LOS ANGELES TIMES, December 1, 1976

* Best "Rocky" advertisement
* Grand Opening Day movie premiere
* American sports drama film
* Sylvester Stallone - Rocky Balboa

A terrific issue on the premiere of the motion picture hit "Rocky" and perhaps no better issue could be found than this, the leading newspaper from the home of the entertainment industry - the Hollywood area's prime publication.

Note: Where else might one find authentic ads for Opening Day showings, in the most desirable Hollywood-area newspaper - as we were lucky enough to obtain this (and others) indirectly from the Los Angeles Times' own collection? It simply doesn't get any better! 

Page 21 of section IV has a nice 21 x 6 inch advertisement for the film printed on it's opening day. (see).

A quite rare issue as it would not have been saved since it contains no historically significant content. Present are the complete sections 1 and IV totaling 66 pages. Nice condition.

Background: An original opening-day display advertisement for Rocky from the December 1, 1976 issue of the Los Angeles Times is a remarkably rare and historically significant piece of film memorabilia, marking the exact day the legendary franchise debuted on the West Coast following its limited premiere in New York. Printed before the film became a cultural phenomenon or won Best Picture, this advertisement captures a pivotal moment when Sylvester Stallone was still an unknown actor taking a monumental gamble on his own screenplay. Its primary appeal to collectors lies in its authentic period details, typically featuring the iconic early silhouette artwork of Rocky and Adrian alongside localized 1970s Los Angeles theater listings—such as historic venues like the Avco Center—which document the initial limited release strategy before nationwide expansion. Because vintage newsprint is inherently fragile, prone to high acidity, yellowing, and degradation over time, finding a clean, fully intact opening-day page from a major daily paper like the LA Times is exceptionally difficult, elevating it from a simple clipping to an essential primary-source artifact of modern cinema history.