How the ‘Rocky’ Franchise Was Accidentally Saved by Happy Days

There’s hardly anyone who hasn’t heard of the Rocky franchise. But not many know a peculiar story that saved the movie, and all that followed it. Apparently, there was an unlikely connection between the boxing movie franchise and a much-loved sitcom at the time, called Happy Days. Scroll down to find out more about the relationship between the two.

Happy Days Star Saved Rocky

Henry Winkler, who played Fonzie in the US sitcom, Happy Days, was friends with Silvester Stallone. So, to-be Hollywood legend Stallone asked his pal to pitch the Rocky script, written by himself, to ABC executives. Not long after that, the TV bought the script, buying ownership of the movie rights.

Stallone didn’t like the idea one bit, but the straw that broke the camel’s back came when executives announced they’d rewrite the script. On the bright side, he had someone to turn to for help. Fonzie used his recently-acquired fame to purchase the rights for the Rocky script again, saving it from whatever was to happen to it.

Sylvester Stallone – Key to the Film’s Success

As many critics believe, Rocky would have been nowhere as great as it became if it wasn’t for the scriptwriter and leading actor. One can’t help but notice the similarities between the leading character’s life story and that of Stallone himself. So, indeed, the actor’s personal touches turned the movie into a well-known franchise that would span the next three decades.

Sylvester Stallone didn’t give up pitching his script and demanding the leading role in Hollywood, and success finally landed on his shoulders in 1976, almost a year after he wrote it. The last film, called Rocky Balboa, was released three decades later, becoming the sixth and final installment of the movie series.

While Stallone is undoubtedly the man who made the movie, the man who made it possible was no other than Henry Winkler.