Actor Burt Young, 83, passed away. He was nominated for an Oscar. Young’s most well-known performance came from the Rocky film franchise, when he played Adrian’s (Talia Shire) brother and Rocky Balboa’s (Sylvester Stallone) butcher friend, Paulie.
The actor passed away in Los Angeles on October 8, even though his passing was only recently publicized, according to his daughter Anne Morea Steingieser, who spoke with The New York Times, which broke the news on Wednesday, October 18.
Lynda Bensky, Young’s manager, stated in a statement to People magazine: “Burt was an actor of tremendous emotional range.”
Burt Young can make you cry and terrify you beyond belief. However, the poignancy of his soul was the true pathos I felt. That is the source of it.
The actor, who started acting under the name Burt Young, was born and raised in a working-class neighborhood in Queens. He went on to have a successful career, accumulating over 160 credits in films and television shows, most of which were for tough guy parts.
Apart from the Rocky film series, Young featured in two other notable films: Sergio Leone’s Once Upon a Time in America (1984), starring Robert DeNiro and Elizabeth McGovern, and Roman Polanski’s neo-noir tour de force Chinatown (1974).
A nomination for an Oscar was given to him for his role as Paulie in the first Rocky movie (1976). Up until Rocky Balboa in 2006, he played Rocky in all of the subsequent films in the series.
Burt Young brought a physicality to his art because of his experience as a professional boxer and Marine. According to The New York Times, Young was referred to as a “library of emotions” by his former instructor, the esteemed acting teacher Lee Strasberg.
Sensing something remarkable in Young, director Sam Peckinpah hired him in two films, Convoy (1978), starring Kris Kristofferson and Ali MacGraw, and The Killer Elite (1975), costarring James Caan.
Young’s daughter told The New York Times that her father had a relationship with Oscar-nominated filmmaker Peckinpah, who is best known for the drama-western The Wild Bunch from 1976. “Both were mavericks and outlaws, with a deep respect for art,” the daughter said.
According to Steingieser, “They understood each other because of the intensity and honesty Peckinpah demanded.” “He would not tolerate anything less than authenticity.”
During the early 1970s, Young appeared in several small-screen appearances, including one on M*A*S*H. He also pursued a career in theater, where he played a famous part in the 1986 drama Cuba and His Teddy Bear, which starred Ralph Macchio and Robert De Niro and told the story of a drug dealer and his son.
Back to School (1986) and Last Exit to Brooklyn (1989) are two more film credits.
In a 2017 interview with The Rumpus, Young recalled how Stallone had begged him to try for the role of Paulie, even though Rocky would go on to become his breakthrough role.
Burt Young claimed,
“I was the only actor who didn’t try out for the original Rocky.” “And I was paid the most for it.”
Young continued by describing how Stallone “knelt next to me” and pleaded with him to take the role. “He’s attempting to manipulate my arm,” the actor recollected.
Choosing to say yes proved to be one of the greatest career moves he has ever made. The movie went on to win three Academy Awards, including Best Picture and garnered ten nominations overall.
Young remarked of his portrayal of Paulie, “I made him a rough guy with a sensitivity.” Though he rants a lot, he’s a marshmallow.
Burt Young is survived by his grandson, Robert, his brother, and his daughter. Gloria, his wife, passed away in 1974.
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