IMDb > Rocky (1976)
Rocky
Quicklinks
Top Links
trailers and videosfull cast and crewtriviaofficial sitesmemorable quotes
Overview
main detailscombined detailsfull cast and crewcompany credits
Awards & Reviews
user reviewsexternal reviewsawardsuser ratingsparents guidemessage board
Plot & Quotes
plot summarysynopsisplot keywordsmemorable quotes
Did You Know?
triviagoofssoundtrack listingcrazy creditsalternate versionsmovie connectionsFAQ
Other Info
box office/businessrelease datesfilming locationstechnical specsliterature listingsNewsDesk
Promotional
taglines trailers and videos posters photo gallery
External Links
showtimesofficial sitesmiscellaneousphotographssound clipsvideo clips

Rocky (1976) More at IMDbPro »

Photos (See all 105 | slideshow) Videos (see all 7)
Rocky -- A small time boxer gets a once in a lifetime chance to fight the heavyweight champ in a bout in which he strives to go the distance for his self-respect.
Rocky -- Trailer for this Stallone classic

Overview

User Rating:
Top 250: #199  (login to vote)
8.1/10   201,968 votes »
Your Rating:
Saving vote...
Deleting vote...
/10   (delete | history)
Sorry, there was a problem
MOVIEmeter: ?
No change in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
John G. Avildsen
Writer:
Sylvester Stallone (written by)
Contact:
View company contact information for Rocky on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
3 December 1976 (USA) See more »
Genre:
Drama | Sport See more »
Tagline:
You have a ringside seat for the bloodiest bicentennial in history! See more »
Plot:
A small-time boxer gets a supremely rare chance to fight the heavy-weight champion in a bout in which he strives to go the distance for his self-respect. Full summary » | Full synopsis »
Plot Keywords:
See more »
Awards:
Won 3 Oscars. Another 17 wins & 20 nominations See more »
NewsDesk:
(893 articles)
Stallone And Schwarzenegger Are Locked Up In New Escape Plan Poster
 (From Cinema Blend. 7 June 2013, 5:56 PM, PDT)
After Earth: keeping it in the family
 (From The Guardian - Film News. 7 June 2013, 4:01 PM, PDT)
DVD Review: 'Bullet to the Head'
 (From CineVue. 7 June 2013, 10:48 AM, PDT)
User Reviews:
Changed My Life See more (456 total) »

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)

Sylvester Stallone ... Rocky Balboa

Talia Shire ... Adrian Pennino

Burt Young ... Paulie Pennino

Carl Weathers ... Apollo Creed

Burgess Meredith ... Mickey Goldmill

Thayer David ... George Jergens
Joe Spinell ... Tony Gazzo
Jimmy Gambina ... Mike
Bill Baldwin ... Fight Announcer
Al Silvani ... Cut Man (as Al Salvani)
George Memmoli ... Ice Rink Attendant

Jodi Letizia ... Marie
Diana Lewis ... TV Commentator
George O'Hanlon ... TV Commentator

Larry Carroll ... TV Interviewer

Stan Shaw ... Dipper
Don Sherman ... Bartender

Billy Sands ... Club Fight Announcer
Pedro Lovell ... Spider Rico - Club Fighter
DeForest Covan ... Apollo's Corner
Simmy Bow ... Club Corner Man

Tony Burton ... Apollo's Trainer
Hank Rolike ... Apollo Corner Man
Shirley O'Hara ... Jergens' Secretary
Kathleen Parker ... Paulie's Date

Frank Stallone ... Timekeeper

Lloyd Kaufman ... Drunk
Jane Marla Robbins ... Owner of Pet Shop
Jack Hollander ... Fats
Joe Sorbello ... Buddy, Gazzo's Bodyguard
Christopher Avildsen ... Chiptooth
Frankie Van ... Club Fight Referee
Lou Fillipo ... Championship Fight Announcer
Paris Eagle ... Fighter

Frank Stallone ... Streetcorner Singer (as Frank Stallone Jr.)
Robert L. Tangrea ... Streetcorner Singer
Peter Glassberg ... Streetcorner Singer
William E. Ring ... Streetcorner Singer
Joseph C. Giambelluc ... Streetcorner Singer

Joe Frazier ... Himself
Butkus Stallone ... Rocky's Dog
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Arnold Johnson ... Spectator
Bobby Cassidy ... Ringside Police Officer (uncredited)

Michael Dorn ... Apollo Creed's Bodyguard (uncredited)
Robert Leh ... Reporter (uncredited)
Jeri McBride ... Tony Gazzo's Girlfriend (uncredited)
Stu Nahan ... Fight Commentator (uncredited)

Frank Pesce ... Spectator (uncredited)

John Pleshette ... Aftershave Commercial Director (uncredited)

Lavelle Roby ... Mary Anne Creed (uncredited)
Arthur Tovey ... Reporter (uncredited)
Create a character page for: ?

Directed by
John G. Avildsen 
 
Writing credits
Sylvester Stallone (written by)

Produced by
Robert Chartoff .... producer
Gene Kirkwood .... executive producer
Irwin Winkler .... producer
 
Original Music by
Bill Conti 
 
Cinematography by
James Crabe (director of photography)
 
Film Editing by
Scott Conrad 
Richard Halsey 
 
Casting by
Caro Jones 
 
Production Design by
William J. Cassidy  (as Bill Cassidy)
 
Art Direction by
James H. Spencer 
 
Set Decoration by
Ray Molyneaux  (as Raymond Molyneaux)
 
Makeup Department
Michael Westmore .... makeup creator (as Mike Westmore)
 
Production Management
Hal W. Polaire .... executive in charge of production (as Hal Polaire)
Ted Swanson .... production manager
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Fred T. Gallo .... first assistant director (as Fred Gallo)
Steve Perry .... second assistant director
 
Art Department
Mike Miner .... props
David Nichols .... visual consultant
 
Sound Department
Ray Alba .... post-production sound
Gene Ashbrook .... sound mixer (as B. Eugene Ashbrook)
John Farrell .... looping editor
Bert Schoenfeld .... post-production sound (as Burt Schoenfeld)
Harry W. Tetrick .... sound
Bud Alper .... sound (uncredited)
Lyle J. Burbridge .... sound (uncredited)
Ken Dufva .... foley artist (uncredited)
William L. McCaughey .... sound (uncredited)
Donald C. Rogers .... sound (uncredited)
 
Stunts
Jimmy Nickerson .... stunt coordinator (as Jim Nickerson)
Glory Fioramonti .... stunts (uncredited)
Bob Herron .... stunts (uncredited)
Gray Johnson .... stunts (uncredited)
Gene LeBell .... stunts (uncredited)
Bennie Moore .... stunts (uncredited)
 
Camera and Electrical Department
Garrett Brown .... special camera effects
Richard J. Edesa .... first assistant camera (as Dick Edessa)
Gene Kearney .... key grip
Ross A. Maehl .... electrical gaffer (as Ross Maehl)
Elliott Marks .... still photographer
Jack Willoughby .... camera operator
Lou Angeli .... dolly grip (uncredited)
Ralf D. Bode .... director of photography: second unit (uncredited)
Mike Chevalier .... camera operator (uncredited)
Calvin Maehl .... best boy electric (uncredited)
Aristides Pappidas .... gaffer: second unit (uncredited)
Serge Poupis .... first assistant camera: additional camera (uncredited)
Kit Whitmore .... focus puller: second unit (uncredited)
 
Casting Department
Mark F. Hill .... extras casting (uncredited)
 
Costume and Wardrobe Department
Robert Cambel .... costumer
Joanne Hutchinson .... costume supervisor
 
Editorial Department
Janice Hampton .... assistant film editor
Geoffrey Rowland .... assistant film editor
 
Music Department
Joe Tuley .... music editor (as Joseph Tuley Jr.)
Bill Conti .... conductor (uncredited)
Bill Conti .... orchestrator (uncredited)
Ami Hadani .... music engineer (uncredited)
 
Transportation Department
Mike Grover .... transportation captain
 
Other crew
Joan Arnold .... production secretary
Dale Benson .... location manager
Janet Crosby .... assistant to producer (as Janet Crosy)
Jimmy Gambina .... technical advisor
Gloria Gonzales .... assistant to producer
Lloyd Kaufman .... pre-production supervisor
David Kramer .... publicist
Joseph Letizia .... liaison: Philadelphia (as Joe Letizia)
Bonnie Prendergast .... script supervisor
Carol Rosenstein .... assistant to director
Marge Rowland .... location auditor
Sylvester Stallone .... boxing choreographer
Jeff Kanew .... trailer (uncredited) (unconfirmed)
Steve Sayre .... assistant fight choreographer (uncredited)
 
Thanks
Jane Oliver .... dedicatee
 
Crew verified as complete


Production CompaniesDistributorsOther Companies
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Also Known As:
See more »
Parents Guide:
View content advisory for parents
Runtime:
119 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.33 : 1 See more »
Sound Mix:
Mono
Certification:
Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Canada:G (Quebec) | Chile:14 | Finland:K-16 | Italy:T | Norway:15 | Norway:16 (1977) | Singapore:PG | South Korea:12 | Sweden:15 | UK:PG | USA:PG (PCA #24646) | West Germany:12 | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:PG (Alberta) (re-rating) (1999) | Canada:PG (Manitoba) | UK:A (original rating) | Iceland:12 | Mexico:A | Australia:M (TV rating) | Brazil:12 | Peru:14 | Portugal:M/12 | Japan:G
Filming Locations:
1818 East Tusculum Street, Kensington, North Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USASee more »
Company:
Chartoff-Winkler ProductionsSee more »

Did You Know?

Trivia:
The iconic shot of Rocky running up the steps of Philadelphia Art Museum came about because of Steadicam inventor Garrett Brown. Brown, who was from Philadelphia, was getting ready to fly to LA to try to sell his newly invented Steadicam device. He had shot some test footage following people around corridors and from room to room, but he wanted to be able to shoot something that even the most experienced filmmakers would look at and wonder how he did it. He came up with the idea for his girlfriend to run up and down the museum steps, whilst he followed close behind her. Using this footage, Brown sold the camera on his first day in LA, and several months later, John G. Avildsen, who was prepping Rocky, saw the footage and felt that a similar type of shot would be perfect for the film. As such, Avildsen hired Brown and the Steadicam, and as Brown explains, several months after he had run up the steps filming his girlfriend, he was running back up the steps filming Sylvester Stallone.See more »
Goofs:
Continuity: When Rocky sees Marie and asks her if her brother knew she was hanging out with those "coconuts", he's smoking a cigarette. When he grabs her, the cigarette disappears.See more »
Quotes:
[first lines]
Club fight attendee:Come on, Spider!
See more »
Movie Connections:
Spoofed in "Johnny Bravo: Man with the Golden Gut/Welcome Back, Bravo/Aunt Katie's Farm (#2.10)" (1999)See more »
Soundtrack:
Deck the HallsSee more »

FAQ

What special features are on the DVD?
Who wrote the legendary Rocky theme, "Gonna Fly Now", and who sings it?
What age is Rocky in this film?
See more »

User Reviews

   (Review this title)
202 out of 248 people found the following review useful.
Changed My Life, 9 January 2005
Author: Tony Fountain from United States

"Your gonna eat lightning and your gonna crap thunder"

Rocky is about a poor boxer living his life in Philadalphia. His life changes when an invitation from the heavyweight champ Apollo Creed is given to him.

Romance, Drama, Fight.

Story- With minimum resources and low money, this movie was an underdog itself. Stallone wrote it and fought to play Rocky. When they were low on resources, they changed the story all together and made it even better. The story is flawless and keeps you on the edge of your seat. 9/10

Music- The best thing about the movie itself. The music in this movie is guaranteed to give you goosebumps every time you watch it. Bill Conti gives you an excellent score throughout the movie, including the famous "gonna fly now". 10/10

Acting- 4 nominated performances in this movie. The acting is very good as well, especially Burgess Meredith who offers one of the greatest acts I have ever seen. Stallone plays Rocky Balboa and changes his voice very well to be Rocky. He did a very good job. Talia Shire plays Adrian, a shy pet store owner who has never had a BF before. She did a good job as well. Burt Young plays the drunkard Paulie. Burgess Merideth plays the boxing trainer Mickey. I have never seen a better performance. 9.5/10

Stallone fought for this triumphant movie that made me want to go the distance (sounds corny but its true). It made me strive to work harder and not give up. If you haven't seen this, buy it and watch it. I'll guarantee it will change you too. A classic.

I give it a perfect 10/10

Was the above review useful to you?
See more (456 total) »

Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Rocky (1976)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Great film, but an insult to boxing? zaphox
Deleted Scenes unclesporkums2
Rank the Rocky Movies stanton28
Just wondering GoodbyeGirl70
Drinking raw eggs BoxOfficePoison
How many viewings did it take for you to notice the squirty blood col547
See more »

Recommendations

If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
- - - - -
Rocky II Rocky Balboa Rocky III Rocky IV The Karate Kid
IMDb User Rating:
 IMDb User Rating:
 IMDb User Rating:
 IMDb User Rating:
 IMDb User Rating:
Show more recommendations

Related Links

Full cast and crew Company credits External reviews
News articles IMDb top 250 movies IMDb Drama section
IMDb USA section

You may report errors and omissions on this page to the IMDb database managers. They will be examined and if approved will be included in a future update. Clicking the 'Edit page' button will take you through a step-by-step process.