36. Rocky Balboa

Appearances: The Rocky series (1976-2015)

Creator: Sylvester Stallone

Performer: Sylvester Stallone

Defining moment: “Down! Stay down!” Battered to the canvas by Apollo Creed, the easy thing for Rocky would be to do just that. But up the Italian Stallion climbs. Creed’s look of disbelief, mingled with respect, is glorious.

Fascinating fact: Stallone wouldn’t sell his script unless producers Irwin Winkler and Robert Chartoff let him star.

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