Burt Young, 'Rocky' actor, dead at 83
By Tracy Wright | Fox News
Burt Young, the Oscar-nominated actor known for his role as Paulie in "Rocky," has died, Fox News Digital confirmed. He was 83.
His cause of death was not immediately known. According to the New York Times, Young died on Oct. 8 in Los Angeles.
"Burt was an actor of tremendous emotional range," his manager Lynda Bensky said in a statement provided to Fox News Digital. "He could make you cry and he could scare you to death."
Bensky added, "But the real pathos that I experienced was the poignancy of his soul. That’s where it came from."
Young had more than 160 credits to his name but was best known for playing Sylvester Stallone's brother-in-law Paulie in six of the "Rocky" movies.
Stallone paid tribute to his former co-star after learning of his passing last night, taking to Instagram to write, "To my Dear Friend, BURT YOUNG, you were an incredible man and artist, I and the World will miss you very much...RIP."
He was nominated for an Academy Award for his role in the first film and was one of three actors to reprise roles throughout the franchise, including Stallone and Tony Burton.
Young was also known for working alongside Jack Nicholson in "Chinatown" and with Rodney Dangerfield in "Back to School."
He worked with fellow Queens, New York, native, the late James Caan, in a handful of films in the 1970s, including "Cinderella Liberty," "The Gambler," "The Killer Elite" and "Harry and Walter Go to New York."
They reconnected in 1999 for the movie "Mickey Blue Eyes."
Young served a tour of duty in the U.S. Marines, and was an avid boxer before trying his hand at acting. He trained through Lee Strasberg at the Actors Studio.
In addition to acting, Young painted and had artwork in galleries around the world.
Reply With Quote
