November 19, 2024 • 7 mins
On this episode of Our American Stories, Burt Young is an immediately recognizable character actor whose half-muttered voice and flinty gaze made him the perfect fit for "Rocky" as Sylvester Stallone's ill-mannered brother-in-law, Paulie. Here’s Burt Young with his story.
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Speaker 1 (00:12):
This is Lee Habib and this is Our American Stories,
the show where America is the star and the American people.
And to search for the Our American Stories podcast, go
to the iHeartRadio app, to Apple Podcasts, or wherever you
get your podcasts. Bert Young is an immediately recognizable character
(00:32):
actor whose half muttered voice and flinty gaze made him
the perfect fit for Rocky as Sylvester Stallone's ill mannered
brother in law Paulie. Without any further ado, here's Bert
Young with his story.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
Yes, I'm Bert Yeng. I was born in Corona, Queens,
New York. I have the greatest parents. My pop it
became like a minister and high school. His name was Michael.
He's a sheet metal coming for iceman. He could do anything,
(01:08):
build anything. He could smock. He's pretty good too. He's
a tough guy himself. He was a great guy. My mother, Josephine,
she lived to about ninety three. The most beautiful lady ever.
Protected me from everything. Mama knew I couldn't do wrong.
(01:33):
When I needed money as a kid, my father would
give me twenty five cents. I said, Mama, I need
two grand. She said, Mike, write out of checks on
the check. That was that as she spoke, he listened.
The only trouble I ever had was when I left home.
(01:53):
I believed in myself in life. I had seventeen pro fights.
I had never lost a prof I believed in myself.
That was a very good fighter. Custom Motel was my
first manager. Charlie Go was a trainer who trained Marciano.
(02:15):
He converted me from southport to right end. You know,
in those days you couldn't fight left handed, you know,
but fighting it was part of my nature. And I
did an excavation for Muhammad Ali. That was one of
my high squats at the Olympic Auditorium in California. We
become fast friends, very good. You never said, but you
(02:40):
give her a box? Who gets said getting punched in
the face. You know, growing up I was early in
the Marine Corps sixteen, I was half a hoodler, you know, really,
I carpet lay in business, sixty men working on a
(03:00):
short dollar. You know, I was pretty unhappy. And this
beautiful girl, she was a ball maid and the Jackson
Heights Ginmo start ask her if she ever thought of
being an actress, and she lit up and she said
(03:21):
she wanted to started with least Trospect, and I thought
that was a girl.
Speaker 3 (03:26):
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (03:26):
Who the hell least Strospect was, but I figured I
can get it in anywhere. So I found out who
he was.
Speaker 3 (03:36):
Wrote him a letter.
Speaker 2 (03:37):
I don't know if acting has anything for me, but
I'm treading water. See me, and he did so. I
never saw tension in a man's face, but I fear
you an emotional library says, would you work with me?
Speaker 3 (03:57):
Yes? And I was able to take myself serious.
Speaker 1 (04:03):
Well.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
I read the script Rocky, the Rocky Script. It was
like a masterpiece of in simplicity. It was half a character,
half reality to you. But it was very touching, very moving.
It was like a moving poetry, beautiful. I'm in the
commissary in California. A young guy squatched next to me.
(04:30):
He says, mister youngm so Vester Stallone.
Speaker 3 (04:34):
I wrote, Rocky. I congratulations, a proud He says, you
gotta do it. Let me twist that arm a little bit.
I'm going to do it, you know.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
That's when we first met each oldren I was the
highest paid actor in the first Rocky, more than he was.
I was a strong piece of writing. I didn't take
a chance. I dove into it. You don't have to
go too far for her. He's very bright and funny
(05:08):
too well. We worked very well together, very good. We
never had a harsh moment.
Speaker 3 (05:15):
Really my life.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
Work with him, and he's fast, the shoes fast. We
would have shot after Rocky, but by now, you know,
I never knew it was going to be go through
the seal.
Speaker 3 (05:30):
I didn't know what huge it's were.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
Rocky had a crashing the door down and that was
a lot of fun. You know, My Papa was much
more talented it. I was acting before he died, and
he didn't understand it because he knew me as a hoodlum.
We'd bring him to screenings earlier. I had a projection
(05:55):
room in Beverly Hills in my house out there. We'd
showing some of them movies. He couldn't have get it,
couldn't get it. I don't think it can put me
in a bottle as an actor and as as an artist.
Speaker 3 (06:13):
Perhaps the acting I'm a little more structured. I pick.
Speaker 2 (06:19):
Immunition bullets to use to relax int that to fatten up.
Koby greed it could be anger and I fattened that up.
The personal things that I used to get there bullies.
Was quick and crafty. But you have many personal hobbists
(06:40):
that were not me. You know, I mean as warm
as I can make them. Well, you had to forgive
the sucker for it is pretty ugly guy. Many times,
you know they miscast me. I'm a lovable son.
Speaker 3 (06:55):
Of a gun.
Speaker 2 (06:56):
Uh's just I go straight, astraight and.
Speaker 1 (07:02):
A terrific job on the production editing and storytelling by
our own Greg Hangler, and a special thanks to Platinum
Platypus for their work on this interview with Bert Younger,
Straight and simple like Rocky. What he said about Rocky
is so true of so much great storytelling. It's simple,
it's straight, and it moves people. The story of Bert
(07:22):
young the story about so much. Here on Our American Stories.
Liehbib here the host of our American Stories. Every day
on this show, we're bringing inspiring stories from across this
great country, stories from our big cities and small towns.
(07:43):
But we truly can't do the show without you. Our
stories are free to listen to, but they're not free
to make. If you love what you hear, go to
Ouramerican Stories dot com and click the donate button. Give
a little, give a lot. Go to Ouramerican Stories dot
com and give
This is Lee Habib and this is Our American Stories,
the show where America is the star and the American people.
And to search for the Our American Stories podcast, go
to the iHeartRadio app, to Apple Podcasts, or wherever you
get your podcasts. Bert Young is an immediately recognizable character
(00:32):
actor whose half muttered voice and flinty gaze made him
the perfect fit for Rocky as Sylvester Stallone's ill mannered
brother in law Paulie. Without any further ado, here's Bert
Young with his story.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
Yes, I'm Bert Yeng. I was born in Corona, Queens,
New York. I have the greatest parents. My pop it
became like a minister and high school. His name was Michael.
He's a sheet metal coming for iceman. He could do anything,
(01:08):
build anything. He could smock. He's pretty good too. He's
a tough guy himself. He was a great guy. My mother, Josephine,
she lived to about ninety three. The most beautiful lady ever.
Protected me from everything. Mama knew I couldn't do wrong.
(01:33):
When I needed money as a kid, my father would
give me twenty five cents. I said, Mama, I need
two grand. She said, Mike, write out of checks on
the check. That was that as she spoke, he listened.
The only trouble I ever had was when I left home.
(01:53):
I believed in myself in life. I had seventeen pro fights.
I had never lost a prof I believed in myself.
That was a very good fighter. Custom Motel was my
first manager. Charlie Go was a trainer who trained Marciano.
(02:15):
He converted me from southport to right end. You know,
in those days you couldn't fight left handed, you know,
but fighting it was part of my nature. And I
did an excavation for Muhammad Ali. That was one of
my high squats at the Olympic Auditorium in California. We
become fast friends, very good. You never said, but you
(02:40):
give her a box? Who gets said getting punched in
the face. You know, growing up I was early in
the Marine Corps sixteen, I was half a hoodler, you know, really,
I carpet lay in business, sixty men working on a
(03:00):
short dollar. You know, I was pretty unhappy. And this
beautiful girl, she was a ball maid and the Jackson
Heights Ginmo start ask her if she ever thought of
being an actress, and she lit up and she said
(03:21):
she wanted to started with least Trospect, and I thought
that was a girl.
Speaker 3 (03:26):
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (03:26):
Who the hell least Strospect was, but I figured I
can get it in anywhere. So I found out who
he was.
Speaker 3 (03:36):
Wrote him a letter.
Speaker 2 (03:37):
I don't know if acting has anything for me, but
I'm treading water. See me, and he did so. I
never saw tension in a man's face, but I fear
you an emotional library says, would you work with me?
Speaker 3 (03:57):
Yes? And I was able to take myself serious.
Speaker 1 (04:03):
Well.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
I read the script Rocky, the Rocky Script. It was
like a masterpiece of in simplicity. It was half a character,
half reality to you. But it was very touching, very moving.
It was like a moving poetry, beautiful. I'm in the
commissary in California. A young guy squatched next to me.
(04:30):
He says, mister youngm so Vester Stallone.
Speaker 3 (04:34):
I wrote, Rocky. I congratulations, a proud He says, you
gotta do it. Let me twist that arm a little bit.
I'm going to do it, you know.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
That's when we first met each oldren I was the
highest paid actor in the first Rocky, more than he was.
I was a strong piece of writing. I didn't take
a chance. I dove into it. You don't have to
go too far for her. He's very bright and funny
(05:08):
too well. We worked very well together, very good. We
never had a harsh moment.
Speaker 3 (05:15):
Really my life.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
Work with him, and he's fast, the shoes fast. We
would have shot after Rocky, but by now, you know,
I never knew it was going to be go through
the seal.
Speaker 3 (05:30):
I didn't know what huge it's were.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
Rocky had a crashing the door down and that was
a lot of fun. You know, My Papa was much
more talented it. I was acting before he died, and
he didn't understand it because he knew me as a hoodlum.
We'd bring him to screenings earlier. I had a projection
(05:55):
room in Beverly Hills in my house out there. We'd
showing some of them movies. He couldn't have get it,
couldn't get it. I don't think it can put me
in a bottle as an actor and as as an artist.
Speaker 3 (06:13):
Perhaps the acting I'm a little more structured. I pick.
Speaker 2 (06:19):
Immunition bullets to use to relax int that to fatten up.
Koby greed it could be anger and I fattened that up.
The personal things that I used to get there bullies.
Was quick and crafty. But you have many personal hobbists
(06:40):
that were not me. You know, I mean as warm
as I can make them. Well, you had to forgive
the sucker for it is pretty ugly guy. Many times,
you know they miscast me. I'm a lovable son.
Speaker 3 (06:55):
Of a gun.
Speaker 2 (06:56):
Uh's just I go straight, astraight and.
Speaker 1 (07:02):
A terrific job on the production editing and storytelling by
our own Greg Hangler, and a special thanks to Platinum
Platypus for their work on this interview with Bert Younger,
Straight and simple like Rocky. What he said about Rocky
is so true of so much great storytelling. It's simple,
it's straight, and it moves people. The story of Bert
(07:22):
young the story about so much. Here on Our American Stories.
Liehbib here the host of our American Stories. Every day
on this show, we're bringing inspiring stories from across this
great country, stories from our big cities and small towns.
(07:43):
But we truly can't do the show without you. Our
stories are free to listen to, but they're not free
to make. If you love what you hear, go to
Ouramerican Stories dot com and click the donate button. Give
a little, give a lot. Go to Ouramerican Stories dot
com and give
Host
Lee Habeeb
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