Sylvester Stallone has portrayed some of Hollywood’s most memorable characters. The New York native rose to worldwide fame after portraying the underdog boxing champion, Rocky Balboa in the Rocky film series. Throughout the years, Stallone has established himself as a talented actor and a savvy business man who has worked to ensure that he has been able to have a lot of create control over his career. Stallone has earned several awards throughout his career, and is only the third person in history to receive two nominations for the same movie (Rocky). Now 68 years-old, Stallone has shown no signs of slowing down and he continues to appear as some of film’s most entertaining roles. Here is a list of the best Sylvester Stallone movie characters.
5. Stud
The 1970 adult film, The Party at Kitty and Stud’s, was Stallone’s first film appearance. His role in the film was a far cry from some of his better known roles, and the film was renamed Italian Stallion after Stallone became famous. Stallone’s character, Stud, was a young man living with his girlfriend.. Stallone has since revealed that he had recently become homeless right before the film was made, and he only took the role out of desperation. During an interview he stated: “It was either do that movie or rob someone because I was at the end – at the very end – of my rope. Instead of doing something desperate, I worked two days for $200 and got myself out of the bus station.”
4. Frank Nitti
In the 1975 film, Capone, Sylvester Stallone played real-life character Frank ‘The Enforcer’ Nitti, an associate of the legendary gangster Al Capone. Nitty was one of Capone’s top henchmen and eventually became the leader of Chicago’s organized crime outfit. Like many of history’s most feared mobsters, Nitti’s lifestyle eventually caught up with him. In 1943 Nitti was indicted for extortion and was likely going to be sentenced to jail. However, after his first prison term, Nitti had developed a severe case of claustrophobia and feared having to serve another jail sentence. On March 19, 1943, the day before his scheduled hearing, Nitti took his own life after his wife left for church. In the years since his death, Nitti has become a semi prominent figure in popular culture.
3. Barney Ross
Barney Ross, Sylvester Stallone’s character in The Expendables film series, is based on the world champion boxer of the same name. Barney Ross was an American boxer who won the boxing title in three weight divisions and was also a decorated World War II veteran. Ross, a small fighter who was known for his stamina, enjoyed a professional boxing career that lasted from 1929 to 1938. In his last fight, Ross who had never been knocked out in his career, refused to give up even after being brutally beaten by his opponent, Henry Armstrong. Many boxing experts consider Ross final fight one of the “most courageous” efforts in boxing history. Ross retired from boxing with an impressive record of 72 wins, 4 losses, 3 draws, and 2 no decisions. Although Stallone’s portrayal in The Expendables franchise isn’t an exact replica of the real Barney Ross, the character was chosen to honor the legendary boxer.
2. John Rambo
John Rambo is one of the most legendary movie tough guys of all-time. First appearing in the 1972 novel, First Blood, the fictional character John Rambo was made famous Stallone’s portrayal of him in the film series. Rambo was nominated on the American Film Institute’s list of “100 Years… 100 Heroes and Villains,” which was created to honor “the one-hundred greatest screen characters.” Best known for his tough exterior and willingness to protect those closest to him, Rambo has become a fixture in popular culture. Rambo is often credited with being the inspiration for many of the action heroes that followed, and he has been solidified as one of the greatest characters of the 80s. According to a source, “Rambo has become the quintessential representation of America during the Reagan years. President Ronald Reagan referred to Rambo in public speeches to exemplify his ultra-right political ideology and aggressive foreign policy. Towards the end of the 1985 Beirut hostage crisis, President Reagan stated at a press conference that: “Boy, after seeing Rambo [First Blood II] last night, I know what to do next time this happens.” Reagan often referred to Rambo: First Blood II as a model for his domestic and foreign policies. For instance, in his 1985 Labor Day speech, Reagan stated that he would clean the federal tax system “in the spirit of Rambo”.”
1. Rocky Balboa
As the title character of the Rocky series, Rocky Balboa is one of the most popular film characters of all-time, and is often credited with establishing Stallone’s career. Audiences instantly connected with the boxer from Philadelphia who was depicted as being an “everyman” figure. The role was not only portrayed by Stallone, but created by him as well in an effort to be taken seriously as an actor. Stallone stated: “Early in my acting career I realized the only way I would ever prove myself was to create my own role in my own script. On my 29th birthday, I had $106 in the bank. My best birthday present was a sudden revelation that I had to write the kind of screenplay that I personally enjoyed seeing. I relished stories of heroism, great love, dignity, and courage, dramas of people rising above their stations, taking life by the throat and not letting go until they succeeded…That night, Rocky Balboa was born. People looked on him as the all-American tragedy, a man without much mentality and few social graces. But he has deep emotion and spirituality and good patriotism. And he has a good nature, although nature has not been particularly good to him. I have always seen him as a 20th Century gladiator in a pair of sneakers. Like so many of us, he is out of sync with the times. To all this, I injected doses of my own personal life, of my frustration at not getting anywhere.” The great Rocky Balboa has been immortalized in a statue outside of the Philadelphia Museum of art.
(Photo by Elisabetta Villa/Getty Images)
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