Rocky is an epic 1976 American sports drama film written by and starring Sylvester Stallone and directed by John G. Avildsen. It tells the rags to riches American Dream story of Rocky Balboa, an uneducated but good-hearted debt collector for a loan shark in the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Rocky starts out as a club fighter who gets a shot at the world heavyweight championship when the scheduled contender breaks his hand. Also starring in Rocky are Talia Shire as Adrian, Thayer David as George Jergens the fight promoter, Burt Young as Adrian's brother Paulie, Burgess Meredith as Rocky's trainer Mickey Goldmill, and Carl Weathers as the champion, Apollo Creed.