Paradise Alley
The Carboni Boys. They haul ice, lay out stiffs and dance with monkeys.
1978 | 107m | English
Popularity: 1 (history)
| Director: | Sylvester Stallone |
|---|---|
| Writer: | Sylvester Stallone |
| Staring: |
| Three Italian-American brothers, living in the slums of 1940's New York City, try to help each other with one's wrestling career using one brother's promotional skills and another brother's con-artist tactics to thwart a sleazy manager. | |
| Release Date: | Sep 22, 1978 |
|---|---|
| Director: | Sylvester Stallone |
| Writer: | Sylvester Stallone |
| Genres: | Action, Drama |
| Keywords | dancing, sibling relationship, prostitute, italian american, hustler, ghetto, sports, irish mob, monkey, bum, ice cream, racial slur, arm wrestling, gentle giant, ice block, family feud, street life, cripple |
| Production Companies | Universal Pictures, Force Ten Productions |
| Box Office |
Revenue: $7,185,518
Budget: $6,000,000 |
| Updates |
Updated: Aug 10, 2025 (Update) Entered: Apr 13, 2024 |
| Name | Character |
|---|---|
| Sylvester Stallone | Cosmo Carboni |
| Lee Canalito | Victor Carboni |
| Armand Assante | Lenny Carboni |
| Frank McRae | Big Glory |
| Anne Archer | Annie |
| Kevin Conway | Stitch |
| Terry Funk | Frankie the Thumper |
| Joyce Ingalls | Bunchie |
| Joe Spinell | Burp |
| Aimée Eccles | Susan Chow |
| Tom Waits | Mumbles |
| Chick Casey | Doorman |
| James J. Casino | Paradise Bartender |
| Fredi O. Gordon | Paradise Alley Hooker |
| Lydia Goya | Bar Room Hooker #1 |
| Michael Jeffers | Paradise Alley Bum |
| Max Leavitt | Mr. Gaimbelli |
| Paul Mace | Rat |
| Polli Magaro | Fat Lady |
| Pamela Des Barres | Vonny |
| John Monks Jr. | Mickey the Bartender |
| Leo Nanas | Store Owner |
| Frank Pesce | Skinny the Hand |
| Stuart K. Robinson | Towel Boy |
| Ray Sharkey | Legs |
| Maria Smith | Dance Hall Girl |
| Patricia Spann | Bar Room Hooker #2 |
| Frank Stallone Jr. | Singer |
| Jeff Wald | Sticky |
| John Ayers | Wrestler |
| Rolland Bastien | Wrestler |
| Ted DiBiase Sr. | Wrestler |
| Vincent Albert DiStefano | Wrestler |
| Dory Funk Jr. | Wrestler |
| Don Leo Jonathan | Wrestler |
| Charles Donald Kernodle Jr. | Wrestler |
| Gene Kiniski | Wrestler |
| Larry Lane | Wrestler |
| Randy Morse | Wrestler |
| Dick Murdoch | Wrestler |
| Reg Parks | Wrestler |
| Alex Perez | Wrestler |
| Rock Riddle | Wrestler |
| Bob Roop | Wrestler |
| Douglas Ryan | Wrestler |
| Don Slatton | Wrestler |
| Ervin Smith | Wrestler |
| Dennis Stamp | Wrestler |
| Tommy Gilbert | Wrestler |
| Ray Stevens | Wrestler |
| Tonga Fifita | Wrestler |
| Jay S. York | Wrestler |
| John Zenda | Wrestler |
| Ralph Gambina | Barfly (uncredited) |
| Raven Grey Eagle | Barfly (uncredited) |
| Chester Hayes | Barfly (uncredited) |
| Jeff McCracken | Sailor (uncredited) |
| Ray Pourchot | Barfly (uncredited) |
| Name | Job |
|---|---|
| Sylvester Stallone | Director, Writer |
| László Kovács | Director of Photography |
| Bill Conti | Original Music Composer |
| Michael Westmore | Makeup Artist |
| Jimmy Nickerson | Stunts |
| Jean Burt Reilly | Hairstylist |
| Caro Jones | Casting |
| Deborah Beaudet | Art Direction |
| Jerry Adams | Set Decoration |
| John W. Corso | Production Design |
| Eve Newman | Editor |
| Buddy Joe Hooker | Stunts |
| Dar Robinson | Stunts |
| Name | Title |
|---|---|
| Arthur Chobanian | Associate Producer |
| Ronald A. Suppa | Producer |
| Jeff Wald | Producer |
| John F. Roach | Producer |
| Edward R. Pressman | Executive Producer |
| Organization | Category | Person |
|---|
Popularity History
| Year | Month | Avg | Max | Min |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 4 | 23 | 41 | 16 |
| 2024 | 5 | 23 | 30 | 12 |
| 2024 | 6 | 18 | 23 | 11 |
| 2024 | 7 | 22 | 32 | 10 |
| 2024 | 8 | 17 | 27 | 10 |
| 2024 | 9 | 15 | 36 | 9 |
| 2024 | 10 | 20 | 39 | 9 |
| 2024 | 11 | 14 | 33 | 9 |
| 2024 | 12 | 13 | 22 | 9 |
| 2025 | 1 | 14 | 26 | 8 |
| 2025 | 2 | 9 | 13 | 3 |
| 2025 | 3 | 6 | 14 | 1 |
| 2025 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 2025 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 2025 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 2025 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2025 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
Trending Position
* **Paradise Alley** marks the Directorial Debut of **Sylvester Stallone**. It is a highly under-rated period piece, set in 1940's Hell's Kitchen, (where Stallone was born in New York), about the three Carboni brothers and the sibling rivalry they endure against the backdrop of professional wrestli ... ng. * Featuring a breath-taking opening sequence involving rooftops with parkour-like free running and Cinematography by renowned DP László Kovács (F.I.S.T.) It also has an amazing soundtrack by Bill Conti of _Rocky_ fame with the title track, "Too Close to Paradise" sung by Sylvester Stallone. There are also songs by Frank Stallone, Jr and Tom Waits. * There is a tender story of romance, fraternal exploitation and familial redemption. There are some famous wrestlers like Dory and Terry Funk (Over the Top). * It co-stars Armand Assante (The Lords of Flatbush and Judge Dredd) and Golden Gloves Champion Lee Canalito, as well as Godfather to Sage Stallone, Joe Spinell (The Godfather 1 & 2, Farewell My Lovely, Rocky 1 & 2 and Nighthawks). * Very Notable as _Old Glory_ is Frank McRae (F.I.S.T., Rocky II and Lock Up) who is strong, empathic and full of pathos. > Director John Landis (Deathrace 2000 and Oscar) uses an homage in Trading Places (1983) with Eddie Murphy copying Cosmo Carboni (Stallone) as a disabled war vet begging on the streets of Philadelphia, complete with the Rocky statue. > The only negative is the use of racial slurs that spoils what would have been a masterpiece. This is similar to a rant in The Lords of Flatbush four years earlier, which is a shame.