19th October 2023, Mumbai: Renowned for his portrayal of the iconic character Paulie in Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky series, actor Burt Young, who played Rocky Balboa’s friend and brother-in-law, recently passed away in Los Angeles. The news of his demise was confirmed by his daughter Anne Morea Steingieser to the New York Times. Burt Young was 83 years old.
Burt Young
A native of Queens, New York, initially served in the Marine Corps and briefly pursued a career in boxing before transitioning into acting. Throughout his career, he often portrayed Italian-American characters, including roles as a mob boss, street-smart detective, or working-class man. However, he is best remembered for his unforgettable portrayal of Paulie, Rocky Balboa’s friend and brother-in-law, in the 1976 film “Rocky.” Young’s performance in the role even earned him an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor.
Burt Young had the distinction of being one of just four actors, alongside Sylvester Stallone, Stu Nahan, and Tony Burton (excluding Talia Shire), to appear in all six installments of the Rocky film franchise. Unfortunately, in the 2015 film Creed, Burt did not make a return as his character was written off as deceased (in 2012), leaving fans disheartened.
Burt Young films
In addition to his iconic role in Rocky, Burt Young had an extensive career in both film and television, amassing over 160 credits. He appeared in notable films such as Chinatown (1974), The Gambler (1974), The Killer Elite (1975), Convoy (1978), Uncle Joe Shannon (1978), Once Upon a Time in America (1984), The Pope of Greenwich Village (1984), A Summer to Remember (1985), Back to School (1986), Last Exit to Brooklyn (1990), Mickey Blue Eyes (1999), Transamerica (2005), Win Win (2011), and Bottom of the 9th (2019).
Additionally, he was featured in the documentary Stallone: Frank, That Is.
On television, Young made appearances in popular shows like The Rockford Files, Baretta, Law & Order, Walker, Texas Ranger, All In The Family, MAS*H, Miami Vice, and Roomies, among many others.
By Vaishnavi Rastogi