Sylvester Stallone: The True Stallion Sylvester Stallone who breathed life into the characters of Rocky Balboa and John Rambo and made them immortal is idolized and revered by movie lovers worldwide. He was the ultimate personification of an action hero and he carried off his characters with such aplomb and conviction that he left his fans mesmerized. Here are a few highlights of this great actor’s life and career:
Sylvester Gardenzio Stallone was born to Frank and Jackie Stallone. Frank Stallone was an Italian who had later migrated to the US in the 1930s.
Interestingly, as his mother Jackie gave birth to Stallone, she went through several complications. The doctors had to use two pairs of forceps during the delivery and the misuse led to the snapping of a vital nerve on Stallone’s face. This led to Stallone being paralysed on the lower left side of his face. This is the reason for Stallone’s snarling look and slurry speech.
His family then moved to Washington DC where his father opened a beauty parlour and his mother opened a gymnasium. His parents divorced when Sylvester was nine and he continued living with his mother after the divorce.
At a point of time when Sylvester was completely broke, he appeared in a soft pornographic film called the’ The Party at Kitty and Stud’s.’ He also appeared in an erotic movie called Score. Sylvester later explained the reason for appearing in such films saying that ‘he was at the rope’s end’ and had no way out.
In the period between 1970 and 1975, Stallone appeared in a number of movies in minor roles. Although some did an average business, Stallone hadn’t won recognition and fame. In 1975, he happened to witness the fight between Muhammad Ali and Chuck Wepner. The fight moved him and inspired him to write the story of Rambo. He had some difficulty in winning the lead role for the project, he convinced his producers to cast him in the role somehow. The movie went on to become one of the greatest hits of the time propelling Stallone to the heights of stardom. The movie won a number of awards and Stallone became a star overnight.
He went to make movies such as Paradise Alley and starred in the social drama F.I.S.T. In the year 1979, he wrote, acted and directed the sequel to Rocky, Rocky II, which became a huge success.
In 1982, Stallone appeared as John Rambo in the movie First Blood. The movie was a huge hit and Stallone was praised for his convincing personification of Rambo.
Stallone continued launching the First Blood and Rocky series which, although did not recreate the same magic the first movies did, were well accepted by the audience.
Stallone underwent rigorous training and fitness programmes to achieve the look of his characters. He is said to have consulted Mr Olympia Franco Columbu to develop the look for Rocky II and Rambo II movies.
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