King of the Gypsies (1978)

Director:

Frank Pierson

Writers:

Peter Maas (book)
Frank Pierson (written for the screen by)

Release Date:

28 February 1979 (France)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

HIS time is here and he must carry on the tradition of ruling with vengeance!

Plot Keywords:

Grandson | Heritage | Psychological Drama | Father Son Relationship | Generation Gap

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe.

Cast

Sterling Hayden	...	King Zharko Stepanowicz
Shelley Winters	...	Queen Rachel
Susan Sarandon	...	Rose
Judd Hirsch	...	Groffo
Eric Roberts	...	Dave
Brooke Shields	...	Tita
Annette O'Toole	...	Sharon
Annie Potts	...	Persa
Michael V. Gazzo	...	Spiro Giorgio
Antonia Rey	...	Danitza Giorgio
Stephen Mendillo	...	Adolf
Daniel Spira	...	Zio Miller
Joe Zaloom	...	Rui Ilanovitch
Lou Cevetillo	...	Pete Stepanowicz
Zvee Scooler	...	Phuro (as Svee Scooler)
Cory Einbinder	...	Young Dave (as Corey Einbinder)
Matthew Labyorteaux	...	Middle Dave (as Matthew Laborteaux)
Danielle Brisebois	...	Young Tita (as Danielle Brisbois)
Tiffany Bogart	...	Young Rose
Marc Vahanian	...	Young Groffo
Chris Manor	...	Gypsy Horsetrader
John Oppenheim	...	Gypsy Horsetrader
C.A.R. Smith	...	Christening Priest
Kathi Moss	...	Midwife
Mary Louise Wilson	...	Ivy
David Rounds	...	Mr. Kessler
Anthony Holland	...	Mr. Tomlin
Tom Quinn	...	Jewelry Store Detective
David Little	...	Kessler's Lawyer
Martin Rosenblatt	...	Zharko's Lawyer
Frederick Coffin	...	Basketball Coach (as Fred Coffin)
Michael Higgins	...	Traffic Court Judge
MacIntyre Dixon	...	Courthouse Reporter
Marc Victor	...	Courthouse Reporter
James Shannon	...	Courthouse Photographer
Paul Sparer	...	Dave's Doctor
Mark Weston	...	Insurance Adjuster
Joe Maruzzo	...	Waiter at Mamma Leone's
Alice Drummond	...	Zharko's Nurse
Bernie McInerney	...	Zharko's Doctor
Franklin Scott	...	Hallway Thug
Jay Norman	...	Hallway Thug
Artie Cavallo	...	Persa's Child
Glen Gianfrancisco	...	Persa's Child
William Duell	...	Funeral Home Director
Roy Brocksmith	...	Frinkuleschti
Blake Brocksmith	...	Frinkuleschti's Son
Harris Laskawy	...	Man at Accident
Tom Mason	...	Policeman at Groffo's Death
Stéphane Grappelli	...	Gypsy Musician - violin
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
John Carlini	...	Gypsy Musician - guitar
Julio R. Ceasar	...	Gypsy Dancer
Mara Coehn	...	Gypsy Dancer
Tony Constantine	...	Gypsy Dancer
Diz Disley	...	Gypsy Musician - guitar
Dee Dee Friedman	...	Gypsy Dancer (as Dee-Dee Friedman)
Matt Glaser	...	Gypsy Musician - violin
David Grisman	...	Gypsy Musician - mandolin
Hason Harfouche	...	Gypsy Dancer
Ed Henkel	...	Gypsy Dancer
Pamela Khoury	...	Gypsy Dancer
Jos Laniado	...	Bodyguard
Thomas Quinn	...	Jewelery store detective (as Tom Quinn)
Manola Rivera	...	Gypsy Dancer
Dom Um Romao	...	Gypsy Musician - percussion
John Sowinski	...	Gypsy Dancer
Andy Statman	...	Gypsy Musician - mandolin
Rachel Ticotin	...	Gypsy Dancer
Alison Contreras Woodstock	...	Gypsy Dancer
Sandy Alexander	...	Bodyguard (uncredited)
Black-Eyed Susan	...	(uncredited)
Ken Butler	...	Marconi (uncredited)
Matteo Cafiso	...	(uncredited)
Sam Coppola	...	(uncredited)
Randy Danson	...	(uncredited)
Rebecca Darke	...	(uncredited)
John Del Ragno	...	(uncredited)
Aristedes Philip DuVal	...	Gypsy Camp Dweller (uncredited)
Robert Garcia	...	(uncredited)
Julie Garfield	...	(uncredited)
Robert Gerringer	...	(uncredited)
Sands Hall	...	(uncredited)
Leonard Jackson	...	(uncredited)
Patti LuPone	...	(uncredited)
Kate Manheim	...	(uncredited)
Linda Manz	...	(uncredited)
Joe Ramezani	...	(uncredited)
Cecile Santos	...	(uncredited)
William Thomas Jr.	...	(uncredited)
Richard Valladeres	...	(uncredited)
Bliss Verdon	...	(uncredited)
Mary Wynn	...	(uncredited)
Jamil Zakkai	...	(uncredited)

Directed by
Frank Pierson

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Peter Maas		book
Frank Pierson		written for the screen by

Produced by
Dino De Laurentiis	....	executive producer
Federico De Laurentiis	....	producer
Anna Gross	....	associate producer

Original Music by
David Grisman

Cinematography by
Sven Nykvist

Film Editing by
Paul Hirsch

Casting by
Scott Rudin
Joel Thurm

Production Design by
Gene Callahan

Art Direction by
John Jay Moore		(as Jay Moore)

Set Decoration by
Robert Drumheller
John Godfrey

Costume Design by
Anna Hill Johnstone

Makeup Department
Giannetto De Rossi	....	makeup artist
Mirella De Rossi	....	hair stylist
Carl Fullerton	....	makeup artist
Bob Grimaldi	....	hair stylist (as Robert Grimaldi)
Allen Weisinger	....	makeup artist (as Alan Weisinger)

Production Management
Fred C. Caruso	....	executive in charge of production
John H. Starke	....	unit manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Laurie B. Eichengreen	....	second assistant director
Bruce Greenfield	....	dga trainee
Alan Hopkins	....	assistant director (as J. Alan Hopkins)

Art Department
Edward Garzero	....	master scenic artist (as Ed Garzero)
Mentor Huebner	....	illustrator
Edward Merrifield	....	props: gypsy medallions
Carlos Quiles	....	chief carpenter (as Carlos Quiles Sr)
Jimmy Raitt	....	prop master (as James Rait)
Tom Jung	....	poster designer (uncredited)

Sound Department
Dennis Maitland	....	production sound mixer
Theodore Soderberg	....	sound re-recording mixer
Ross Taylor	....	sound effects editor
Paul Wells	....	sound re-recording mixer
Douglas O. Williams	....	sound re-recording mixer
Jack Woods	....	dialogue editor

Special Effects by
Edward Drohan	....	special effects (as Ed Drohan)

Stunts
Frank Ferrara	....	stunt performer
Sonny Landham	....	stunts
Victor Magnotta	....	stunts
Glenn R. Wilder	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
James Finnerty	....	key grip
Bob Greene	....	still photographer
Edward Lachman	....	collaborating director of photography
Lars Looschen	....	special photography
Sal Martorano	....	best boy
Willie Meyerhoff	....	gaffer (as Willi Meyerhoff)
Tibor Sands	....	first assistant cameraman
Fred Schuler	....	camera operator
Joe Williams	....	grip: construction

Casting Department
Sylvia Fay	....	extras casting
Barbara King	....	casting coordinator
Margery Simkin	....	child casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
John Boyt	....	assistant costume designer
Ed Brennan	....	wardrobe (as Edward Brennan)
Yvonne David	....	wardrobe
George Newman	....	wardrobe
Marilyn Putnam	....	wardrobe

Editorial Department
Maria Iano	....	assistant editor
Pamela Malouf	....	assistant editor

Music Department
John Carlini	....	additional music composition
John Carlini	....	music arranged and conducted by
Stéphane Grappelli	....	violin
Kenneth Hall	....	music editor (as Ken Hall)
Jimmie Haskell	....	additional music composition
Jimmie Haskell	....	music arranged and conducted by
Arthur Leigh	....	music editor
Mike Marshall	....	composer: additional music
Bill Wolf	....	music supervisor

Transportation Department
James Giblin	....	transportation captain

Other crew
Julie Arenal	....	choreographer
Kay Chapin	....	script supervisor
Saul Cooper	....	unit publicist
Eddie Coyne	....	technical consultant
John De Stefano	....	production assistant
Sam Goldrich	....	production auditor
Alex Ho	....	location coordinator
Deborah Kocourek	....	production auditor
Kyle McCarthy	....	production assistant
Susan Danzig McMahon	....	production office coordinator
Anne Page	....	assistant: to Mr. Pierson
Bruce Patterson	....	production assistant
Peter Puleston	....	location coordinator
Steve Shahol	....	technical consultant
Lyn Smith	....	researcher
David Streit	....	location manager
Patrizia Van Brandenstein	....	researcher
Hector Freeman	....	production staff (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Dino De Laurentiis Company

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1978) (USA) (theatrical)
• Paramount Home Video (1980) (USA) (VHS) (pan and scan)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1982) (USA) (TV)
• Legend Films (2008) (USA) (DVD)
• Nea Kinisi Video (1986) (Greece) (VHS)
• Roadshow Entertainment
• Roadshow Home Video
• Tec Home Vídeo (Brazil) (video)

Other Companies

• Donna Motors  period cars
• Eaves' Costumes  costumes supplied by
• Group IV Recording  music recorded at (as Group IV Recording Studios)
• Pacific Title  titles
• Sylvia Fay/Lee Genick & Associates Casting  extras casting

Also Known As:

Runtime:

112 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Hillside, New Jersey, USA

Company:

Dino De Laurentiis Company

Trivia:

Movie Debut of Eric Roberts.

Soundtrack:

Be My Love

Only The Gypsies Know

You will get a wide and varying reaction as to the veracity of what Peter Maas wrote about the Romany culture in his non-fiction book, King Of The Gypsies. The information from that source yielded a screenplay with both Hamlet and Oedipal like qualities in it about the succession in leadership to a gypsy clan.

The title role in King Of The Gypsies is played by Sterling Hayden and he and his Queen Shelley Winters have as much responsibility to their clan as the Corleones do. But they've got a son in Judd Hirsch who has the worst qualities of Fredo and Sonny Corleone in one package. This is not a guy you want running the clan.

Hayden pins his hopes on his grandson Eric Roberts. But Roberts has walked away from gypsy life and now is even courting a nice all American girl in Annette O'Toole. He's a singing waiter at Mama Leone's which is no more.

Hirsch of course has no desire to be John of Gaunt in his family, son of one king and father of another. This sets up the conflict within the clan that goes active when Hayden dies.

Eric Roberts made his screen debut here and does fine, but the guy to really watch in this film is Judd Hirsch. You can hardly believe that the amiable Alex Reiger from Taxi is played by the same actor. Hirsch's part of Grozzo should be his career role. Had it been played by someone like Al Pacino and would have had King Of The Gypsies come to the screen some 15 to 20 years later it might have gotten an Oscar nomination. At this point Pacino would have been cast in the Roberts part. How Hirsch was overlooked is a mystery that only the gypsies know.

For an insight into a part of human society overlooked, King Of The Gypsies is highly recommended.