Burt Young, Paulie from the Rocky saga, has died

Reduce the career of Burt Young to the role of Paulie Pennino, Sylvester Stallone’s brother-in-law in the saga of Rockyit would be unfair and reductive given that, over the years, the American actor of Italian origins has given life to a myriad of characters by establishing relationships with a long list of directors, from Sergio Leone to Wim Wenders. It was necessary to remember it yesterday and it is necessary to remember it even more today, when the news arrives that Burt Young’s life was ended at the age of 83 on October 8th, as reported to New York Times daughter Anne Morea Steingieser, also an actress. «To my dear friend Burt Young: you were an incredible man and artist. You will be greatly missed by me and by the world”, were the words of Sylvester Stallone on Instagram, ready to join in the condolences of the many spectators who grew up watching his films.

Born in New York on April 30, 1940 to an Italian-American family, Burt Young, stage name of Gerald «Jerry» Thomas DeLouise, attended the Actor’s Studio under the direction of Lee Strasberg with the aim of becoming an established actor. When he decides to change his name, he does so by paying tribute to Burt Lancaster, his favorite actor, and Neil Young, the singer of his heart. After his film debut in 1970 with Carnival of Blood and also appeared in Chinatown by Roman Polanski, the turning point for Burt Young came in 1976, when director John G. Avildsen chose him to play Paulie Pennino, brother of Adriana and future brother-in-law of Rocky Balboa. The role immediately earned him an Oscar nomination for best supporting actor but, above all, the admiration of the public who from that moment on considered him one of the family, also taking into account that Young will appear in all the chapters of the saga Rockyincluding the last one, released in theaters in 2006.

In his career, however, Burt Young was so much more, taking part in films like The father of Greenwich Village, At school with dad. and also Once upon a time in America by Sergio Leone where he plays Joe, the representative of a powerful Italian-American boss. We have also seen it, however, in the popular TV series M*A*S*H* of 1973 and in the crime drama Baretta together with Robert Blake, not to mention guest starring roles in hugely popular series such as Miami Vice, Walker Texas Ranger, Law & Order And The Sopranos. Then in 1995 he acted alongside his daughter Anna Morea in the show at the theatre A View from the Bridgewhich strengthens a special bond between father and daughter.