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Rocky Balboa, Hollywood's favorite underdog boxer, claimed his place in history Tuesday as his creator -- Sylvester Stallone -- donated props from the "Rocky" films to the National Museum of American History.
Stallone dedicated his gift to "all the Rockys of the world", saying the story of the working-class boxer had resonated with people because it carried a message of hope.
"Rocky, of course, is part of everybody. I don't claim ownership anymore," Stallone told a press conference in Washington.
"The reason the story worked is because all of us have a need to feel fulfillment in their life. That battle never ends. And that's why I put him in the body of a boxer," he said.
Stallone gave the Smithsonian museum a red-and-gold boxing robe from the first film "Rocky", emblazoned with the words "The Italian Stallion" on the back, as well as his character's signature black hat and red boxing gloves from "Rocky II" and a pair of star-spangled boxing trunks and white boxing shoes from "Rocky III".
The props will be displayed in the "Treasures of American History" exhibition, as part of a museum collection that includes a cornet played by jazz great Louis Armstrong, a tuxedo worn by soul musician Ray Charles, a pipe from Albert Einstein and boxing gloves from real-life prizefighter Muhammad Ali.
Museum director Brent Glass said the Rocky story represented "a quintessential tale of the American dream" and that Stallone's efforts to get the film made also offered an inspiring story of overcoming difficult odds.
Released in 1976 on a modest budget with a script written by Stallone, the first "Rocky" film won critical acclaim and three Oscars for best picture, best director and best film editing, catapulting Stallone to fame after he had struggled as an actor and screenwriter.
The movie tells the story of a small-time boxer earning a living as an enforcer for a loan shark in the tough streets of Philadelphia. When the reigning champion decides to give a long-shot a chance at the heavyweight title as a publicity stunt, Rocky manages to go the distance with the champ.
Sequels over the past three decades increasingly strayed from the original formula and were mostly panned by critics.
The donation comes weeks before the filmmaker releases his sixth and purportedly final film in the series, "Rocky Balboa", in which the retired prizefighter is a grieving widower who returns to the ring one last time.
"It's about purging himself of pain," Stallone, dressed in a smart dark suit and blue tie, said of his new film.
He said he had tried to get the latest sequel made for years and that it was "even more difficult getting done than the first one".
Preparing for the physical part of the role also proved difficult, Stallone said, describing rehearsals with his sparring partner.
"At 59 years old, to get into the ring with a real fighter, it was difficult," Stallone said. "He ended up with a broken knuckle and I had a broken foot."
Stallone said the Rocky story had a special meaning for audiences, recounting how he was greeted on Sunday by a crowd at an American football game in Philadelphia not by his own name but by that of his famous character.
"And I realized when they're saying 'Rocky', they're basically cheering for the Rocky in them, because Rocky gives us hope," he said.
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AFPEntertainment-US-film-people-Stallone-Rocky
AFP 052122 GMT 12 06
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