A former marine and professional boxer, the American actor had embraced cinema by first playing tough guys in thrillers, before playing Paulie in the “Rocky” saga.
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American actor Burt Young, known for playing the hero’s friend in the Rocky saga, has died, Sylvester Stallone announced Wednesday October 18 on social networks. “To my dear friend Burt Young, you were an incredible man and artist, I will miss you very much. Rest in peace”reacted the star on Instagram.
Burt Young, nominated for an Oscar in 1977 for this interpretation of Paulie Pennino, brother-in-law and friend of the boxer Rocky in the films of the same name, died at the age of 83 on October 8 in Los Angeles, his daughter Anne Morea Steingieser confirmed to New York Times.
From Roman Polanski to Sergio Leone
Born in 1940 in New York, Gerald Tommaso De Louise, his real name, was a member of the Marine Corps and a professional boxer before leaving for Hollywood. He had a prolific film career, often playing tough guys in thrillers such as Chinatown by Roman Polanski (1974), The Flambeur by Karel Reisz (1974), or even Once upon a time in America by Sergio Leone (1984).
And then obviously Burt Young appeared in all the films in the saga Rockybut not in the spin-offs Creed. It was “a beautiful and talented soul”, commented on X (formerly Twitter) the American actor Carl Weathers, who plays Apollo Creed, Rocky’s adversary or partner in the films. “He was an integral part of the Rocky family (…) Paulie will always be with us”continued Sylvester Stallone.