Rocky Steps

Lore & Background

Rocky creator Sylvester Stallone has recounted that the genesis of the iconic scene occurred when the 1976 film crew for the movie, constrained by a tight budget, identified the steps one night while searching for filming locations around the city. Stallone first thought Rocky should carry his dog Butkus up the steps, but the big bull mastiff proved too heavy for the scene to work. Still, the view from the top of the stairs inspired him to reshoot the scene without the dog. In the 2006 film Rocky Balboa, Rocky lifts his dog Punchy when he reaches the top of the steps. The closing credits of Rocky Balboa show a montage of dozens of people running up the steps. The 72 steps are grouped into six sections; the top set has seven steps, while the lower five have thirteen each. This scene was one of the first uses in a major film of the Steadicam, a stabilized camera mount that allows its operator to walk and even climb steps while smoothly filming. Boxer Joe Frazier, who had a paid cameo as himself later in the film, claimed that the scene was based in his training, even if he was not paid for it.

In Their Own Story

The late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the left-field grass as the pre-game crowd began to swell. A young fan, clutching a vintage 1980 pennant flag, approached the stone replica in the corner. He took a deep breath, gripping the railing just like the movie scene he had watched a thousand times. With every step upward, the noise of the stadium seemed to fade into the background, replaced by the rhythmic thud of his sneakers on the concrete. At the top, he paused, looking out over the diamond where legends once walked. He didn't need to run; just standing there, breathing in the smell of hot dogs and cut grass, felt like enough proof that he belonged.

Reader's Guide

Tourists often mimic Rocky's famous climb, which has become a physical metaphor for an underdog rising to a great challenge. A bronze Rocky statue is located at the top of the steps, and is a popular photo opportunity for visitors. The top of the steps offers a commanding view of Eakins Oval, Benjamin Franklin Parkway, and Philadelphia City Hall.

Did You Know?

• The Rocky Steps is an informal name to the 72 stone steps leading up to the East entrance of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
• The scene is widely considered one of the most iconic in the history of modern films.
• The 72 steps are grouped into six sections; the top set has seven steps, while the lower five have thirteen each.
• This scene was one of the first uses in a major film of the Steadicam.