The world of film has just lost an absolute icon. Fans of the legendary movie franchise “Rocky” are mourning the death of actor Burt Young, who was best known for his role as Paulie.
Young passed away on October 8th at the age of 83. The cause of death has not yet been revealed. It is with great sadness that we acknowledge his passing and reflect on the legacy he left behind.
Burt Young, a former boxer who played Paulie in six 'Rocky' films alongside Sylvester Stallone, has died at the age of 83.
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Before becoming an actor, Burt Young served a tour of duty for the U.S Marine Corps and was a passionate boxer. He then decided to pursue acting and trained through Lee Strasberg’s Actors Studio before appearing in more than 160 movies and television shows throughout his career.
Young quickly became well-known for playing Sylvester Stallone’s brother-in-law Paulie in six Rocky films, for which he earned himself an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor. In addition to this iconic role, Burt also starred alongside Jack Nicholson in Chinatown and Rodney Dangerfield in Back to School; he even reunited with fellow Queens native James Caan for Mickey Blue Eyes in 1999.
His manager Lynda Bensky commented that “Burt was an actor of tremendous emotional range” who could make viewers laugh or cry; according to her, it was his soulful poignancy that truly set him apart from other actors.
Upon learning about Young’s passing last night, Sylvester Stallone took to Instagram to pay tribute: “To my Dear Friend BURT YOUNG you were an incredible man and artist, I and the World will miss you very much…RIP.” Tony Burton – who portrayed Apollo Creed’s trainer Duke – also expressed how saddened he was by Young’s death.
In addition to acting, Burt was also a talented painter whose artwork has been featured in galleries around the world over the years. While we can no longer appreciate his work on screen or canvas due to his untimely death, it is comforting knowing that he touched our hearts so deeply with each beloved character he brought to life.
