Before he was "Rocky" he was, and still is, the Italian Stallion...Sylvester Stallone's first film role was PARTY AT KITTY AND STUD'S, a sexploitation movie which was shot in 1970 when Sly was 24. Sly's passion for acting was spotted by Stephen Verona when Sly helped a friend at an acting class with a scene from DEATH OF A SALESMAN at New York's prestigious Herbert Berghof school. Verona remembered Sly and a few months afterwards asked him to audition for THE LORDS OF FLATBUSH, and the rest is history. PARTY AT KITTY AND STUD'S was never released. However once ROCKY was underway it was re-edited and released as ITALIAN STALLION which was also Sly's nickname prior to ROCKY. Sly plays the part of "Stud" whose world revolves entirely around sex, sex, and more sex, an interest he shares with his way - out friends and his girl Kitty who likes her men mean and muscular!! Stallone acknowledged in a Playboy interview that he was paid a mere $200 for his role in the film.