The actor who played Sylvester Stallone’s on-screen best friend and brother-in-law, Burt Young, has died at the age of 83. Young’s daughter, Anne Morea Steingieser, confirmed the passing of the Oscar-nominated actor to the New York Times. Sylvester Stallone joined millions of fans in mourning the loss of Young, expressing on Instagram that he will be greatly missed.
Young’s role as Paulie Pennino in the Rocky series was a troubled character, and the actor perfectly captured the bitter, resentful, yet loyal nature of Paulie. Young was famously known for his thug and mobster roles, and he elevated these roles by infusing them with depth and personality.
Sylvester Stallone Mourns The Loss Of His Friend
Sylvester Stallone took to Instagram to mourn the loss of his friend and co-star, Burt Young. Young appeared in all six of the Rocky films, making him one of only four actors, including Stallone, to achieve this feat. Stallone bringing him back to his movies consistently attests to their strong working relationship. Young received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the first installment.
In his Instagram post, Sylvester Stallone fittingly described Young as an incredible man and artist. He added that the world, including himself, would sorely miss Young. Stallone’s Instagram post:
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In Rocky, Young’s Paulie, despite his jealousy, shows care and loyalty toward his sister and brother-in-law. The temperamental character would stand up for Rocky in various situations.
However, his well-intentioned deeds often lead to problems for Rocky, dragging him into a street fight, causing his bankruptcy in Rocky V, and even being indirectly responsible for the premature birth of Rocky’s son. Young’s portrayal of these nuances in the character was exceptional.
Burt Young Mostly Played Rough Edged Italian-Americans
Besides Paulie, Young mostly played characters that cast him as an Italian-American mobster or a troubled working-class Italian-American. The actor’s famous mob roles included characters in films like The Pope of Greenwich Village, Mickey Blue Eyes, Once Upon a Time in America, and Rob the Mob.
Young also had a brief role in The Sopranos as a mobster who comes out of retirement to execute a hit. Young’s prominent working-class Italian-American roles included the Rocky series and Last Exit to Brooklyn.
Apart from his work in the entertainment industry, Burt Young was also an accomplished painter and book author. His paintings were displayed in art galleries across the world and he also did illustrations for book covers. The actor’s paintings were also featured in a scene in Rocky Balboa. As an author, he has published two film screenplays and one historical novel, Endings.
Young’s wife, Gloria, passed away in 1974. He is survived by his daughter and grandson.
