The Life of Hollywood Action Hero Sylvester Stallone

Before Rocky changed his life, Stallone was so broke that he later said he had to part with his dog, Butkus, because he could not afford to feed him. The story became one of the most emotional pieces of his pre-fame struggle.

After the film moved forward, he was able to get Butkus back, and the dog appeared onscreen as Rocky Balboa’s pet. That detail gave the movie another piece of Stallone’s real life. But the production itself was still anything but secure.