Shortly after the 1976 release of Rocky, The Party at Kitty and Stud's was edited and re-released as Italian Stallion to capitalize on its now-famous star.

The actor said in a 1978 Playboy interview that he had done the film out of desperation after being bounced out of his apartment and finding himself homeless for several days, sleeping in a New York City bus station in the middle of winter.

[3][a] Stallone has stated that after Rocky became a hit, the owners of The Party at Kitty and Stud's offered to sell him the rights to the film for about US$100,000 in order to prevent its re-release, but the actor "wouldn't buy it for two bucks".

[5] However, the truth of this version has been repeatedly challenged, notably by trade journal AVN, which examined an original print, finding no trace of hardcore scenes.

[6] Scenes from The Party at Kitty and Stud's surfaced in a German version of Roger Colmont's hardcore film White Fire (1976), released on DVD under license by Another World Entertainment in 2008.

[8] Protracted negotiations between Bryanston and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer for sale of all rights to the picture were terminated in June 2009, as neither party could agree on financial terms.