Sylvester Stallone was so broke that he sold his wife's jewelry, became homeless, and sold his dog for $25.

Sylvester Stallone was so broke that he sold his wife's jewelry, became homeless, and sold his dog for $25. After writing Rocky, despite his financial struggles, he turned down $125,000 and two more offers because they didn't let him star. Eventually, a studio gave him $35,000 for the script and let him star.

Early in his career, Sylvester Stallone was so low on cash, he was forced to sell his dog, Butkus, for $40. When he sold the script for 'Rocky', he bought the dog back for $15K and gave him a role in the movie.

About 5 years ago, Stallone shared the story of his beloved dog Butkus during a tough stretch in 1971. "When I was 26, totally broke, going nowhere VERY fast, owned two pairs of pants that barely fit, shoes that had holes in them, and dreams of being successful were as far away as the sun... But I had my dog, BUTKUS, my best friend, my confidant, who always laughed at my jokes and put up with my moods, and was the one living thing that loved me for who I was!"

"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. When things got even worse, I had to sell him for $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 him back. But the new owner knew I was desperate and charged me $15,000... He was worth every penny!"

Rocky won an Oscar, the two never separated, and Butkus even got to star in the first two movies before his death in 1981...

Sylvester Stallone left a message that will never be forgotten: "Let me tell you something you already know... The world ain't all sunshine and rainbows. It's a very mean and nasty place, and I don't care how tough you are, it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanntly if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain't about how hard you hit. It's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward; how much you can take and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done. Now, if you know what you're worth, then go out and get what you're worth. But you gotta be willing to take the hits and not pointing fingers, saying you ain't where you wanna be because of him, or her, or anybody. Cowrds do that, and that ain’t You. You're better than that.