Rocky Balboa's friend passes away

Burt Young, the Oscar-nominated actor who played Rocky Balboa’s best friend Paulie in the Rocky movies with Sylvester Stallone, has died aged 83.

Young died on October 8 in Los Angeles, his daughter told the New York Times.

Young, who adopted the name Burt Young when he began acting, starred in over 160 movies and television shows. During his prolific career, he became a reliable character actor who could play tough guys in mobs or working men just trying to make it.

The actor, who was also briefly a professional boxer before he studied acting, started his film and television career in 1969. Before Rocky, he starred alongside James Caan in Cinderella Liberty, The Gambler and The Killer Elite.