Burt Young, the Oscar-nominated actor who played Paulie, the rough-hewn, mumbling-and-grumbling best friend, corner-man and brother-in-law to in the 含羞草研究社淩ocky含羞草研究社� franchise, has died.

Young died Oct. 8 in Los Angeles, his daughter, Anne Morea Steingieser, told the on Wednesday. No cause was given. He was 83.

Young had roles in acclaimed films and television shows including 含羞草研究社淐hinatown,含羞草研究社� 含羞草研究社淥nce Upon a Time in America含羞草研究社� and 含羞草研究社淭he Sopranos.含羞草研究社�

But he was always best known for playing Paulie Pennino in six 含羞草研究社淩ocky含羞草研究社� movies. The short, paunchy, balding Young was the sort of actor who always seemed to play middle-aged no matter his age.

When Paulie first appears in 1976含羞草研究社檚 含羞草研究社淩ocky,含羞草研究社� he含羞草研究社檚 an angry, foul-mouthed meat packer who is abusive to his sister Adrian (Talia Shire), with whom he shares a small apartment in Philadelphia. He berates the shy, meek Adrian for refusing at first to go on a Thanksgiving-night date with his buddy and co-worker Rocky Balboa, and destroys a turkey she has in the oven.

The film became a phenomenon, topping the box office for the year and making a star of lead actor and writer Stallone, who paid tribute to Young on on Wednesday night.

Along with a photo of the two of them on the set of the first film, Stallone wrote 含羞草研究社測ou were an incredible man and artist, I and the World will miss you very much.含羞草研究社�

含羞草研究社淩ocky含羞草研究社� was nominated for 10 Oscars, including best supporting actor for Young. It won three, including best picture. Young and co-star Burgess Meredith, who was also nominated, lost to Jason Robards in 含羞草研究社淎ll the President含羞草研究社檚 Men.含羞草研究社�

As the movies went on, Young含羞草研究社檚 Paulie softened, as the sequels themselves did, and he became their comic relief. In 1985含羞草研究社檚 含羞草研究社淩ocky IV含羞草研究社� he reprograms a robot Rocky gives him into a sexy-voiced servant who dotes on him.

Paulie was also an eternal pessimist who was constantly convinced that Rocky was going to get clobbered by his increasingly daunting opponents. His surprise at Rocky含羞草研究社檚 resilience brought big laughs.

含羞草研究社淚t was a great ride, and it brought me to the audience in a great way,含羞草研究社� Young said in a 2020 interview with Celebrity Parents magazine. 含羞草研究社淚 made him a rough guy with a sensitivity. He含羞草研究社檚 really a marshmallow even though he yells a lot.含羞草研究社�

Born and raised in Queens, New York, Young served in the Marine Corps, fought as a professional boxer and worked as a carpet layer before taking up acting, studying with legendary teacher Lee Strasberg at the Actors Studio.

On stage, in films and on television, he typically played small-time tough guys or down-on-their luck working class men.

In a short-but-memorable scene in 1974含羞草研究社檚 含羞草研究社淐hinatown,含羞草研究社� he plays a fisherman who throws a fit when Jack Nicholson含羞草研究社檚 private detective Jake Gittes shows him pictures proving his wife is cheating on him.

Young also appeared in director Sergio Leone含羞草研究社檚 1984 gangster epic 含羞草研究社淥nce Upon a Time in America含羞草研究社� with Robert De Niro, the 1986 comedy 含羞草研究社淏ack to School含羞草研究社� with Rodney Dangerfield, and the 1989 gritty drama 含羞草研究社淟ast Exit to Brooklyn含羞草研究社� with Jennifer Jason Leigh.

In a striking appearance in season three of 含羞草研究社淭he Sopranos含羞草研究社� in 2001, he plays Bobby Baccalieri, Sr., an elderly mafioso with lung cancer who pulls off one last hit before a coughing fit leads to him dying in a car accident.

He guest-starred on many other TV series including 含羞草研究社淢(asterisk)A(asterisk)S(asterisk)H,含羞草研究社� 含羞草研究社淢iami Vice含羞草研究社� and 含羞草研究社淭he Equalizer.含羞草研究社�

Later in life he focused on roles in the theater and on painting, a lifelong pursuit that led to gallery shows and sales.

His wife of 13 years, Gloria, died in 1974.

Along with his daughter, Young is survived by one grandchild and a brother, Robert.

Andrew Dalton, The Associated Press