RIP: Burt Young
Burt Young, born Gerald Tommaso DeLouise, died October 8th. No cause of death was given. Mr. Young was 83.
Burt Young, best known for his Academy Award nominated role as Rocky Balboa’s brother-in-law Paulie, was actually a boxer himself. While in the United State Marines, Mr. Young compiled a 32 -2 record!
Burt Young trained at the Actor’s Studio under Lee Strasberg. During the course of his career Burt Young compiled 170 acting credits in films and television. Mr. Young wrote and starred in the feature film Uncle Joe Shannon, wrote and starred in the television movie Daddy, I Don’t Like It Like This, and an episode of Baretta (The Big Hand’s On Trouble) which he guest starred in. Burt Young also wrote the historical novel ENDINGS, as well as two stage plays (SOS and A Letter to Alicia and the New York City Government from a Man With a Bullet in His Head). Mr. Young was also an accomplished painter with gallery showings throughout the world. Some of his paintings appeared in Rocky Balboa when we learned that Paulie also liked to paint.
Some of Burt Young’s television appearances include: The Doctors; MASH; Little House on the Prairie; Baretta (3 episodes); The Rockford Files; Daddy, I Don’t Like It Like This; Miami Vice; The Equalizer; Vendetta: Secrets of a Mafia Bride (6 episodes); Tales from the Crypt; Law & Order; The Last Don (2 episodes); Walker, Texas Ranger (2 episodes); The Sopranos and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.
Some of Burt Young’s feature film appearances include: Carnival of Blood; The Gang That Couldn’t Shoot Straight; Across 110th Street; Cinderella Liberty; Chinatown; The Killer Elite; Rocky; Twilight’s Last Gleaming; The Choirboys; Convoy; Uncle Joe Shannon; Rocky II; All the Marbles; Rocky III; Once Upon a Time in America; The Pope of Greenwich Village; Rocky IV; Back to School; Rocky V; Mickey Blue Eyes and Rocky Balboa.
I probably saw Burt Young first on MASH, Baretta or The Rockford Files, but it was his role in Rocky that I always think of first. From all accounts Burt Young was a kind and gentle soul. He was a true renaissance man – an actor, author and painter. He made every production he was in better.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to Burt Young’s family, friends and fans.
