Burt Young death: Actor who played Paulie opposite Sylvester Stallone in 'Rocky' movies dies at 83
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Gerald Tommaso DeLouise, known professionally as Burt Young, was a veteran American actor, author, and painter who died in Los Angeles at 83 years of age on October 8.
His death was confirmed by his daughter Anne Morea Steingieser to the New York Times. No cause of death was given.
Best known for his contribution to six of Sylvester Stallone's ‘Rocky’ films, Burt was nominated for the Oscars for his portrayal of Paulie Pennino - Rocky Balboa’s friend, brother-in-law, and cornerman in the successful franchise.
Burt Young's early life
Young was born on April 30, 1940, and raised in Corona, Queens, New York. He was the son of Josephine DeLouise and Michael DeLouise, a high school shop teacher.
The actor served in the US Marines from 1957 to 1959 during which he tried his hands on boxing. Before he entered Hollywood, he studied and was trained by Lee Strasberg at the Actors Studio.
Burt was married to Gloria DeLouise. The couple tied the knot in a private ceremony in 1961. While not much is known about his wife, the two welcomed their daughter Anne in 1969.
Sadly, his wife passed away a few years later in 1974.
The many talents of one Burt Young
In his illustrious career, Young ended up playing tough-guy, brute Italian-American roles in TV and film because of his stout frame and Italian descent.
Among his most notable works were, ‘The Sopranos’, ‘Chinatown’, ‘The Gambler’, ‘The Killer Elite’, ‘Convoy’, ‘Uncle Joe Shannon’, ‘Once Upon a Time in America’, ‘The Pope of Greenwich Village’, ‘A Summer to Remember’, ‘Back to School’, ‘Last Exit to Brooklyn’, ‘Mickey Blue Eyes’, ‘Transamerica’, ‘Win Win’, ‘Bottom of the 9th' and many more.
He was nominated for the Oscars for Best Supporting Actor category after his performance in the first instalment of the 'Rocky' film series.
He even made appearances in long-running television shows at the time like ‘The Rockford Files’, ‘Baretta’, ‘Law & Order’, ‘Walker’, ‘Texas Ranger’, ‘All In The Family’, ‘M*A*S*H’, ‘Miami Vice’, ‘Roomies’ and many more.
In 2017, Burt returned to the stage as an aged mob boss in ‘The Last Vig’, a play written by Dave Varriale. The show ran from January 14 to February 19, 2017, at The Zephyr Theatre in Los Angeles.
Young was also a painter, with his art having been displayed in galleries around the world. Some of Young's actual paintings were also shown in a scene in 2006’s ‘Rocky Balboa’ when his character Paulie gets fired from the meatpacking plant.
It is with great sadness I share the news of actor, Burt Young passing. He was 83. For those who don’t know he played my father in “AMITYVILLE II:The Possession.” He was a beautiful, funny, talented man, with a deep soul. He will be deeply missed. #ripburtyoung pic.twitter.com/lMhyFIkQap
— Diane Franklin (@DianeFranklin80) October 19, 2023
But that’s not all. Young's penchant for creativity was such that he was also a published author. He penned two filmed screenplays and a 400-page historical novel called ‘Endings’.
He also wrote two stage plays namely ‘SOS’ and ‘A Letter to Alicia and the New York City Government from a Man With a Bullet in His Head’.
Burt’s death comes as a shock to the world. For his fans, and for cinephiles in general, growing up in the 80s and the 90s, he was an icon with his staunch disposition in the portrayal of his varied character roles. Burt is survived by his daughter and a grandson.