According to Stallone, Rocky says �no� but decides to be true to himself even though he�s going to be berated by everyone, just to compete, not to win. In the re-match of the cyber-fight, Balboa must weigh the mental and physical risks of a high profile exhibition match against his need to get back into the boxing ring one more time.

Actually, I know very little about the film �Rocky Balboa.� I have heard that archive footage will be shown of Adrian (Talia Shire), who, reportedly, has died since the last Rocky film. Mylo Ventimiglia will be featured as Rocky Balboa, Jr., Burt Young reprises his role as Paulie, and is in Rocky�s corner, as is the former trainer of Apollo Creed. Geraldine Hughes will be seen as Marie and Antonio Carver, a champion boxer, known in real life as �The Magic Man,� (because he has made over 20 fighters disappear in the ring), will battle with the aging Stallone (Rocky Balboa).

Check out these nifty Sylvester Stallone trivia items. They may cause you to say, �Wow, I didn�t know that.�

Stallone was born on the same day as President George W. Bush. He is also one of George W. Bush's two favorite actors.

Stallone was paid a mere $60,000 to do �Cop Land� 1997. It is said that he did the film to play a serious role and escape his action hero typecast.

Stallone �oil paints� in his spare time and considers Leonardo Da Vinci his personal hero.

Stallone sang the theme song to his 1978 film, �Paradise Alley.�

Stallone is part owner of Planet Hollywood restaurants with Bruce Willis and formerly Arnold Schwarzenegger, who recently sold his part.

Stallone learned boxing before filming �Rocky.�

To get the lean, rugged look of a POW in the film �Victory,� Sylvester ate only 200 calories a day, all protein food, with an occasional potato, just so he would not faint. In the film, he weighed in at 159 pounds, the lightest he ever weighed in his adulthood.

He was the initial choice for the role of Axel Foley in 1984�s �Beverly Hills Cop.� Stallone turned down the role so that he could star in the box office bomb, �Cobra,� for which he co-wrote the screenplay.

Stallone is listed as one of the top heroes of all time by American Film Institute (AFI). In 2003, he listed seventh as Rocky Balboa behind Gregory Peck (Atticus Finch), Harrison Ford (Indiana Jones), Sean Connery (James Bond), Humphrey Bogart (Rick Blaine), Gary Cooper (Will Kane) and Jodie Foster (Clarice Starling).

He is often mistaken for Billy Joel.

Stallone is a massive fan of the works of Edgar Allan Poe, and wants to do a movie about his life.
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In the South Park episode �Wing,� Stallone's speech was portrayed as so slurred that he required a translator to communicate, but he was otherwise portrayed in a positive light.

He is the CEO and �Guinea Pig� of his nutritional supplement company, Instone Nutrition.

Stallone has donated money to both Republican and Democratic causes. He is, however, a registered Republican.

He inducted WWE Superstar Terry �Hulk Hogan� Bollea, one of the most loved superstars in WWE/WWF history, to the WWE Hall of Fame 2005. He also personally offered Bollea a �Rocky III� role in 1981.

Stallone�s nickname is �Sly.�

The respected film critic Roger Ebert once noted that Sylvester Stallone might be the next Marlon Brando. Did he say that about the guy because of the potential of his acting ability, or because of the fact that he often delivers his dialogue so badly it is difficult for the average movie fan to understand what he is trying to say?

The main problem I have with Sylvester Stallone isn�t that he is a bad actor or a good actor, it�s whether he is an actor at all. Most of the time, it seems to me the guy is not acting, but rather just having fun goofing off like a kid play-acting himself.

Frankly, I never thought that Stallone deserved the coveted Oscar nomination for his portrayal of Rocky Balboa in �Rocky.� As a screen personality, Stallone had a presence, (but so did his dog Butkus), and that presence didn�t convince me that he could act. I also don�t think that he won over the Academy�s voters for the Oscar nomination simply because he could dance around in the boxing ring and slug it out, convincingly, with a mythical champion.

I�ve seen better boxers engaged in movie fights in �Somebody Up There Likes Me,� (the Rocky Graziano story), and, certainly, in the film �Ali.� What I did see in the original �Rocky,� was lots of excellent theatrical boxing choreography, magnificent camera technique and plenty of frenzied crowd reaction. All of that stuff helped the movie get its share of recognition in the Oscar sweepstakes.

The original �Rocky� will always be remembered (as well as the spinoff versions) because of the uncanny, whimsical, creative dramatic ability of Burgess Meredith, the scene-stealing antics of Burt Young and the steady, underplayed credibility of Talia Shire, not because of Stallone�s acting prowess.

Sure, the original �Rocky� won the Academy Award for best picture and grossed over $117.2-million dollars in the U.S. and about $225-million bucks world-wide, but I don�t think Sylvester Stallone had much to do with that, unless you consider the fact that he came home from the Ali-Chuck Wepner fight, March 24, 1975 and, reportedly, wrote the film script practically overnight, (supposedly, in three days), then peddled it all over Hollywood. He eventually turned down �a ton of money� for the rights to the property until Robert Chartoff and Irvin Winkler finally agreed to let him play the Rocky role, (after considering James Caan and Burt Reynolds), paid him $23,000 and gave him a piece of the action.

For a guy who was broke on his ass at the time, that took a lot of guts, (or intestinal fortitude, if you prefer), and a lot of good ol� American B.S. salesmanship as well. That might be worthy of a pat on the back or a bold faced notation in the history books and elite film journals, but, certainly, not an Oscar nomination.

Whether you respect Stallone as a film artist or not, you have to give the guy credit for coming up with a good idea for an action-type movie and then busting his ass trying to talk somebody into doing it. Whether or not you care for Stallone as an actor, screenwriter, or a director, or choose to join the ranks of those who say the man is a celluloid joke, it is not fair to write him off completely as a Hollywood flop.

The man may be misunderstood and criticized in film circles, but he is also an icon of machismo and Hollywood action heroism, perhaps unequaled by anyone in the business since the late star John Wayne. After all, Stallone is responsible for creating two characters who have become a part of the American cultural lexicon: Rocky Balboa, the no-name boxer who overcame all odds to become a champion, and John Rambo, the courageous soldier who specialized in violent rescues and revenge.

Both characters, critics have observed, and I certainly agree, are reflections of Stallone's personal experiences and most of the battles he waged during his transition from a poor kid in Hell's Kitchen to one of the world's most popular movie stars.

According to Stallone, he did not enjoy a happy childhood. On July 6, 1946, in Manhattan, Sylvester Enzio Stallone was born to a chorine and an Italian immigrant. A forceps accident during his birth severed a facial nerve, leaving Stallone with parts of his lip, tongue, and chin paralyzed. In doing so, the accident imprinted Stallone with some of the most recognizable components of his persona: the distinctively slurred (and some say nearly incomprehensible) speech patterns, drooping lower lip, and crooked left eye that have been eagerly seized upon by ardent caricaturists.
To further compound these defects, Stallone was a homely, rather sickly child who once suffered from rickets. His parents were constantly at war and struggling to support Stallone and his younger brother, Frank, (who became a B-movie actor). The elder brother spent most of his first five years in the care of foster homes.

Stallone often admitted that his interest in acting came from his attempts to get attention and affection from those strangers who tried to raise him. When he was five, his parents moved their family to Silver Spring, Maryland, but, once again, spent their time bickering and largely ignored their children in the process.

Following his parents� divorce, in 1957, the 11-year-old Stallone remained with his stern father. The actor�s teen years proved even more traumatic. Often described as �an undisciplined showoff� by his teachers, Stallone had already been enrolled in 12 schools and expelled several times for his unpredictable AND predictable behavior problems.

His grades were considered dreadful by most school standards and many of his classmates often picked on him simply for being different. Stallone coped by becoming a risk taker and developing elaborate fantasies in which he presented himself as a brave hero and champion of the underdog.

At age 15, Stallone moved to Philadelphia to be with his mother and her new husband. By this time, he was lifting weights and enrolled in Devereaux High School, a facility for emotionally disturbed children. While there, he became actively involved in competitive athletics, participating in fencing, football and track and field events, where he threw the discus.

He also began appearing in school plays. Following graduation, Stallone was awarded an athletic scholarship for the American College of Switzerland. While there, he became a girls' athletic coach and, in his spare time, starred in a school production of Arthur Miller�s �Death of a Salesman.�

This unique experience inspired Stallone to become an actor and after returning stateside, he began studying drama at the University of Miami, before moving to New York in 1969. While working at a variety of odd jobs, Stallone often auditioned for stage roles, but only, occasionally, succeeded in finding work, most of which was off-Broadway in shows like the all-nude �Score� and �Rain.�

He even resorted to appearing in the so-called �soft-core� porn film, �Party at Kitty's and Stud�s,� which, as mentioned, previously, was later re-packaged as �The Italian Stallion� after Stallone became famous in the film �Rocky.� Stallone's face, (and even his deep voice), according to film critic Sandra Brennan, were said to have been among the factors in his constant rejection for stage and film roles.

He did play a bit part in Woody Allen's �Bananas� (1971), but, after he was turned down for �The Godfather� (1971), he became discouraged. Rather than give up, however, Stallone began writing film scripts, but very few were produced.

He still auditioned for film parts, however, and landed a starring role in �Rebel� (1973). Stallone�s first minor success came when he wrote the screenplay for and co-starred in the nostalgic �Lords of Flatbush� (1974) with Henry Winkler. The film's modest success resulted in Stallone getting larger roles, but he still didn't attract much notice until he wrote the screenplay for �Rocky� (1976).
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The film, of course, became one of the biggest movie hits of all time. It also won Oscars for Best Picture, Best Director for John Avildsen, and, ironically, a Best Screenplay nomination and, of course, a Best Actor nomination for Stallone.

Following his unprecedented success with �Rocky,� Stallone wrote five sequels to �Rocky� and three �Rambo� films. He made his directorial debut with Paradise Alley, which he filmed in Hell's Kitchen. He also wrote and directed, (but did not appear in), the sequel to �Saturday Night Fever,� � �Staying Alive� (1983).

In addition, Stallone continued to appear in the films of other directors. Occasionally, Stallone ventured out of the action genre and into lighter stuff, with embarrassing efforts, which did not fare well at the box office.

Though he may not be considered to be of America�s top actors today, Stallone eventually found financial success in Hollywood, (his standard salary is $20,000,000 a picture), he has also had his share of personal grief. With his first wife, Sasha, Stallone had two sons, Sage, (now enjoying his recently launched acting career) and Seargeoh, who was diagnosed as autistic in 1982. The stress of the situation with Seargeoh, reportedly, caused Stallone's marriage to end in 1985.

While dating many women, Stallone became a favorite topic of the tabloids. He eventually married model Brigette Nielsen, whom he divorced 18 months later. In the late '80s, Stallone met Jennifer Flavin, a 19-year-old model. The two lived together for three years and married in May, 1997. Tragically, their baby girl, Sofia, was born with a hole in her heart. Fortunately, however, it was later repaired and she is healthy today.

Whether you like Sylvester Stallone as an actor or not, it�s hard to question the fact, today, that he is, never-the-less, a bankable star of the first magnitude. With Arnold Schwarzenegger, he established himself, despite his critics, as the pre-eminent action movie star of his era, in predominantly action films where his acting ability and character development were considered �rather secondary� to special effects, gushing blood and high body counts.

Stallone�s appeal in these films is based on a combination of his brawn and the physical heroics his character undergoes, rather than any acting ability. More often than not, Stallone �grunts� his way through his films, having been given hardly any dialogue lasting beyond a few sentences at a time. But, as we have all come to understand, whether we like it, personally, or not, his characters are meant to be men of action, rather than words.

Trust me, Stallone has not scored an ace with all of his career choices. �F.I.S.T.� - one of the movies that flopped - was one of his better films. In it, Stallone played a Jimmy Hoffa-type labor leader. Not all of his action films have been box office successes, either. �Judge Dredd,� a film that on paper looked like a sure fire hit, proved to be a disaster.

Generally speaking, Stallone met disaster when he accepted a role in a non-action type film. In �Rhinestone,� with Dolly Parton, he played a New York cabdriver who became a hillbilly singer. Like most Stallone films, it received dreadful reviews. In this particular case, film audiences stayed away from the theater en masse.

Stallone�s most popular characters remain today boxer Rocky Balboa and Vietnam veteran John Rambo. In great American tradition, the characters of Balboa and Rambo reflect the idealized triumph of the individual, which is the essence of their appeal.

At the same time, it is important to note that politics has played no small part in the success of the �Rocky� and �Rambo� films. Rocky Balboa may have started out as an endearing pug, a heartfelt symbol of the so-called common man, who lived out the fantasies of millions of other type common men, in that he got his one chance at fame by fighting for the world championship. But, as the story of �Rocky� continued through its sequels, he �wrapped himself in the American flag.�

Rambo, meanwhile, rose out of the ashes of the Vietnam folly. He was a bigger-than-life indestructible super-hero, the so-called good guy who could never, ever be defeated, and the good guy that America wished itself to be.

As Rambo battled the enemy, many American males fantasized about filling his shoes, just as they might have fantasized about filling the shoes of the late Mickey Mantle or a Joe Montano, Dan Marino or Peyton Manning.

Of course, the �Rambo� films were throwbacks to the 1950s, which, of was a much more simple age. America, then, was the self-proclaimed leader of the free world. Good and bad were clearly defined, and most war movies were popular, because, they featured battles and conflicts in which the U.S. emerged victorious. Rambo�s character was portrayed as a winning hero in battle, even though, in reality, the facts revealed that the war was lost.

In the 1980s, Stallone replaced John Wayne as the movies� good guy symbol of the �love-it-or-leave-it, hit-first-and-ask-questions-later� conservatism.

Interestingly so, since his big budget extravaganzas, Stallone played some thinly-disguised �Rambo� variations. In the film trailer for �The Specialist,� viewers were told all they needed to know about Stallone�s character, when informed that the government taught him to kill. In �Nighthawks,� Stallone played a stalwart NYC cop who learned his �killing skills� on the battlefields of Southeast Asia.

In one of Stallone�s first roles, (and one of his best), in the little-known 1981 film, �Victory,� directed by John Huston, he played Hatch, the goalie on a rag-tag German prisoner of war concentration camp all-star soccer team, (with Pele�, then the greatest soccer player in the world), against the heralded Nazi national team.

In the original draft of the script, (based on a true story), the POW guys were offered their freedom if they �allowed� the Germans to win the match; if the POW team won the match, they would all be executed. The POW guys opted to �go for broke,� try to defeat the German team and suffer the consequences.

While threatening Nazi troopers paced the sidelines during the match, fans in the stands cheered for the POW guys to kick ass. So, even then, it was the good guys vs. the bad guys, and Stallone was right in the big middle of all the action.

My friend, the late Gordon McLendon, a true American patriot and buddy of John Wayne, was the original executive producer of the film. He told me, then, to watch out for this guy named Sylvester Stallone. �He nearly stole the show from Michael Caine and all the big-name stars in the movie,� he said, �and he also got the girl to boot.�

Well, that�s show biz, baby.