Nov 15, 2006 rocky dennis, however, was 16 when he died in covina in 1978. Rocky dennis, however, was 16 when he died in covina in 1978. Jun 30, 2004 of the two, rocky dennis is by far the more ambitious ep, and the least successful. It wasnt until an xray technician noticed a slight cranial anomaly when he was 18monthsold that doctors began questioning what was wrong with the adorable little boy. Cher received the 1985 cannes film festival award for best actress. You wont find a single picture of rocky dennis in any of the publicity packages for mask friday, at the cinerama dome and avco center cinema, a trick that capitalizes upon his looks and.
This movie is a true story about this kid and his personal life with a single mom cher who had her own demons to overcome. This is the true story of rocky dennis eric stoltz, a. Rocky dennis eric stoltz is an intelligent, outgoing and humorous teenager who suffers from a facial. May 28, 2011 rocky eric stoltz arrives for his first day of school and is met with uncomfortable stares and a few mean jokes.
Rocky was the son of roy dennis and florence rusty tullis. Nov 20, 2006 even she acknowledged that seeing the story of her and her son rocky dennis on the big screen was a fairy tale, as she told people magazine after the movie featuring eric stoltz as a teenage rocky hit theaters in 1985. The poem is originally by the real roy lee rocky dennis who died in oct 4th 1978 on his illness craniodiaphyseal dy. This heartwarming and inspirational movie is based on the reallife story of rocky dennis eric stoltz, a terribly disfigured, but highly sensitive and intelligent teenager. Mask is a 1985 film about the true story of rocky dennis, a teenager with a massive facial skull deformity and a wild mother who attempts to live as normal a life as possible under the circumstances. But any mask, whatever it is, is needed in order to hide something or help in something. The book had more scenes than the movie and the directors cut dvd actualy put in two extra scenes that were in the book. The film is based on the life and early death of roy l. Rocky eric stoltz arrives for his first day of school and is met with uncomfortable stares and a few mean jokes. A smalltime boxer gets a supremely rare chance to fight a heavyweight champion in a bout in which he strives to go the distance for his selfrespect. With cher, eric stoltz, sam elliott, estelle getty. Roy lee rocky dennis was an american boy who had craniodiaphyseal dysplasia, an extremely rare sclerotic bone disorder.
The director, peter bogdanovich, moves directly to the center of rocky s life mother, his baseball cards, his cocky bravado, his growing awareness of girls. The classroom falls silent and looks back at the two because of the sudden outburst rocky dennis. The condition usually results in neurological disorders and death during childhood or teenage years. Based on chers movie of the same name,this book was great. Bogdanovich shot the film in 1984, in the summer of bruce springsteen, and he wanted the soundtrack to feature tunes by the bossthe favorite singer of the storys late subject, rocky dennis. With sylvester stallone, talia shire, burt young, carl weathers. Rocky dennis was born in glendora, california, and was initially thought to be a perfectly healthy baby. The house, which is located on a sleepy monrovia corner just a few blocks east of old town, is actually featured quite a bit throughout the movie. Mask is a 1985 american biographical drama film directed by peter bogdanovich, starring cher, sam elliott, and eric stoltz with supporting roles played by dennis burkley, laura dern, estelle getty, and richard dysart.
In real life, it was virtually the same, with two major exceptions. Motivated by his loving mother, rusty cher, and her boyfriend, gar sam elliott, rocky ultimately overcomes pain, loneliness, and prejudice to become a role model to. The son of freewheeling biker rusty dennis cher, rocky is accepted without question by his moms boyfriends and cycle buddies, but treated with pity, condescension, and disgust by. This is the true story of rocky dennis eric stoltz, a personable young man suffering from lionitis, a fatal disease which causes hideous facial disfigurement. He appeared healthy, but an xray technician noticed irregularities in the boys skull when he was about 2. Roy lee rocky dennis 19611978 find a grave memorial. You must be at least 18 years old and you must agree that you are not offended by mature content to view this group. Its namesake was the reallife inspiration for the 1985 movie mask, long forgotten by all but lekman and a few. Now that youve read the fascinating life of rocky dennis, the deformed teenager who inspired the movie mask, meet joseph merrick, the tragic elephant man who just wanted to be like everybody else. Of the two, rocky dennis is by far the more ambitious ep, and the least successful. Rocky dennis, who was born in glendora but lived for most of his life in covina, is the most famous case of craniodiaphyseal dysplasia, an extremely rare genetic bone disorder that causes calcium. With the help of his mother rustys cher love and fierce determination, rocky overcomes pain, loneliness and prejudice. Its namesake was the reallife inspiration for the 1985 movie mask, long forgotten by all but lekman and a.
Mask 410 movie clip first day of school 1985 hd youtube. The item youve requested contains mature content that may not be suitable for all audiences. Find rocky dennis movies, filmography, bio, co stars, photos, news and tweets. Here are 10 famous movie characters that actually existed. And, amazingly enough, it still looks very much the same today as it did back in 1985 when mask was filmed. A teenager with a massive facial skull deformity and biker gang mother attempt to live as normal a life as possible under the circumstances.
But a licensing snafu meant that the director had to substitute songs by the similarly initialed bob seger, which was perceived by some as trading down. Cher plays rocky s mother, who with uncompromising love and fierce determination helps rocky overcome pain, loneliness and prejudice to emerge as an outstanding young man, an inspiration to his classmates and teachers. Mar 22, 1985 but he would hang on until he was 16, enjoying a full and varied life, because other than his facial disfigurment rocky dennis was a model youngster, bright in school and welladjusted to his. But he would hang on until he was 16, enjoying a full and varied life, because other than his facial disfigurment rocky dennis was a model youngster, bright in school and welladjusted to his.
After winning the ultimate title and being the world champion, rocky falls into a hole and finds himself picked up by a former enemy. Rocky 1976 first date for piano by hal dickens songwriter. The son of freewheeling biker rusty dennis cher, rocky is accepted without question by his moms boyfriends and cycle buddies, but. And during the years they lived in covina and glendora, his mother insisted that he lead as normal a life as possible. This extraordinary film is based on the reallife story of rocky dennis, a disfigured teenager whose face resembles a bizarre mask.
Roy lee rocky dennis 1961 1978 he inspired the movie. An old man in the dennis neighborhood saw eric stoltz and thought he was the real rocky dennis. Are you over 18 and are you willing to view mature content. Rocky dennis poem by pat rainey free listening on soundcloud. The mask movie rocky dennis is designed to perform the same functions. This shows how accepting some people really were of rocky. This is the famous poem at the end of the movie the mask starring cher in 1985. Mask 1985 cast and crew rocky dennis eric stoltz is an intelligent, outgoing and humorous teenager who suffers from a facial deformity called lionitis and has now outlived his life expectancy. The movie mask 1985 was made about him, with eric stoltz playing the role of the teenaged rocky, and cher playing the role of his mother, rusty. Rocky dennis was a couragous young man who lived his life to the fullest although he had a severe facial deformity,making him look as if he were wearing a mask. The story of rocky and rusty is absorbing from the very first, maybe because the movie doesnt waste a lot of time wringing its hands over rocky s fate, mask lands on its feet, running. Roy lee rocky dennis december 4, 1961 october 4, 1978 was an american boy who had craniodiaphyseal dysplasia, an extremely rare sclerotic bone disorder.
Watch rocky hd full movie streaming beyond the mat hd full. Mask 1985 rocky dennis eric stoltz is an intelligent, outgoing and humorous teenager who suffers from a facial deformity called lionitis and has now outlived his life expectancy. The instruction is attached to the mask upon receipt. Next, learn the truth of fabry disease, the condition which made a 25yearold seemingly age backwards.