Actor
“Rocky” star Burt Young dies at 83
Sylvester Stallone (l) hugs Burt Young (2006). photo
© Matt Rourke/AP/dpa
He is remembered not least as the bad-tempered brother-in-law from the “Rocky” saga. It is less known that he was once in the ring himself. Sylvester Stallone also mourns the death of his film buddy Burt Young.
The US actor Burt Young, known from the “Rocky” films, is dead. He died on October 8th in Los Angeles at the age of 83, his daughter told the “New York Times” on Wednesday. The artist, who comes from a working-class neighborhood in the New York borough of Queens, appeared in around 160 film and television productions and also made a name for himself as a painter.
He became internationally known in particular in the role of the grim and short-tempered slaughterhouse worker Paulie Pennino in the boxing drama “Rocky” (1976) alongside the action star Sylvester Stallone, whose brother-in-law he played. The 77-year-old condoled on Instagram and called Young a “dear friend.” “You were an incredible man and artist, I and the world will miss you very much,” he added alongside a photo of the two of them from the film.
Young was also nominated for his supporting role in the Oscar-winning film, but came away empty-handed. He appeared in all six films in the saga as the brother of Stallone’s shy girlfriend and later wife Adrian (Talia Shire). Stallone, who was still a relatively unknown actor at the time, begged him to take on the role, Young once said, according to the New York Times. “I made him (Paulie) a tough guy with sensitivity.” Even though he screamed a lot in the film, he was actually a wimp.
Young was once a boxer himself. He started as a young soldier in the Marines. But his professional career was not long. According to his own statements, he later made a living as a carpet fitter and with other odd jobs. He got into acting by chance, but was taught by the legendary Lee Strasberg.
He also took on roles in “Chinatown”, “The Killer Elite”, “Once upon a time in America” and “Last Exit Brooklyn” by Bernd Eichinger and Uli Edel. On television he was seen in, among others, ““M*A*S*H””, “Miami Vice” and “The Sopranos”. In the theater he played alongside Robert De Niro in “Cuba and His Teddy Bear”.