Legendary actor Sylvester Stallone just paid tribute to his Rocky co-star Burt Young, following the news of Young's passing.
In case you missed it, the New York Times, on Wednesday, reported that Young passed away in Los Angeles, California, on Oct. 8, at the age of 83, from a yet-to-be-reported cause.
The outlet obtained this information from Anne Morea Steingieser, Young's daughter.
The Times reports, "His death was confirmed by his daughter, Anne Morea Steingieser, who said that cause was not yet known."
Sylvester Stallone, following the news of Young's passing, paid tribute to his on-screen brother-in-law in a message that he posted to his Instagram account, OfficialSlyStallone.
Stallone included a picture of himself and Young from the Rocky films, and Stallone wrote, "To my Dear Friend, BURT YOUNG, you were an incredible man and artist, I and the World will miss you very much . . . RIP."
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Countless other actors are following suit, posting their own tributes to Young.
Young had a lengthy acting career that spanned six decades. Over the years, he played countless roles. But, the role for which he is likely most known is that of Paulie Pennino in the six-part Rocky film series.
In the films, Paulie, Young's character, as the Associated Press put it, was "the rough-hewn, mumbling-and-grumbling best friend, corner-man and brother-in-law to" Rocky Balboa, who, of course, was played by Sylvester Stallone. Paulie was the brother of Adrian, the love of Rocky's life.
Reports indicate that Young was both a tough guy on and off the screen. Although, in the Rocky series, Young's tough-guy persona did soften somewhat as the series continued. Another interesting fact about Young is that he, himself, did some boxing in real life.
Rocky has received a large number of Oscar nominations over the years, 10 in total. This includes one nomination for best supporting actor for Young's role as Paulie.
Young, however, did not win the award. It went to Jason Robards for his role in All the President's Men.
Young, speaking about his role as Paulie, said in a 2020 interview with 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."
