‘Rocky’ Star Was 83 – Sylvester Stallone Pays Heartfelt Tribute

Burt Young, the actor best known for playing Paulie alongside Sylvester Stallone in the Rocky film franchise, has died. He was 83.

His passing was confirmed to the New York Times by his daughter, Anne Morea Steingieser, who revealed he died on October 8 in Los Angeles, California. A cause of death has not been shared.

Stallone took to Instagram to share a tribute to his former co-star, writing, “To my Dear Friend, BURT YOUNG, you were an incredible man’s and artist, I and the World will miss you very much…RIP.”

Young, who served in the Marine Corps from 1957 to 1959, where he also boxed regularly, made his career playing tough-talking, Italian-American characters. His most memorable role came as Paulie, the best friend (and future brother-in-law) to Stallone’s Rocky, appearing in the first six Rocky films. His performance in the first Rocky movie earned him an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor.

©MGM/courtesy Everett Collection

His other film work included Chinatown, Back to School, The Pope of Greenwich Village, Once Upon a Time in America, Last Exit to Brooklyn, and Mickey Blue Eyes.

Young also had a prolific career on television, appearing in the likes of The Rockford Files, Law & Order, Walker, Texas Ranger, All In The Family, M*A*S*H, Miami Vice, and the NBC comedy Roomies. He also had a small role in The Sopranos as Bobby Baccalieri’s father, who is dying of cancer and comes out of retirement to carry out a hit on his godson.

©HBO / Courtesy: Everett Collection

More recently, Young had a recurring role as Joe in Natasha Lyonne‘s Netflix comedy-drama series Russian Doll.

Outside of acting, Young was a painter, with his work displayed in galleries all over the world. He was also a published author, including a historical novel called Endings, two filmed screenplays, and two stage plays.

“Burt was an actor of tremendous emotional range. He could make you cry and he could scare you to death,” Young’s manager, Lynda Bensky, told People. “But the real pathos that I experienced was the poignancy of his soul. That’s where it came from.”