Before Rocky’s success, Sylvester Stallone sold his dog for USD 40 for survival: ‘We were both hungry, and living in a flophouse’

Today, they know him as ‘Rocky,’ ‘Tulsa King,’ ‘Rambo,’ but there was a time when Sylvester Stallone had no ground to stand on. It dates back to the 1970s, when Sylvester Stallone could barely scrape by with his odd jobs and small acting roles. Survival was so hard that Sylvester Stallone had to sell his beloved dog, Butkus, for USD 40.Selling him was perhaps one of the hardest things Stallone had to do for survival. Thus, he turned every stone to get back his beloved pet. Life then took a turn for good, and the screenplay for ‘Rocky’ was sold. That is when Sylvester Stallone bought back Butkus. The dog that he sold for USD 40 was bought back at a staggering price of USD 15000 dollars. However, according to Sylvester Stallone, Butkus was ‘worth every penny.’This page from Sylvester’s life is very close to the actor’s heart, and he never shies away from speaking about it. He has talked about this particular account multiple times. Like once in a 2017 post, recalling his bond with Butkus and the time he had to sell him off to make ends meet, Slyvester wrote, “1971... Since we're on the subject of " man's best friend" this is myself and Butkus as a puppy, we were both, thin, hungry and living in a flophouse above a subway stop, I used to say this apartment had " … Hot and cold running roaches" anyway there was not much to do except spend time with each other and that's where I started to learn the craft of screenwriting.”The Hollywood legend continued, “Since I never went out, I relied on his companionship, and actually it was his idea to write Rocky, but don't tell anyone…. Years later, when things got even worse, I had to sell him for USD 40 in front of a 7-Eleven store, because I couldn't afford food, then, like a modern-day miracle, the screenplay for Rocky sold, and I could buy and buy him back.”“But the new owner knew I was desperate, and charged me USD 15,000 … He was worth every penny!” he concluded, as he recalled the respective phase of his life.Over the years, Sylvester Stallone has worked in several movies and overcome multiple challenges. He came from a life where he saw the toughest neighbourhood, a broken family, and multiple foster homes. Facial deformity was another challenge on his life's list. Yet he never gave up and carved his own path to become the Hollywood legend, whose tale today inspires millions. His passion, dedication, and discipline helped him reach the sky. Fast forward to recent times, he earned love and appreciation for his work in 'Tulsa King.' According to one of his recent social media posts, the new season of the series will be unfolding soon, and the audience can't keep calm.