Wepner inspiration for “Rocky”
Some 44 years after he inspired a billion-dollar cinematic franchise, Chuck Wepner was a movie star, albeit very briefly. “The Real Rocky,” a made-for-television documentary, premiered on ESPN in late October 2011. For those who believed Sylvester Stallone hijacked Wepner’s soul, this film was an attempt to help Wepner get his soul back.
Before earning movie star status, the legacy of New Jersey’s Chuck Wepner (born to Ukrainian Dolores Hrynko) was derived from his 15-round battle with Muhammad Ali and a six-movie series based on that fight. He was known as “The Bayonne Bleeder.”