| King of the Gypsies | |
| Director: | Frank Pierson |
| Producer: | Federico De Laurentiis |
| Starring: |
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| Cinematography: | Sven Nykvist |
| Music: | David Grisman, Stephane Grappelli |
| Editing: | Paul Hirsch |
| Studio: | Dino De Laurentiis Company |
| Distributor: | Paramount Pictures |
| Runtime: | 112 minutes |
| Country: | United States |
| Language: | English |
| Budget: | $5–8 million[1] |
| Gross: | $7,325,177 (USA) |
King of the Gypsies is a 1978 American drama film by Paramount Pictures starring Eric Roberts (in his film debut), Sterling Hayden, Shelley Winters, Susan Sarandon, Brooke Shields, Annette O'Toole and Judd Hirsch.
Originally planned to be directed by Peter Bogdanovich,[2] the film was finally directed by Frank Pierson from a screenplay which he adapted from the 1975 book King of the Gypsies by Peter Maas. The book tells the story of Steve Tene and his Gypsy family.
The film deals with the criminal ways and turbulent lives of a group of modern-day Gypsies living in the early 1960s of New York City. While on his deathbed their "king", Zharko Stepanowicz, passes his position of leadership on to his unwilling grandson, Dave. In spite of Dave's reluctance to become the Gypsies' new leader, Dave's father, Groffo, resentful over not having been appointed leader, attempts to have Dave killed. Groffo is scheming and temperamental, and uses violence and threats to get the clan to do his bidding. Eventually this leads to a major confrontation with his son, and the film ends with the suggestion that Dave has finally accepted his legacy; with his voiceover considering the possibility of his bringing the rest of the tradition-bound Gypsies into the world of 20th Century customs and lifestyles.