Rocky’s Paulie star Burt Young dies as Sylvester Stallone leads tributes

Rocky actor Burt Young has died at the age of 83, with his former co-star Sylvester Stallone leading the tributes.

The star's death was confirmed on Wednesday (October 18) by his daughter Anne Morea Steingieser, who Burt leaves behind, as well as a grandchild and a brother. No cause of death has yet been given.

Burt was also known for roles in titles such as The Sopranos, Once Upon A Time In America and Chinatown. But it was his role in the Rocky franchise that put him on the map.

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First appearing in the 1976 film Rocky, he played Paulie Pennino – an angry meat packer who was abusive towards his sister Adrian, played by Talia Shire. He has a go at her for refusing to go on a date on Thanksgiving with his friend and colleague Rocky Balboa, played by Sylvester.

Sylvester paid tribute to his old friend in an emotional Instagram post which showed them on the set of the first film together. In the caption he wrote: "To my dear friend Burt Young, you were an incredible man and artist, I and the world will miss you very much… RIP."

Other's paid tribute in the comments section too. One person said: "RIP Pauly! An amazing actor. You will be missed Burt!"

Another commented: "God bless Burt. May he rest in peace. He's an amazing artist." A third said: "This is such sad news. I had the great honour of meeting him briefly here in Philly, he was the kindest man. Rest in peace, Burt. My kids and I will always cherish the joy you brought to our lives."

As film fans will know, Rocky went on to achieve enormous success. It was nominated for 10 Oscars, with Burt getting a nomination for best supporting actor.

It won three of those nominations, including best picture, in 1977. It also won the best motion picture award at the Golden Globes the same year.

Burt would go on to appear in all five of the sequels, including 2006's Rocky Balboa. Throughout the films, Burt's character became the comic relief.

Speaking in 2020, he told Celebrity Parents magazine: "It was a great ride, and it brought me to the audience in a great way. I made him a rough guy with a sensitivity. He's really a marshmallow even though he yells a lot."

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