Crews removed a statue of fictional hero Rocky Balboa from its perch outside the Philadelphia Museum of Art on Wednesday and installed it in what will be the centerpiece of an exhibit celebrating the beloved 100-year-old film.
That large bronze sculpture is one of three similar statues, inspired by Sylvester Stallone’s famous franchise “Rocky”, distributed throughout Philadelphia will be among several sports memorabilia moved this year.
The footage unearthed Wednesday is the same one used in the famous scene from “Rocky III” where Balboa faces up-and-coming boxer Clubber Lang, played by Mr. T.
Another Rocky statue, owned by Stallone, now stands at the top of the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art and can still be visited for free.
The iconic photo will be returned to Stallone later this year and will be replaced by Wednesday’s “Rising Up: Rocky and the Making of Monuments.”
At the museum site where Rocky stood from 2006 until Wednesday, a statue of the legendary – and real – boxer “Smokin'” Joe Frazier will be moved from the stadium in South Philly.
Finally a third statue of Stallone, owned by the city, resides at the Philadelphia International Airport.
City officials hope the close proximity of Frazier and Rocky’s images will help visitors see the connection between real and fictional fighters.
Frazier, who spent his formative years in Philadelphia, ran up the museum stairs as part of his training, just like the fictional Balboa.
His statue is often overlooked in the throngs of fans who flock to Philadelphia Phillies, Eagles, 76ers and Flyers games.
“Now we’re bringing (Frazier) into the conversation, we’re bringing him into a space where more than 4 million people come to visit every year,” Philadelphia Public Arts Director Marguerite Anglin told NBC News on Thursday.
“We are happy that when visitors arrive (at the Philadelphia Museum), they will first be greeted by this origin story, a real, true champion (Frazier) who embodies all the ideas that people relate to, endurance, determination, determination and things that we believe make up the spirit of Philadelphia,”
Frazier was 67 when he died in 2011.
“Rocky” was released in 1976 and won the 1977 Oscars for best picture, director (John Avildsen) and film editing (Richard Halsey and Scott Conrad).
It also received Oscar nominations for best actor (Stallone), screenplay (Stallone), two supporting actresses (Burgess Meredith and Burt Young), supporting actress (Talia Shire), sound (Harry Warren Tetrick, William McCaughey, Lyle Burbridge and Bud Alper) and original song (“Now It’s Gonna Fly”).
In one of the most famous scenes of that film, Stallone’s Balboa triumphantly runs up the 72 steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art and raises his arms in the air as he prepares for his battle with champion Apollo Creed, played by the late Carl Weathers.
Those museum steps are affectionately known as the “Rock Steps.”
