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Sylvester Stallone

Sylvester Gardenzio Stallonewas born on July 6, 1946 is an Academy Award-nominated American actor, director, producer and screenwriter. One of the biggest box office draws in the world from the '70s to the early '90s, Stallone is an international icon of machismo and Hollywood action heroism. He created two characters who have become a part of the American cultural lexicon: Rocky-Balboa.html">Rocky Balboa, the boxer who overcame all odds to become a champion, and John Rambo, a sensitive soldier who specialized in violent rescues and revenge.

During the 1980s, he enjoyed phenomenal popularity and was one of the biggest movie stars in the world with the Rocky and Rambo franchises. Stallone's culturally influential films changed pop culture history and he has largely enjoyed a career on the Hollywood A list for over 30 years.

He is considered by many (including the mayor of Philadelphia) as the one who made the city of Philadelphia an international tourist attraction with the Rocky Steps. His immense popularity there has led to a statue of his Rocky character being placed permanently near the Philadelphia Museum of Art as a cultural landmark. On August 2007, a statue of Rocky was also erected in the Serbian village of Zitiste. Stallone's film Rocky has also been inducted into the National Film Registry as well as having its film props placed in the Smithsonian Museum.

Stallone was born in New York City, the son of Jackie Stallone (née Jacqueline Labofish), an astrologer, former dancer and promoter of women's wrestling, and Frank Stallone, Sr., a hairdresser. Birth complications caused partial paralysis in parts of Stallone's face, resulting in his signature slurred speech and drooping lower lip. Stallone's father was an immigrant from Gioia del Colle (in Bari, Apulia, Italy). Stallone grew up in Northeast Philadelphia and attended Lincoln High School, whose band plays at the dedication of the Rocky statue in Rocky-II.html">Rocky III.

He later attended a private boarding school, The Glenholme School, in Washington, Connecticut. In the 1960s, Stallone attended the American College of Switzerland in Leysin, and 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

Other famous members in Stallone's family are his brother, actor/singer Frank Stallone and his mother, Jackie Stallone, who achieved notoriety in the middle 1990s as an astrologist and as a professional wrestler. Stallone's pet Bullmastiff, Butkus, appeared in both Rocky And Rocky-II.html">Rocky II as an often-teased favorite pet of Balboa's who lived in Adrian's pet shop.

Stallone has been married three times, to Sasha Czack (1974–1985), Brigitte Nielsen (1985–1987), and Jennifer Flavin (1997— ). 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 Scarlet 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, Naomi Campbell, and Janice Dickinson.

Stallone claims to have been able to bench press 385-400 lbs (174.6-181.4 kg) and squat 500 lbs (226.8 kg) 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 vascular than the other.

On January 14, 2007, Stallone was at Goodison Park to promote Rocky-Balboa.html">Rocky Balboa, and to watch Everton take on Reading in an English Premier League game. The match ended as a 1–1 draw. Stallone paraded on the field at half time adorned in a home team scarf and received a warm reception from the 40,000 fans. Stallone has claimed to be a keen soccer fan since filming Escape to Victory in the 1980s and now claims to be an official Everton fan.

In July 2007, Stallone had a tattoo done by world renowned tattoo artist Mike Devries on his upper right arm of a portrait of his wife, Jennifer Flavin. Incorporated into the tattoo is three roses for their three girls that have Rose for middle names. The tattoo took about 14 hours and isn't finished, it will be expanded onto Stallone's chest a bit.

In a Fox News interview that ran on January 24, 2008, Stallone said he currently supports John McCain for the 2008 Republican US presidential nomination, and he is also friends with the governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger. Stallone recently appeared on Larry King's television show, where he took part in an IQ test, scoring over 130.

On February 16, 2007, Stallone flew into Sydney, Australia as part of his promotional tour for Rocky-Balboa.html">Rocky Balboa. Upon landing he was searched by Australian Customs officials, who found 48 vials of the human growth hormone (HGH) Jintropin in his personal luggage. As a result of this, he was charged one count of importing a prohibited import. The hormones are banned under the Australian Customs Act and are not approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. In a court hearing on May 15, 2007, he pleaded guilty to two charges of possessing a controlled substance. On May 21, 2007 he was formally convicted of importing restricted muscle-building hormones into Australia and ordered to pay $9,870 in fines and court costs.

In a typed apology from Stallone, delivered to the court on May 15, Stallone said:

I made a terrible mistake. Not because I was attempting to deceive anyone but I was simply ignorant of your official rules and I wish to sincerely apologize to the court and the Australian community for my breach of Australian customs law. ... I have never supported the use of illegal drugs or engaged in any illegal activities in my entire life. ...I wish to express my deepest remorse and again apologize for my actions.

According to ninemsn.com and other sources, when interviewing officers asked Stallone why he took Jintropin, he said:

"As you get older, the pituitary gland slows and you feel older, your bones narrow. This stuff gives your body a boost and you feel and look good. Doing Rambo is hard work and I am going to be in Burma for a while. Where do you think I am going to get this stuff in Burma?"

In the February 4, 2008 edition of Time, Stallone was interviewed about his use of HGH, which he defended.

"Testosterone to me is so important for a sense of well-being when you get older. Everyone over 40 years old would be wise to investigate it because it increases the quality of your life. Mark my words. In 10 years it will be over the counter.

Stallone had his first starring role in the softcore feature film Party at Kitty and Stud's (1970), which was later re-released as Italian Stallion (the title taken from Stallone's nickname and a line from the film) and Cocky. He was paid US$200 for two days work. An "uncut" version of the film was released in 2007, purporting to show actual hardcore footage of Stallone, but according to trade journal AVN the hardcore scenes were inserts not involving the actor. In 2008, scenes from Party at Kitty and Stud's surfaced in a German version of Roger Colmont's hardcore-film White Fire (1976).

Stallone also starred in the erotic off-Broadway stage play Score which ran for 23 performances at the Martinique Theatre from October 28 - November 15, 1971 and was later made into a film by Radley Metzger.

Film roles, 1971-1975

Stallone's other 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 The Prisoner Of Second Avenue (1975) as a youth. In the Lemmon film, Jack Lemmon chases, tackles and mugs Stallone, thinking that Stallone's character is a pickpocket. He had his second starring role in the cult hit The Lords of Flatbush (1974). In 1975, he played supporting roles in Farewell, My Lovely, Capone and, another cult hit, Death Race 2000. He also made guest appearances on the TV series Police Story and Kojak.

Success with Rocky, 1976

Stallone did not gain world-wide fame until his starring role in the smash hit Rocky (1976). The film was awarded with 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 (which was suggested by Stallone after a casting), and planned on courting a star like Burt Reynolds or James Caan for the lead role. The final result was an unequalled success; Rocky was nominated for ten Academy Awards in all, including Best Actor for Stallone himself.

He has signed a contract with Nu Image Films for two action movies (one of which could be another 'Rambo'). The Death Wish remake is still supposed to be his next film, as reported by Empire Magazine, followed by a rumoured fifth Rambo film.

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

In August 2005, Stallone released his book Sly Moves which claimed to be a guide to fitness and nutrition as well as a candid insight into his life and works from his own perspective. The book also contained many photographs of Stallone throughout the years as well as pictures of him performing exercises.

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

Stallone's work behind the cameras was recently documented in this 2008 article

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

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