Character biography. Robert "Rocky" Balboa was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on June 6, 1945. He was the only child in a Roman Catholic, Italian-American or Italian immigrant family.

Was Rocky from Philly?

Written by and starring Sylvester Stallone (b. 1946), the film introduced audiences to Rocky Balboa: a down-and-out boxer and debt collector from Philadelphia who gained confidence as he trained to fight the reigning heavyweight champion.

Why did they choose Philadelphia for Rocky?

In the original Rocky movie, the fictional boxer, Rocky, ended his morning run with an ascent up the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. This ascent has become symbolic of the city of Philadelphia and its residents, representing that an underdog can become a champion through hard work, determination, and hustle.

Did Sylvester Stallone live in Philadelphia?

Sylvester Stallone was born in New York on July 6, 1946. He moved to Philadelphia after his parents' divorce where he attended High School at Devereux Manor. After marrying his first wife Sasha Czack, Stallone moved to California where he pursued a career in acting.

Does Sylvester Stallone have a Philly accent?

Sylvester Stallone's portrayal of the iconic boxer, Rocky Balboa, in the “Rocky” film series is perhaps one of the most famous depictions of the Philadelphia accent. Although the actor is from New York, we personally believe that he nailed Philly's dialect.

Rocky IV (1985) Cast THEN and NOW, The actors have aged horribly!!

What is the Philadelphia accent called?

Philadelphia English or Delaware Valley English is a variety or dialect of American English native to Philadelphia and extending into Philadelphia's metropolitan area throughout the Delaware Valley, including southeastern Pennsylvania, all of South Jersey, counties of northern Delaware (especially New Castle and Kent), ...

What part of Philly did Rocky live?

But although Rocky is set in Philadelphia, the film's locations are split between the City of Brotherly Love and Los Angeles. Rocky's neighbourhood is Kensington, north Philadelphia, where his apartment is 1818 East Tusculum Street.

Was Rocky shot in Philly?

The film Rocky, produced in 1976, not only won accolades but also beautifully highlighted the enchanting landscape of Philadelphia. Although the majority of scenes were filmed on location in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, some scenes were filmed in Los Angeles at the Olympic Auditorium.

How old was Sylvester Stallone when he moved to Philadelphia?

Stallone initially stayed with his father following his parents' divorce in 1957, but at age 15 he joined his remarried mother in Philadelphia.

Was all of Rocky filmed in Philadelphia?

The Rocky movies series filming locations were split between Philadelphia, the City of Brotherly Love and Los Angeles, and on this driving tour, you will discover where the most iconic scenes were shot in Philly from the steps of the Art Museum to the Italian Market.

Who was originally meant to play Rocky?

And the words Stallone is mouthing on screen are the words he wrote in 3 1/2 days and sold to producers Irwin Winkler and Robert Chartoff on the condition that he would play ''Rocky,'' and not Burt Reynolds, or James Caan, or Ryan O'Neal, who were being mentioned for the part.

Who is the real life Rocky Balboa?

Sticking just with boxing, Balboa's style was based chiefly on two real life boxers — namely the great Rocky Marciano & a lesser known boxer named Chuck Wepner (top right vs Ali).

Why did Rocky end up poor?

Rocky lost most of his money by putting Paulie in charge of his finances when he was in Russia in Rocky IV, which ended up being a huge mistake.

Why was Rocky's statue removed?

The statue was installed at the top of the museum steps but was removed after just a few months when museum officials and art aficionados argued that it was merely a movie prop, and its “exaggerated proportions and caricature” would sully the internationally renowned museum's image.

Where did Rocky eat Philly?

I did a lot of research to decide which Philly Cheesesteak establishment to dine at, and decided it would be the restaraunt that started it all: Pat's King of Steaks. Another reason is because it is the restaruant that Rocky Balboa ate in the movie of the same name.

What ethnicity was Rocky?

Robert "Rocky" Balboa was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on June 6, 1945. He was the only child in a Roman Catholic, Italian-American or Italian immigrant family.

Where in Philly did Sylvester Stallone live?

Sly and Frank Stallone Once Lived Here

Interestingly, young Sylvester Stallone, brother Frank, and their mother and stepfather lived at the Chateau Crillon Apartments (222 S. 19th St., Philadelphia, PA) in Rittenhouse Square during the late 1950's.

Who was Sylvester Stallone's first wife?

He first married Sasha Czack in 1974 when he was 28. They had two sons -- Sage, who died in 2012 at 36 from a heart attack, and Seargeoh. Stallone and Czack divorced in 1985. He married model and Rocky IV co-star Brigitte Nielsen in 1985 but divorced two years later.

How many days did it take to film Rocky?

He refused to sell the rights to the script unless he was chosen to play the lead. As a result, his producers were given a shoestring budget of $960,000 to work with, and Rocky was filmed in just 28 days.

Is the Rocky Statue still standing in Philadelphia?

The Rocky Statue

In 1980, Sylvester Stallone commissioned A. Thomas Schomberg to create the Statue of ROCKY™ for the movie "ROCKY III". Today, this iconic statue resides at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, adjacent to the famous ROCKY steps, for visitors from around the globe to enjoy.

Who paid for the Rocky statue in Philadelphia?

The fictional Rocky Balboa of Sylvester Stallone's Rocky movies was immortalized in bronze by artist A. Thomas Schomberg in 1980 for a scene in the film Rocky III. After the filming was complete, Stallone donated the statue to the City of Philadelphia.

Where is Paulie's house in Rocky?

This humble home on Rosehill in Kensington was home to Paulie and Adrian in the original Rocky movie, but was home to the entire Balboa family in Rocky V.

What is a slur for Philadelphia?

Jawn is an African-American vernacular slang term local to Philadelphia and, by extension, the Delaware Valley that may refer to a thing, place, person, or event, substituting for a specific name. Jawn is a context-dependent substitute noun; a noun that substitutes for other nouns.

How do Philly people say water?

Wooder was a curiosity scholars and reporters often asked about. “Philadelphians say wooder, and that's that,” Fruehwald remembers telling a local news outlet at the time.

How do Philadelphians say coffee?

The familiar Philly-ism "wooder" also might be drying up. "That sound is moving toward 'ah,' so instead of 'cawfee,' more Philadelphians are saying 'coffee,' 'wooder' becomes 'water,' " Labov said. "As people become aware . . . they tend to reverse them. They say, 'Oh, we shouldn't talk that way.