1977: Sylvester Stallone on making ROCKY | Film 77 | Classic Movie Interviews | BBC Archive

Sylvester Stallone talks to Barry Norman about the arduous task of getting Rocky - his uplifting script about an underdog boxer - made into an Oscar-winning film. Chief among the issues was his desire to star as the film's lead Rocky Balboa, despite being a "small part" actor, while Hollywood studio bosses wanted a big name like James Caan, Burt Reynolds or Ryan O'Neal in the role. Like the film itself, the story of bringing Rocky to the screen is a tale of determination, perseverance and Stallone's uncanny ability to keep getting up after he gets knocked down.

BBC Archive looks forward to "Rocky on Venus".

Originally broadcast 23 January 1977.

You have now entered the BBC Archive, a time machine that will transport you back to the golden age of TV to educate, entertain and enlighten you with classic clips from the BBC vaults.

[KarimJovian]

The fact that he forced himself to be in the movie was probably the best move he ever made. Imagine him selling the film and moving on. We wouldn’t know what a Stallone is

[HK_Musician]

His actual life, creating that film himself and starring in it, and the success it had, is like a Rocky film. He actually is Rocky

[natsyoutube]

The great calmness of long ago interviews. Giving people the time to talk, in a calm environment, and really listening to each other and having a conversation. Priceless ❤

[LosHuxleys]

Sylvester Stallone is literally a genius. He wrote and starred the most important and influential saga in the history of sports movies.

[Praetorian]

Its amazing how much this actually mirrors Rocky's attitude toward his first fight with Apollo. He didn't expect to win, but he wanted to show the world, and himself, that he could go the distance, and wasn't just a low class bum.

Sly didn't know if he would star in his own script but kept pushing forward knowing that he'd have at least tried and *went the distance*

[landl]

I feel so sorry for Sylvester that people underestimate just how intelligent he is. He really does deserve so much more credit.

[younowhythatis]

I started boxing because of this man.40 yrs later, I'm a boxing coach, because of this man.i never achieved much in this life, but what I did achieve, was because of this man.thankyou brother.

[followtheboat]

This interview is proof that the guy is a clever, astute and eloquent man. Stallone also came across well.

[thomasmartinscott]

I saw "Rocky" and it literally changed my outlook on life! As a creative person who had been told (by my own father), "You're never gonna be anything if you keep believing in some fantasy that can never come true." I had begun to believe my dad. I threw every bit of that out the window after seeing the Possibility that Rocky PROVED. I am now 72 and I made a living with my music for over 50 years. Thank You, Mr. Stallone!!!

[ChipMyers]

This is such a great interview. It’s extremely hard to get something authentic like this now days.

[levivalentinovideos]

What an interview! You don’t see interviews on Tv like that anymore, so refreshing

[billyrock]

Stallone is an articulate, gifted and artistic gentleman.

[duffymoony]

Sly is the real deal. Still quite humble in 2022. Love him.

[JackAlderton]

The way he talks is phenomenal. People cannot do this anymore. No ums or ahs, no awkward pauses. No teleprompter or swearing. Absolute class and powerful message we can all learn from.

[neilnola]

You can see how good a story teller he is and actually very funny and personable

[KNOWHOPE]

Whenever Stallone is interviewed, it always amazes me what insight and wisdom he possess, even at the young age of 30.

[muhammaduddin]

This man worked hard to get where he is.He deserves what he has achieved in life.He is a real definition of a real man.

[mr.miller]

He could never have known when he was looking at himself in that mirror before going on set for the first time, that in the very near future he would be the most marketable actor on the planet for a few years. Sylvester Stallone reigned tall during that magical period of the beginnings and rise of the video recorder and home movies. His films contributed greatly to my extremely happy childhood. Thank you, Sly...

[adecentyoutuber]

This man truly inspired and saved so many lives for several decades in my opinion. The lessons and story of his own life and movies are second to none. Thanks, Sly!

[bleensteen]

This is gold. You very rarely get to see a celebrity being real about how they got to where they got and how they feel about it, without extra marketing self promotion BS, JUST after they made the transition from nobody to somebody. This was only 2 months after the film's release.