Sylvester Stallone

Profile

Name: Sylvester Stallone
Birth Name: Sylvester Enzio Stallone
Height: 5' 9''
Sex: M
Nationality: American
Birth Date: July 6, 1946
Birth Place: New York's Hell's Kitchen district, USA
Profession: actor, director, writer, producer
Education: University of Miami (majored in Drama; dropped out; 1967-1969)
Husband/Wife: Jennifer Flavin (actress, model; b. August 14, 1968; enggage in January 1996; married May 17, 1997), Brigitte Nielsen (actress, model; b. July 15, 1963; 1985-1987), Sasha Czack (married on December 28, 1974; divorced in 1985)
Relationship: Angie Everhart (model; born on September 7, 1969; engaged in April 1995; relationship ended June 1995)
Father: Frank Stallone (hairdresser; Sicilian immigrant; divorced)
Mother: Jacqueline Labofish (an aspiring dancer)
Brother: Frank Stallone (actor, singer; born on July 30, 1950)
Son: Sage Moonblood Stallone (born May 5, 1976; made film debut in Rocky V, 1990), Seth (aka Seargogh)
Daughter: Sistine Rose (born June 27, 1998; mother: Jennifer Flavin), Sophia Rose (born August 27, 1996 in South Beach, Florida; born with a hole in her heart; underwent surgery November 1996; mother: Jennifer Flavin)
Claim to fame: as Rocky Balboa in Rocky (1976)

Biography

Better known as Sly, Sylvester Stallone has taken many punches before becoming associated with two of Hollywood's legendary characters, Rocky Balboa and Rambo. Not only an A-list actor, there is a lot more to know about Stallone than his acting abilities.Sylvester Enzio Stallone was born July 6, 1946, in New York, NY. Because his parents' marriage was on the rocks, Stallone lived in foster homes until the age of 5. To add to the separation from his parents, his childhood in Hell's Kitchen was only tainted with loneliness and ridicule.

Children teased Stallone because of his Looney Tunes associated name, and his crooked eye, drooping lower lip and slurred speech (all caused by a forceps accident that severed a facial nerve during birth) added to the young boy being teased. At the age of five, Stallone returned to live with his parents and younger brother Frank, this time in Maryland. After the Stallones' divorce, the young Sly moved with his mother and her new husband, a pizza manufacturer, in Philadelphia.

While Stallone's childhood was marked by loneliness and mockery, his adolescence was marked by delinquency. Stallone finally ended up studying at a private school for troubled youths like himself, after having been kicked out of more than 10 schools because of behavioral problems. He was even named "Most Likely to End Up in the Electric Chair" by his classmates in his yearbook. In order to deal with his loneliness, emotions and aggression while growing up, Stallone delved in sports while in high school, and always pretended to be a hero or underdog in his fantasies; a role which eventually made him a star.With lousy grades and not much direction, Stallone headed for none other than beauty school.

While studying at the American College in Switzerland on scholarship, he partook in drama studies at the college. Finally realizing what he was born to do, Stallone decided to pursue an acting career after receiving a standing ovation in his performance in Death of a Salesman.The aspiring actor began pursuing his dream by studying drama at the University of Miami, but headed to New York in 1969, 3-credits short of graduating. The beginning of Stallone's career can probably be known as the "nude years"; he landed parts in off-Broadway shows, such as the all-nude Score and the soft-porn flick The Party at Kitty and Stud's. Although he landed a role in Woody Allen's Bananas in 1971, he was rejected for The Godfather. Not allowing himself to be discouraged rejection after rejection (mostly due to his facial features and voice), Stallone began to write many of his own scripts, which ultimately led to the legendary classic, Rocky.

His first screenplay to be produced was the 1974 film The Lords of Flatbush, in which Stallone also had a part. Of course, it did not do for Stallone what his next screenplay would.Inspired by a fight between Muhammed Ali and Chuck Wepner, Rocky was finally produced on a meager budget, with Stallone as star after he insisted that he play the underdog lead. The story that took him three days to write became an instant hit, won the Best Picture Oscar and made Stallone an Oscar nominated writer and actor.

Rocky went on to become a 5-part series, and Stallone penned another hit screenplay which became the 1985 film Rambo. Famous for his roles as action heroes Rocky and Rambo, Stallone decided to turn to comedy in the early 90's. Discovering after the fact that he was not cut out for comedy with disappointing films such as Oscar and Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot, Stallone was back in full form in hits like Cliffhanger, Demolition Man, The Specialist, Judge Dredd, and Assassins.Although he is now a $20 million per film actor, Stallone accepted a meager $60,000 to star in Cop Land, with Robert De Niro and Harvey Keitel, in order to be regarded as a serious actor as opposed to his normally typecast roles. His role in the 1998 animated feature Antz, as the voice of a soldier ant, was a new genre for Stallone, one that he ventured into successfully.

Stallone's next projects include the films Get Carter, also starring Rachel Leigh Cook, Eye See You and Driven, which he also wrote and produced.As for the Italian Stallion's personal life, he seems to have taken after his parents' turbulent married life. He was married to his first wife Sasha Czack, the mother of his two sons (Sage Moonblood and Seth a.k.a Seargeoh) for 11 years. He then had a 3-year marriage with actress Brigitte Nielsen, before settling down with model Jennifer Flavin, now the mother of his two daughters, Sophia Rose and Sistine Rose.Sly can add painter, art collector, polo player, and novelist, to his titles of Oscar-winning actor, acclaimed screenwriter, director, producer, partner in Planet Hollywood, father of four, husband, and legendary action hero.

Filmography

Actor

2008 John Rambo

2006 Rocky Balboa

2005 The Contender (TV Series)

2003 Shade

2003 Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over

2002 Liberty's Kids (Animated Series)

2002 Avenging Angelo

2001 Driven

2001 Celebrities: Caught On Camera

2000 Eye See You

2000 Get Carter

1998 Antz

1997 Cop Land

1997 Burn Hollywood Burn

1997 Saturday Night Live: Sylvester Stallone

1996 Daylight

1995 Judge Dredd

1995 Assassins
1994 The Specialist

1993 Cliffhanger

1993 Demolition Man

1992 Stop! or My Mom Will Shoot

1991 Oscar

1990 Rocky V

1989 Lock Up

1989 Tango & Cash

1988 Stars of the Century

1988 Rambo III

1986 Over the Top

1986 Cobra

1985 Rambo: First Blood Part II

1985 Rocky IV

1984 Rhinestone

1982 First Blood
1982 Rocky III

1981 Victory

1981 Nighthawks

1979 Rocky II

1978 Paradise Alley

1978 F.I.R.S.T.

1976 Cannonball

1976 Rocky

1975 Capone

1975 No Place to Hide

1975 Death Race 2000

1975 Farewell, My Lovely

1974 The Prisoner of Second Avenue
1974 The Lords of Flatbush

1973 Rebel

1971 Bananas

1970 Party at Kitty and Stud's Just Say Know to Drugs

Director

2008 John Rambo

2006 Rocky Balboa

1985 Rocky IV

1983 Staying Alive

1982 Rocky III

1979 Rocky II

1978 Paradise Alley

Executive Producer

2005 The Contender (TV Series)

2005 The Contender: Season 01

Fights Choreographer

1979 Rocky II

1976 Rocky

Producer

2001 Driven

1983 Stying Alive

1967 Professionisti Per un Massacro

Screenwriter

2008 John Rambo

2006 Rocky Balboa

2001 Driven

1993 Cliffhanger

1990 Rocky V

1988 Rambo III

1986 Over the Top

1986 Cobra

1985 Rocky IV

1985 Rambo: First Blood Part II

1984 Rhinestone

1983 Stying Alive

1982 First Blood

1982 Rocky III

1979 Rocky II

1978 Paradise Alley

1978 F.I.R.S.T.

1976 Rocky

1974 The Lords of Flatbush

Show Creator

2005 The Contender (TV Series)

Awards
Academy1976 Best Actor Rocky

1976 Best Original Screenplay Rocky

Golden Globe1976 Best Screenplay Rocky

1976 Best Actor - Drama Rocky

Won:
1997 - Stockholm Film Festival - Best Actor - Cop Land

Nominated:
1978 - British Academy Awards - Best Actor - Rocky

1978 - British Academy Awards - Best Screenplay - Rocky

1977 - Academy Awards - Best Actor - Rocky

1977 - Academy Awards - Best Original Screenplay

1977 - Golden Globes - Best Screenplay - Rocky

Trivia

Was charged by Australian officials for importing growth hormones when he arrived in Sydney to promote ROCKY BALBOA. (March 13, 2007)

Australian customs officials searched his hotel room and private jet three days after they seize banned substances from his entourage as he arrived for ROCKY BALBOA promotional tour. (February 21, 2007)

Was detained for hours on arrival at Sydney Airport after officials found prohibited imports in his luggage and that of his entourage. (February 17, 2007)

A larger-than-life statue of Stallone as movie boxer Rocky Balboa will finally be installed outside Philadelphia' Museum of Art, where Rocky was seen running up steps and punching the air in the movie. (September 8, 2006)

Lawyers for Stallone and Chuck Wepner settled the 2003 lawsuit regarding compensation for Wepner after Stallone used his story as inspiration for the ROCKY movies. (August 9, 2006)

Celebrated his 60th birthday Las Vegas, partying at a new Planet Hollywood resort he is set to open. (June 6, 2006)

Judge rules Stallone can keep his magazine Sly on newsstands despite the complaints of an internet magazine with the same name that a judge suggested was more of a shoe fetish publication. (December 29, 2005)

Is set to star in and direct a sixth film in the ROCKY franchise. (October 13, 2005)

Has chosen to take his Notorious BIG biopic to the small screen after signing a deal to debut the controversial movie on America's HBO network. (July 6, 2005)

Inducted legendary WWE superstar Hulk Hogan into the WWE Hall of Fame on April 2 2005 at the Universal Amphitheatre in Los Angeles.

Denies claims that his reality TV show “The Contender” had any involvement in the apparent suicide of up and coming boxing star Najai Turpin. (February 23, 2005)

Stallone's reality TV boxing show The Contender has been dealt a severe blow a month before its debut in America, after one contestant has committed suicide. (February 17, 2005)

Has revealed that he's in talks to make RAMBO IV. (January 19, 2005)

His 2000 reworking of the Michael Caine crime thriller GET CARTER was voted the worst film remake of all time in a poll held by UK DVD rental company ScreenSelect. (2004)

Lent his name and image to Sly, a monthly publication for men to be launched by American Media Inc. in January. (October 21, 2004)

Is one of the bearers of the 2004 Olympic Torch Relay.

Partnering with GNC Nutrition Centers Inc., Stallone has launched a line of nutrition products that will hit health-food stores in the United States June. (May 21, 2004)

Has sued Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. and a production company, claiming they blocked his efforts to make a sequel and Broadway musical based on the ROCKY film franchise. (May 15, 2004)

Is enjoying life as a father so much, he and wife Jennifer Flavin are now trying for a fourth child. (March 4, 2004)

Has been signed up by Dreamworks TV as executive producer of a series following the lives of amateur boxers, called The Contender.

Has been questioned by the FBI, after allegations his phone was tapped by disgraced private investigator Anthony Pellicano. (November 20, 2003)

The boxer who was the inspiration for Stallone's ROCKY films plans to file a lawsuit against the actor for illegally using his name to promote the films and other merchandise. (November 8, 2003)

Stallone’s security guard roughed up an Italian journalist covering the Venice Film Festival Friday after the reporter tried to interview the muscular star -- A representative of Stallone, who was in Venice to promote SPY KIDS 3-D: GAME OVER, said the bodyguard had been unnecessarily rough and added that the actor had apologized to journalist Tonino Pinto of RAI state television. (August 30, 2003)

In 1976, Stallone earned $23,000 for his work on ROCKY. He earned $20 million for INTO THIN AIR (1999).

For his role in the 1997 movie COP LAND, Sylvester Stallone was paid just $60,000, a far cry from his previous film salaries.

He wrote and directed the John Travolta film vehicle STAYING ALIVE (1983).

He oil paints in his spare time and considers Leonardo Da Vinci his personal hero.

He was ranked #92 in Empire (UK) magazine's The Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time list. (October 1997)

His 2 1/2-month-old daughter undergoes open heart surgery at UCLA Medical Center. The procedure goes well. (November 1996)

He part owns Planet Hollywood restaurants with Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Birth complications, caused by forceps, resulted in paralysis of the lower left side of his face, manifested by a perennial snarl and slurred speech.

He sued writer Peter Taki Theodoracopulos and the British magazine The Spectator in 1991 for suggested he acted in a cowardly and hypocritical way when he ducked the Vietnam War.

At 15, his classmates voted him the one most likely to end up in the electric chair.

His son Seargeo (b. 1979) is autistic.

He is the father of Sage Stallone, who has acted with him in ROCKY V (1990) and also DAY LIGHT (1996).

He dislikes his first name, usually referred to as Sly.

Stallone's mother is a fan of Jackie Chan. Chan and Stallone are very good friends.

He was sued by model Margie Carr, who contends that he tried to force her to have physical relations with him last year at a Santa Monica Gym. (26 February 2001)

He was born on the same day as President George W. Bush and Fred Dryer.

Has been selected Action Star of the Millennium by a home video trade group.

Taught his daughter Sophia to smile - because she seemed so miserable after having surgery to mend a hole in her heart.

He and his wife Jennifer Flavin are among a host of stars taking part in a campaign to raise awareness of heart disease.

Appearing at the opening of a Planet Hollywood in Rome, he confirmed that he plans to produce a psychological study about Formula One racing drivers.

Gained 40 pounds to add realism to his portrayal of the police officer in COP LAND (1997) by eating a steady diet of giant pancakes served at a local pancake house. He also was only paid SAG minimum wages. By the time that reshoots were required, he had lost the weight again.

His original script in DRIVEN (2001) was 220 pages long

He sold the rights to make ROCKY (1976) with the condition that he be cast in the title role. Producers offered him $150,000 to let Ryan O'Neal play the part.

He stated that his payment for his role in THE LORD'S OF FLATBUSH (1974) was 25 free t-shirts.

He wrote the script of ROCKY in three days after he saw a boxing match between the unknown Chuck Wepner and Muhammad Ali in which Wepner went the distance.

Insisted that the scene where he admits his fears and doubts to Adrian the night before the fight be filmed, even though production was running far behind and producers wanted to skip it. He had one take for that scene, and was so nervous about screwing up the only scene he thought was important that he got himself drunk to do it (ROCKY).

The scene in TANGO & CASH (1989) where Tango (Stallone) faces an oncoming bus with nothing but a gun was borrowed from GING CHAAT GOO SI JUK JAAP (1988), where Jackie Chan (a good friend of Stallone's) performed the stunt.

The sides of beef were so hard that after repeatedly punching them, his knuckles are now permanently flattened out.

The studio agreed to cast Stallone as Rocky as long as the cost of the picture remained under one million dollars. The producers even mortgaged their homes. The overall production cost was 1.1 million dollars.

When Tango and Cash escape from the prison, Cash turns to Tango and says that they should meet some time for a coffee and a Danish. Tango (Stallone) says I hate Danish, an in-joke referring to his recent divorce from Danish actress 'Nielsen, Brigitte'.

He might do ROCKY 6 with George Foreman.

Was a singer in his young years.

When he did an autograph for a fan he signed right handed.

He is the eye of the tiger.

Used to be a lion cage cleaner.

Was nominated Oscar for Best Actor and Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen in 1977 for ROCKY

His parents divorced when he was 11 years old and he was sent to live with his father.

For the role in COPLAND as Freddy Heflin, a bit over weight sheriff of New Jersey, he put on 30 lbs. He said 'For too many years now, I've been taking dumb scripts because they came with a $20-million paycheque.'

Nominated for Best Actor at BAFTA Awards for ROCKY (1978)

Nominated for Best Screenplay at BAFTA Awards for ROCKY (1978)

Nominated for Best Motion Picture Actor - Drama at Golden Globe Awards for ROCKY (1977)

Nominated for Best Screenplay - Motion Picture at Golden Globe Awards for ROCKY (1977)