Author: Craig

20 Oscar Nominees and Winners Who Paint

Craig / / 2014, Celebs, Sly's Art

On March 2, 2014, Complex Art+Design posted 20 Oscar Nominees and Winners Who Paint.  Here’s what they had to say about Sly…

Sylvester Stallone

Nomination: Best Actor in a Leading Role, Best Writing for a Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen, Rocky (1977)

Oscar nominee Sylvester Stallone is not only praised for his awesome performance in the 1976 film Rocky, but he is unexpectedly an artist greatly influenced by abstract expressionism. Evidently, he had been producing art since the 1960s, even before he began acting. Basically, he went from boxing in the ring to revealing striking, intense paintings in an exhibition at the State Russian Museum in St. Petersburg. Rocky is a man of many talents!

How a Boy Named Mike Kunda…

Craig / / 2014, Sly Fan

 

Long-time SZoner, Mike Kunda is the subject of a great profile titled I am Rocky Balboa: How a Boy Named Mike Kunda Grew up to be the Ultimate Italian Stallion written by Dena Levitz [with photos by Shira Yudkoff] at Narrative.

Mike is a life-long Stallone fan, one of the oldest [as in time here] and biggest supporters of the StalloneZone.  Mike is also one of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet.  Congrats to Mike for the recognition! Keep Punchin’! – Craig

 

Sly in Rona Barrett’s Hollywood Dec. 1977

Craig / / 1977, 2014, FIST, Frank Stallone

Earlier this week I received these photos attached to this e-mail:

Craig,

Longtime SZoner, Rob Hoskins, here from Salyersville, Kentucky. Just wanted to show you these latest gems. My Dad brought me an old copy of Rona Barrett’s HOLLYWOOD Magazine from December 1977 he found at an antique place. I found these sections on the “new star” of ROCKY inside.

Peace,

Rob Hoskins

I had the shirt and poster below. One of my sisters secretly traded the poster to one of her friends for a shirt. She didn’t tell me until years later.

If you’d like to see a larger version of the ad you can here.

 

Thanks to Rob for sharing!

12 Action Stars Who Still Kicked Butt After 60

Craig / / 2014, Celebs


On February 24, 2014, The Playlist ran an article by Gabe Toro titled 12 Action Stars Who Still Kicked Butt After 60.  The nicely written piece features Charles Bronson, Clint Eastwood, Lee Marvin, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Steven Seagal, Takeshi Kitano, Samuel L. Jackson, Danny Trejo, Harrison Ford, Sean Connery, Christopher Lee and Sylvester Stallone.

Here’s a bit of what Toro had to say about Sly…

His Career Pre-60: Stallone rose to fame as the Italian Stallion, achieving immortality as “Rocky,” using the underdog sports story to launch an unmatched career in action films…

As Rocky, Stallone is slipping on a warm coat, and this is easily his most touching, low-key performance.

Emboldened by the success of “Rocky Balboa,” Stallone jumped at the chance to return to the world of leading men, uniting the shiniest action stars of yesterday by kick-starting “The Expendables” as a franchise, where Stallone would rub shoulders with legends like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis, Jean-Claude Van Damme and Chuck Norris.

Stallone remains in improbable action hero shape, ready to impress once again in this summer’s “The Expendables 3.”

I really enjoyed Toro‘s article and my only question is, “Why No John Wayne?”

Andy Karl Talks About Playing Rocky Balboa on Broadway

Craig / / 2014, Rocky Musical


On February 24, 2014, Broadway.com ran an interview with Andy Karl conducted by Kathy Henderson.  In the interview Karl talks about taking on the role of Rocky Balboa.  Here are some tidbits…

Would you get in the ring with Sylvester Stallone?
Not a chance.

Speaking of riding a fine line, what’s the secret to portraying Rocky without veering into a parody of Sylvester Stallone? 
I’m taking on some of the mannerisms Sylvester Stallone created, but I also have to let it be truthful to me. The music is character-driven and I am naturally a baritone, so the score fits right in my sweet spot. It’s actually pretty simple—for me, and for most of America, Rocky is a living, breathing person, and I’m honoring the character enough that I don’t have to rely on Stallone’s take on everything. He picked me; he’s trusting me with this, and that’s a huge honor.