Sylvester Stallone’s ‘Rocky’ franchise was almost a TV adaptation, but thanks to his friend Henry Winkler who leveraged his ‘Happy Days’ fame to save it.

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After Henry Winkler rose to fame, Sylvester Stallone also moved to Los Angeles from New York in hopes of kick-starting his career.
Stallone gave his ‘Rocky’ script to Winkler and asked him to pitch it to ABC executives. But the execs bought the script and intended it to turn into a TV movie.
Winkler noticed how “distraught” Stallone was when found out that someone else is rewriting his script.

The Oscar-winning franchise that turned Sylvester Stallone into an icon was almost a TV movie.

Yes, right in the early stages, Rocky’s script was considered for it. The film would have been totally different if it was not saved by Winkler.

Sylvester Stallone and Mr. T in a still from Rocky III
At that time, Henry Winkler had enough power to save his pal. Stallone asked him to pitch his Rocky script to ABC executives, which, no doubt, Winkler did.

However, the execs bought the script and intended it to turn into a TV movie. But ultimately Winkler again saved the Rambo star.

Know How Henry Winkler Saved Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky

After Henry Winkler rose to fame, Sylvester Stallone also moved to Los Angeles from New York in hopes of kick-starting his career.

Right after Stallone arrived in the city, he got his car broke down. That’s when he called Winkler.

Winkler and Stallone in The Lords of Flatbush
Winkler, along with his wife and dog, picked him up. During the ride, they had a word about Stallone’s passion project, which eventually became Rocky.

As Winkler revealed on Howie Mandel Does Stuff Clips, “He [Stallone] gave me a script, and I took the script to ABC, and I said, ‘Hey, look, it’s a friend of mine, and I would like to produce this,’ and they bought it.” He then continued:
“And then they said to me, ‘But we have to replace the writer.’ I went back to Sly, and I said, ‘Here’s the good news: we sold it.

Bad news is they want to replace the writer.’ He says, ‘[Stallone voice] Henry, don’t let them do that to me.’

I said okay. I went back to ABC, I said, ‘I know you don’t do this, but I need that script back, and here’s all the money.’ I got the script, gave it to Sly; a year and a half later, Rocky came out.”
The actor noticed how “distraught” Stallone was when he got to know that someone else was rewriting his script.

So, Winkler used his influence as Fonzie on Happy Days to convince ABC to return the rights to Stallone.

Even though the scripting problem was solved, Stallone’s Rocky still faced tough days in order to get it made onto the big screen.

Although the film producers green-lit the project, they wanted to cast a well-known star as Rocky Balboa.

As a result, Stallone refused to sell his script unless he got to play the lead role. And eventually, he played heavyweight boxer.

The film was released in 1976, earning $225 million at the box office.

Sly received Best Actor and Original Screenplay nominations, and the film won the Best Picture category at the Oscars.

Later, he wrote and starred in six Rocky films, directing four of them.

Henry Winkler is a True Friend Everyone Needs

Sylvester Stallone with long-time pal, Henry Winkler
Henry Winkler and Sylvester became best of friends while working on 1974’s The Lords of Flatbush.

 Winkler quipped that he didn’t receive “a penny” for his work (helping Stallone with Rocky), but he admitted by supporting Sly on Howie Mandel Does Stuff Clips:
“He literally cannot live with himself if his baby that he’s been writing in that apartment in New York, having painted his windows black, was given to somebody else to just make pablum out of.”
No doubt, Winkler is the true example of what a true friendship is called. With his newfound fame from Happy Days, he was able to buy the script back, ultimately saving Rocky from the near disaster.