Burt Young was an Oscar-nominated movie and television actor best known for playing Paulie, Rocky’s best friend and brother-in-law in the “Rocky” film series.
- Died: October 8, 2023 (Who else died on October 8?)
- Details of death: Died in Los Angeles at the age of 83.
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Burt Young’s legacy
Born in New York City as Gerald Tommaso DeLouise, Young served a three-year stint in the United States Marines from 1957 to 1959, during which time he also boxed regularly, winning 32 out of 34 bouts. After leaving the military, Young broke into acting in 1969, with a small unnamed role in the television show, “The Doctors.” His film debut came the following year, in the 1970 horror film “Carnival of Blood.”
Young was a character actor, often playing brash and abrasive working-class Italian Americans. That experience informed his breakout role as Paulie, the title character’s rough-but-affable brother-in-law in 1976’s surprise hit, “Rocky.” Young was nominated for an Academy Award for his portrayal and would go on to appear in five more “Rocky” films. Though best known for that series, Young also had appearances in many other noteworthy movies, including “Chinatown,” “Convoy,” Sergio Leone’s “Once Upon a Time in America,” and “Amityville II: The Possession.”
Young also had dozens of television credits, appearing on such shows as “M.A.S.H.,” “Baretta,” “The Rockford Files,” “The Sopranos,” and “Alfred Hitchcock Presents.” All told, he had over 160 roles in film and TV. When not acting, Young was an accomplished painter and author, penning the historical novel “Endings,” as well as several screenplays and stage plays. Among them are the 1978 film, “Uncle Joe Shannon.”
Tributes to Burt Young
Full obituary: The New York Times
