Rocky II

Directed by Sylvester Stallone

Rocky II is the 1979 sequel to Rocky

In the aftermath of his celebrated match with World Heavyweight Champion Apollo Creed, Rocky Balboa enjoys his success, and the money he earned from the match, which was declared a draw, and the heavyweight championship didn't change hands. He marries his fiancé Adrian. When a projected stint in TV commercials fails because he is unable to remember his lines and cannot read the 'dummy boards' being held for him, an embarrassed Rocky is forced to work for the meat packing company that Adrian's brother Paulie works for, but later gets laid off . Adrian falls pregnant. Rocky believes he has no future as a boxer and accepts a menial job at the gym run by his former trainer Mickey. Apollo, angered by repeated taunts that his fight with Rocky was fixed, is eager for a high-profile rematch with Rocky to prove that the match was a fluke. Adrian is against it, and doctors have warned Rocky that with his injured eye, another fight could seriously damage his eyesight. With the family resources declining and his pride wounded, Rocky decides that fighting is all he knows how to do, and he makes the decision to get back in the ring with Apollo. Adrian's lack of support affects Rocky's training, much to Mickey's dismay. When Adrian lapses into a coma after giving birth to a baby boy named Rocky Balboa Jr, Rocky stops training. Adrian emerges from the coma and tells Rocky to beat Apollo. Rocky is now determined to win the title from Apollo.

Director

Sylvester Stallone

Writer

Sylvester Stallone

Cast

Sylvester Stallone .... Rocky Balboa

Talia Shire .... Adrian

Burt Young .... Paulie

Carl Weathers .... Apollo Creed

Burgess Meredith .... Mickey Goldmill

Tony Burton .... Duke (Apollo's Trainer)

Joe Spinell .... Tony Gazzo

Leonard Gaines .... Agent

Sylvia Meals .... Mary Anne Creed

Trivia

• While training for the film, Stallone tore his pectoral muscle requiring over 160 stitchesa
• Approximately 800 school children are estimated to have been used for the scene depicting Rocky's run through Philadelphia
• In one version of the screenplay, there is a flashback scene that shows Rocky first meeting Mickey and we learn Rocky's real first name: Robert