Isolated polynucleotide molecules provide recombinant PIV genomes and antigenomes for production of recombinant PIV vaccines. The recombinant genome or antigenome can be expressed with a nucleoprotein (N), phosphoprotein (P), and a large (L) polymerase protein to produce isolated infectious PIV particles. The recombinant PIV genome and antigenome can be modified to produce desired changes, for example to incorporate attenuating mutations from biologically derived PIV mutants or to create chimeric PIV clones, to generate attenuated, immunogenic viruses for vaccine use.