Category: 2002

Sylvester Stallone: Action Star of the Millennium

Craig / / 2002, Honors

Sylvester Stallone: Action Star of the Millennium

On July 16, 2002 The Video Software Dealers Association honored Sylvester Stallone with its “Action Star of the Millennium” Award.

“We are thrilled to present Sylvester Stallone with this award,” said VSDA Chairman Tom Warren. “Mr. Stallone has created some of the most memorable characters in cinema history. Rocky Balboa and John Rambo are cinema cornerstones in American culture and have become synonymous with courage and rough-hewn integrity. Because of DVD technology and the overwhelming popularity of home video, his numerous films will continue to be enjoyed by film buffs for generations to come.”

“I want to thank the 12,000 video stores who keep movies alive and bring films like `Rambo‘ to new audiences,” said Stallone upon reception of his award. “There are no perfect people, only perfect moments, and this has been one of them.”

Thanks to Alain and Maurice Totry for their assistance with this item.

– Craig Zablo [July 20, 2002]

Sly Tidbits

Craig / / 2002, Celebs, Honors
People Magazine has a special edition out now listing the Top 100 Stars of our Century [or something like that]… anyway, in the section that lists ACTION STARS, Sly appears first… ahead of Clint Eastwood, Bruce Willis, and others.

In the July 16, 2002 issue of Star, a Stallone tidbit appears in Janet Charlton’s Star People section.

Hot Property
House this for connections? Sylvester Stallone has sold his $16 million, 15,000-square-foot, BevHills mansion to Viacom chief Summer Redstone. Although Sly didn’t work out a movie deal with Viacom’s Paramount studio into the contract, he can still chat up the entertainment mogul. Rambo owns another 20,000-square-foot, seven-bedroom house next door.

– This was reported at the SZ on July 6th! Craig Zablo July 13, 2002

Music and More from Frank Stallone

Craig / / 2002, Frank Stallone

We’ve just received word that Frank Stallone‘s new CD ‘Frankie & Billy’ (with the Billy May Orchestra) has been released from Simba Records!! You can listen to samples at the Official Frank Stallone Website. You can buy the CD HERE or by clicking on ‘Buy Music’ at Frank’s Official Site.

Billy May says: “Recording this album with Frank Stallone, I felt the same excitement that I got in 1958 from another ‘Frank‘ [Sinatra], or in 1953 from Nat Cole. Mr Stallone is a straight-ahead type of singer, always swinging and always in charge, and it was a great honor to have worked with him.”

We’ve also learned that Frank’s big band hits are now available for licensing through Moviemaker Music. [All masters were recorded with the legendary Sammy Nestico and Billy May Orchestras!]

For information about MovieMakerMusic please visit their web site or send email to info@moviemakermusic.net.

Thanks to Simon, webmaster fo Frank’s Official Site for the info ! – Craig Zablo [July 13, 2002]

Sly Sells His House

Craig / / 2002

Sylvester Stallone fan, Kenneth sent in the article [reprinted below] from the Los Angeles Times about Sly selling one of his homes in California.

Sylvester Stallone has sold a Beverly Hills-area home next door to his residence to media mogul Sumner Redstone for close to $15 million, real estate industry sources said.

The sale marked the first time that Redstone, a native of Boston, has bought a California home. The chairman and chief executive of Viacom (the owner of MTV and Nickelodeon, which merged with Paramount in 1994 and later acquired Blockbuster) has for years been traveling to Los Angeles several times a month on business, but he has stayed mainly in hotels.

The home that the billionaire businessman bought had been owned by Stallone since September. The actor paid $16 million for it, then put it back on the market in December at $16.95 million. When Stallone purchased the property, a spokesman for the actor said, he bought it as a place for his relatives to stay while visiting him.

Redstone bought the property after months of house hunting. He was in escrow to buy another home, but that deal fell through. Escrow on the home that Stallone sold to him closed last week. The house was vacant at the time of the sale, which did not include any furnishings.

Built in 1997, the 15,000-square-foot house has a master suite with two bathrooms, three additional bedrooms, a gym, a billiard room, a screening room, a two-story reading room, a 10-foot-long aquarium, an indoor pool with skylights, a 100-foot-long outdoor pool and a tennis court.

The gated estate is on more than two acres. The actor bought his house next door in 1998 for about $10 million, then expanded and refurbished it. His Italian-style villa has more than seven bedrooms in an estimated 20,000 square feet.

Stallone, 55, starred in the 2001 movies “D-Tox” and “Driven,” co-starring Burt Reynolds, and is due to co-star with Gabriel Byrne in the upcoming film “Shade.”

Redstone, 79, was named media person of the year earlier this month at the Cannes International Advertising Festival. The award recognized Redstone‘s success in establishing Viacom as one of the world’s premier entertainment and media companies. Among its many entities, Viacom also owns CBS and UPN. “A Passion to Win,” Redstone‘s memoir written with Peter Knobler, was published by Simon &Schuster in 2001.

Valerie Fitzgerald of Coldwell Banker, Beverly Hills North, had the listing, and Ernie Carswell of the same office represented Redstone in his purchase, sources said.

– Thanks to Kenneth for the tip! Craig Zablo [July 6, 2002]

Scarlet Rose!

Craig / / 2002, Family, Jennifer Flavin-Stallone

Sylvester Stallone fan, Kenneth, sent us the picture [to the left] of Sylvester, Jennifer, Sophia, Sistine, and baby Scarlet.

Kenneth said that the picture first appeared on Jennifer’s site. [And if you are a fan of Jennifer, you should also check out the very cool, Jennifer Flavin Gallery. Be sure to tell Justin that we sent you!]

Congrats to the Stallone family. We wish you all continued health and success!

Thanks again to Kenneth!

– Craig Zablo [July 6, 2002]