THE investing public scrambled yesterday to buy into the popular allure of Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bruce Willis, among others. But they laid out their cash at the stock market, not at the box office when the parent company of Planet Hollywood - a restaurant chain co owned by Stallone, Schwarzenegger and other stars - went public on Wall Street.

A feeding frenzy over the issue boosted the shares, issued at $18, to $28 in their first quotation on the Nasdaq market - a 58 per cent gain. As a result of the rise Planet Hollywood's market capitalisation has risen to a dizzying $3 billion, in excess of Apple Computer. Each seat is now worth over $100,000.

In its 1995 financial Florida based Planet Hollywood reported revenue of £180 million and profits of almost £14 million.