ROCKY’S FAMOUS RUN LASTED FOR 30.61 MILES. Stallone wrote a line into Rocky II to address the obvious physical difference. He lost weight for another film Young initially did not want to play Paulie again. BURT YOUNG LOST WEIGHT FOR THE SEQUEL BECAUSE HE HADN'T PLANNED ON BEING IN IT. Similarly, Stallone turned down Elvis’ offer to watch Rocky with him in Memphis months before The King passed away. Stallone regretted turning down Chaplin’s invitation to visit him in Switzerland after the director died a few months later. CHARLIE CHAPLIN AND ELVIS PRESLEY WERE FANS OF THE FIRST MOVIE.Ĭhaplin wrote to Stallone that Rocky reminded the silent film star of a character he used to play. Stallone’s first wife, Sasha, received a kiss from Rocky during his training session in Rocky III. Sly's brother, Frank Stallone Jr., played a street corner singer in Rocky, while Frank Sr. IT WAS A FAMILY AFFAIR FOR THE STALLONES. Because it would've cost money to pay for extras to skate around them, Avildsen asked Stallone to change the scene so that the couple had the rink all to themselves.Ħ. Originally, Adrian and Rocky have a date during the skating rink’s operating hours. ROCKY AND ADRIAN VISITED THE SKATING RINK AFTER IT WAS CLOSED FOR BUDGETARY REASONS.
When it came time for the actual pretend Creed/Balboa I, filmed at the Los Angeles Sports Arena, producers advertised that anyone who showed up to play the audience would receive a free chicken dinner. Avildsen shot their rehearsals on Super 8 so that the actors could see what they were doing.
STALLONE AND CARL WEATHERS REHEARSED THEIR (FIRST) BIG FIGHT FOR FOUR WEEKS.ĭirector John G. Talia Shire auditioned at the last minute to save the day. Carrie Snodgress had in fact won the part, until her agent asked for too much money. Bette Midler was offered the role but turned it down. Stallone and the producers decided that she was “too sexy." Cher was also considered. ADRIAN WAS ALMOST PLAYED BY SUSAN SARANDON. He was paid $20,000 for the script and a SAG minimum of $350 per week for acting instead. When the budget was lowered to $1 million, the studio was no longer allowed to keep Stallone from starring. United Artists offered Stallone up to $340,000 to sell them the rights to the screenplay if he agreed to not star in the movie. THE STUDIO WAS INTERESTED IN HAVING JAMES CAAN, BURT REYNOLDS, OR RYAN O’NEAL PLAY ROCKY. In his original version, Adrian was Jewish, Mickey was racist, the Paulie character was Adrian’s Jewish mother, Apollo Creed was Jamaican, and the script ended with Rocky throwing the fight and opening a pet store for Adrian with the money he made. With a little bit of screenwriting experience, and the idea for Rocky in his head for almost a year after witnessing a Muhammad Ali fight, Sylvester Stallone-who had $106 in the bank at the time-spent about 84 hours using a pad and a pen to write the first draft of Rocky. STALLONE WROTE THE FIRST DRAFT OF ROCKY IN THREE AND A HALF DAYS. On the 40th anniversary of the original film's release, here are some heavy-hitting, high-flying facts about the Rocky series.
The first Rocky-which was released 40 years ago-told a seemingly improbable rags-to-riches story about a loan shark/amateur boxer going the full 15 rounds against a champion fighter that weirdly mirrored the improbable story of how the movie went from a distant dream of Sylvester Stallone’s to a real, Best Picture Oscar-winning film and subsequent franchise.