxer moved out of the shadows for his fifth screen outing in Rocky VTommy Morrison, the great-nephew of screen legend John Wayne. Sly quickly followed with the lukewarm comedy OscarStop! Or My Mom Will Shoot (1992), the futuristic action film Demolition Man (1993), and the comic book-inspired Judge Dredd (1995). Interestingly, Stallone then took a departure from the gung-ho steely characters he had been portraying to stack on a few extra pounds and tackle a more dramatically challenging role in the intriguing Cop Land (1997), also starring Robert De Niro and Ray Liotta. It isn't a classic of the genre, but Cop Land (1997) certainly surprised many critics with Stallone's understated performance. Stallone then lent his vocal talents to the animated adventure story Antz (1998), reprised the role made famous by Michael Caine in a terrible remake of Get Carter (2000), climbed back into a race car for Driven (2001), and guest-starred as the "Toymaker" in the third chapter of the immensely popular "Spy Kids" film series, Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over (2003). Showing that age had not wearied his two most popular franchises, Stallone has most recently brought back never-say-die boxer Rocky Balboa to star in, well, what else but Rocky Balboa (2006), and Vietnam veteran Rambo (2008) will reappear after a 20-year hiatus to once again right wrongs in the jungles of Thailand. (1990) tackling Tommy "Machine" Gunn played by real-life heavyweight fighter (1991), the painfully unfunny
Love him or loathe him, Sylvester Stallone has built an enviable and highly respected career in Hollywood; plus, he has considerably influenced modern popular culture through several of his iconic film characters.
Spouse:
Jennifer Flavin
(17 May 1997 - present) 3 children
Brigitte Nielsen
(15 December 1985 - 13 July 1987) (divorced)
Sasha Czack
(28 December 1974 - 14 February 1985) (divorced) 2 children
Personal Quotes:
Once in one's life, for one mortal moment, one must make a grab for immortality; if not, one has not lived.
That's what Rocky (1976) is all about: pride, reputation, and not being another bum in the neighborhood.
I'm not handsome in the classical sense. The eyes droop, the mouth is crooked, the teeth aren't straight, the voice sounds like a Mafioso pallbearer, but somehow it all works.
[Explaining to The New York Times how he wrote the script for Rocky (1976) in three days] I'm astounded by people who take 18 years to write something. That's how long it took that guy [Gustave Flaubert] to write "Madame Bovary". And was that ever on the best-seller list? No. It was a lousy book and it made a lousy movie.
[In 1976, after completing production on Rocky II (1979)] But there'll never be a "Rocky IV." You gotta call a halt.
I'm not right wing, I'm not left wing. I love my country.
[on Arnold Schwarzenegger's campaign for Governor of California in 2003] I think it's very dangerous waters. In that particular field you can't yell "Action!" and "Cut!" and "Take two!" and "Take three!". I personally think actors should remain actors, but I know he's always had blind ambition for that, so maybe it'll work out for him.
[Talking about the proliferation of guns in the U.S., following the murder of Phil Hartman in 1998, who was shot to death by his wife] Until America, door to door, takes every handgun, this is what you're gonna have. It's pathetic. It really is pathetic. It's sad. We're living in the Dark Ages over there. It has to be stopped, and someone really has to go on the line, a certain dauntless political figure, and say, "It's ending, it's over, all bets are off." It's not 200 years ago, we don't need this any more, and the rest of the world doesn't have it. Why should we?
I had no idea Ellen Barkin was in the restaurant. If she was coughing or dying, she was doing it politely. I would have been more than happy to reach down her throat or squeeze her hard. Sat there dumbfounded? Please! I would have rallied round - just to avoid paying the bill.
[1991] I'm 5'10" and weigh 177 pounds. I'm pleased with my body now.
People accept Rocky Balboa as authentic. I can't tell you how many people have come up to me and asked about my boxing career. It's like they really want to believe that Rocky exists. You know, I'm amazed by all of this. At one time I thought people would get over their fascination with the character and move on. Didn't happen. After 30 years, Rocky has taken hold to a degree I never could have imagined.
[Following John Ritter's death in 2003] It's a huge shock. It just makes me realize how fragile life is.
I'm not a genetically superior person. I built my body.
[2002] We're talking about doing another Rambo because I think it's time to combine action with politics.
I'll just go on playing Rambo and Rocky. Both are money-making machines that can't be switched off.
I'm a very physical person. People don't credit me with much of a brain, so why should I disillusion them?
[1999] After I made Cop Land (1997) in which I played a timid, overweight cop, all of Hollywood turned their back. I'm surprised they even gave me this table. I'm like driftwood in here.
I know I cannot hold on to them forever, but I will as long as I can. I pity the first boy to knock on the door for a date. I'm gonna buy ten more Rambo outfits just to make sure they're too scared to put a foot wrong. They will probably all run a mile, which suits me just fine. I know I won't be able to help myself playing the worried dad. My girls were born with the flirt gene. It's very funny, but it also worries me about what a handful I will have in a few years time. I know it's stupid - I just don't want them to grow up. I love my family. I can't imagine life without them all in the house.
I really am a manifestation of my own fantasy.
All art, in this business, is a matter of compromise. It's not one man's vision unless he takes very weak actors.
I'd say between 3 pm and 8 pm I look great. After that it's all downhill. Don't photograph me in the morning or you're gonna get Walter Brennan.
No one likes to fail at anything, but I believe I'm a better person for it. I learned life's lessons. You're given certain gifts and that's what you should try to be.
[on his marriage to Jennifer Flavin] It's been a fantastic revival of my life. As you know, my first marriage didn't go so well, though I have a relationship with my sons, but this marriage has been a second beginning. I used to think my career was number one, so I was gone nine months out of a year, but I learned the hard way that the most important thing is that you start at home and then comes the career.
I think the people who have been so supportive and loyal will be happy with the final chapter in Rocky Balboa's life because I think we bring the character to a final and noble conclusion.
I enjoy comedy very much, but it just wasn't right for me. Sometimes it's better to just stay focused and do what you're really passionate about.
You wake up one morning and you go, "What happened? Where did it all go so fast? There are many more things I want to do." And I figure a lot of people feel the same. A lot of people have so much they want to do, but society says, "Step back, youth must be served." I say, "You're right, youth must be served - after us. Get in line. We're coming back for seconds and thirds, and when we're finished helping ourselves, it's your turn." Just because people get older doesn't mean they abandon their dream or their ability to want to do something, so Rocky is symbolic of still wanting to participate. Rocky says the last thing to age is the heart, so I wanted to do a film that shows our generation is not on the outside looking in; it's still vital and wants to be part of the parade, not watching the parade. I want to show that life is not over at 50. People say, "Come on, grow old gracefully." No, why? I'm not ready. I know people will think Rocky is my story, but it's also my generation's story.
[on Rocky Balboa (2006)] I knew I would go through the embarrassment of hearing all the jokes about me. My wife begged me not to do it, and that's why I wrote a line . . . that I'd rather do something I love badly than to feel bad about not doing something I love.
[on Rocky Balboa (2006) and Rambo (2008)] Maybe these movies wouldn't have been as interesting five years ago, but look what's happened in the world in that time. It's a whole different climate, now.
I'm now starting Rambo (2008) and I'm looking for a young actor to star opposite me. I've been looking for the next Robert Mitchum or Steve McQueen, but the fact is they just don't exist. Tough guys today are getting their hair done at Hollywood hairdressers. Whatever happened to having a beer and scratching your balls?
[on Rhinestone (1984)] You'd have thought we all got together and decided how we could fastest ruin our careers.
[On "40 Days of Musa Dagh," a book about the Armenian genocide that he has wanted to direct for years] The hero, the one who set up the rescue, has fallen asleep . . . The camera pulls back, and the ships and the sea are on one side, and there's one lonely figure at the top of the mountain, and the Turks are coming up the mountain by the thousands on the far side . . . an epic about the complete destruction of a civilization. The Turks have been killing that subject for 85 years.
I abused my body so much throughout my career that I am literally held together by glue. The stuff I took thickens the bones and reinforces the tendons.
I never had extraordinary genes or great bone structure, and I'm still very thin. What I try to do is create a body that every man can look at and say, "You know, with a certain amount of dedication I can achieve the same thing." I try to keep it in the realm of athletic, rather than unapproachable.
[speaking of his life with a wife and three daughters] Living in a house where you are the only man is a little like being the only guy left at The Alamo. They just rule. Even our dogs are female. So there is no chance.
There's something about matching the character with the script. And right now, the script that's being written, and reality, is pretty brutal and pretty hard-edged, like a rough action film, and you need somebody who's been in that to deal with it. - On Senator John McCain
I look back on "Judge Dredd" ias a real missed opportunity. It seemed that lots of fans had a problem with Dredd removing his helmet, because he never does in the comic books. But for me it is more about wasting such great potential there was in that idea... it didn't live up to what it could have been. It probably should have been much more comic, really humourous, and fun. What I learned out of that experience was that we shouldn't have tried to make it "Hamlet", it's more "Hamlet & Eggs."
If I have a regret, it's that I didn't expand my acting when I was building my career. It often sounds pathetic when you hear actors say that they feel sorry for themselves - I've been very very blessed, believe me - but if I had to do it all over again I could have done both. You can do commercial films and then do small, independent, acting films. Bruce Willis has done it well, so it's possible. I wish I had done it, but that wasn't the style back then. You were either a studio actor or an independent actor. So I regret that.
I'm often asked whether Rocky is an extension of myself. But the truth is I wish I could be as noble as Rocky. He never says a bad word about anyone, and he never complains. He's lost 24 times, his record is 54 and 24, he's lost a lot but he's philosophical and knows there will be another day. I'm not that. I wish I were.
Rocky gives out such a good vibe, while Rambo's the Prince of Darkness. The new Rambo is not a feelgood movie. Every actor would like to say that they're Daniel Day-Lewis and that they have this incredible palette, but quite often you're known for certain things. I accepted that. So I said to myself, "Boy, if I could end my career on something, I'd like to finish up the loose ends on Rambo, because the last one in Afghanistan didn't work."
Making Victory (1981) (aka Escape to Victory) was hard work. I thought "Rocky" was tough, but I'd never trained so hard in my life. My waist went down from 33 to 29 inches; I ran every morning, because I was trying to look a little gaunt. We were POWs, after all.
During Rocky IV (1985), Dolph Lundgren had hit me so hard I had swelling around the heart and had to stay in intensive care at St. John's Hospital for four days.
[at Rambo UK Premiere, 2008) I feel like I'm 20 again - but with arthritis!
[on Mickey Rourke in The Wrestler (2008)] Mickey, if anybody deserves an Oscar, it's you. No question about it. You lived it. You earned it. You deserve it. You're an incredibly talented man. It's about time everyone says, 'You know what? Give it to the winner.'
[on what fans can expect from The Expendables (2010)] Let's say we dug up The Wild Bunch (1969) and gave them one more shot.
The whole thing about Rocky (1976) wasn't about him boxing. It was about aging -- that was what made the movie. It wasn't him. It was about her -- him finding love, him making someone's life better -- and, before you know it, the audience identified with it.
[On The Expendables (2010)] I guess it's kinda like The Dirty Dozen (1967), or one of those films that comes along every once in a while, like _The Magnificent Seven_, to try to take that old formula and move it into a modern era. We accomplished it; I'm very, very happy with the film.
The trouble with remakes is that people fall in love with the original. It's like peanut butter. If you try to change the taste of peanut butter, you're in trouble.
[On the character of Rocky Balboa] I have always seen him as a 20th Century gladiator in a pair of sneakers.
95% of the time, women are right. They can be emotional, but when they say your shoes are shit or your tie is wrong, they're often right.
[on the difference between filmmaking and painting] Movies are a vision dependent upon 300 or 400 people to accomplish it. So there's great compromising. And so much is lost in the translation. So when you get up there, it's maybe 40% of the way you envisaged it. Because of the finance thing, and the actor doesn't interpret it properly. Or the director isn't on form that day and he missed the whole point. Whereas painting is all you do. It either soars or it crashes. There's no one to blame but one person.
[on Arnold Schwarzenegger] He's my best friend now. It's strange, given what big rivals we used to be. He's still ridiculously competitive, though. See this watch? This is the only one of its kind in the world, so I wore it to our last lunch. Arnold was desperate for me to get him one but I had to explain that wasn't possible. He was so mad!
[on filming his scene in The Expendables (2010) with pals Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger] Bruce's character, who hires me to do the job the film's based on, turns to me and says, 'Look, there's one person I need to talk with before I give you the job.' At which point Arnold, who plays my oldest rival, walks out. And it's clear we have a lot of history there. So I tell him I should have shot him a long time ago when I had the chance. And the scene goes from there. But man, those guys were up for it. They got out of bed at 5.30am just to shoot a small five-minute scene.
[on The Expendables (2010)] Man, it was seven guys, kicking each other's a**, one guy tougher than the next. No joke, our stunt guys were begging for mercy. Actually, my fight with Stone Cold Steve Austin was so vicious that I ended up getting a hairline fracture in my neck. I'm not joking. I haven't told anyone this, but I had to have a very serious operation afterwards. I now have a metal plate in my neck.
[on Rocky IV (1985)] Dolph Lundgren and I always went for it. I gave him orders to try to knock me out while the cameras were rolling. At one point, he hit me so hard on the head I felt my spine compress. He then hit me with an almighty uppercut. That night my chest started to swell, and I had to be helicopter-ambulanced from my hotel to a nearby emergency room. I was told that Dolph had punched my rib cage into my chest, compressing my heart. If it had swollen any more, I would have died. After that, I was like, 'Dolph, it's only a movie, bro.'
[on working with Richard Gere on The Lord's of Flatbush (1974)] Gere would strut around in his oversized motorcycle jacket like he was the baddest knight at the round table. (Having lunch in a Toyota) I was eating a hot dog and he climbs in with a half a chicken covered in mustard with grease nearly dripping out of the aluminum wrapper. I said, 'That thing is going to drip all over the place.' He said, 'Don't worry about it.' I said, 'If it gets on my pants you're gonna know about it.' He proceeds to bite into the chicken and a small, greasy river of mustard lands on my thigh. I elbowed him in the side of the head and basically pushed him out of the car. The director had to make a choice: one of us had to go, one of us had to stay. Richard was given his walking papers, and to this day, seriously dislikes me. He even thinks I'm the individual responsible for the gerbil rumor. Not true, but that's the rumor.
Salary :
The Party at Kitty and Stud's (1970) $200
Where Are They Now :
(June 2005) Signed a deal with Nu Image/Millennium Films the new owners of the "Rambo" franchise. The deal will put Stallone and his compound bow will be back with in front of the cameras at age 60. _Rambo (2008) (aka "Rambo IV") is slated to go into production in early 2006 with a target release date in late 2006 or early 2007.
(April 2005) Inducted Hulk Hogan (Terry Bolea) in the WWE Hall of Fame, as part of the Class of 2005. This is the first time between these two that wrestling fans had seen them together since Rocky III (1982).
