Burt Young, best known to “Rocky” fans as the underdog champion’s best friend Paulie Pennino, died on Oct. 8 at the age of 83, according to The New York Times.
Young earned an Academy Award nomination for his performance as Paulie in the first “Rocky” film in 1976, and reprised the role in the next five films in the series from “Rocky II” in 1979 to “Rocky Balboa” in 2006.
Over the course of the series, Paulie serves as both a positive and negative force in Rocky’s life, helping the boxer get a date with his sister and Rocky’s future wife Adrian, yet regularly mistreating her and never hiding his jealousy at Rocky’s in-ring success. By the time of his final appearance in “Rocky Balboa,” the aging Paulie comes to regret his abusive behavior towards the now-deceased Adrian, and has a much easier relationship with the retired Rocky.
Beyond “Rocky,” Young had over 160 roles in film and television, including a bit role in Roman Polanski’s “Chinatown” and Sergio Leone’s “Once Upon a Time in America.” His television appearances included shows like “M*A*S*H*,” “Walker, Texas Ranger” and “Law & Order.”
With his rough appearance and his past as a former Marine and boxer, Young built a career taking on roles as working-class Italian-Americans like Paulie. His work even extended to a guest appearance on another famous show featuring Italian-Americans: “The Sopranos.” On the famed HBO series, Young played the cancer stricken father of Bobby Baccalieri, who is ordered by Tony Soprano to kill his godson after he brutally beats one of the Sopranos’ family friends.
Of his passing, “Rocky” costar Talia Shire, who starred as Adrian, said in a statement provided to TheWrap, “Burt Young was a wonderful man; a family man, a creative man. He made our work together on all the ‘Rocky’ films a joy. He was a kind, generous and collaborative talent. I will miss him.”
Young is survived by his brother, Robert; his daughter, Anna; and his grandson.
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