Burt Young’s Story: The Man Who Played Paulie in "Rocky" Opens Up About His Family and His Craft

On this episode of Our American Stories, Burt Young is an instantly recognizable character actor, known for his half-muttered voice and flinty gaze—traits that 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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Episode Transcript

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 Young. 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 was a sheet metal coming for iceman. He could

(01:07):
do anything, build anything. He could smock. You're 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

(01:31):
I couldn't do wrong. 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 Mottel was my
first manager. Charlie Go was a trainer who trained Marciano.

(02:15):
He converted me from south put to right end. You know,
in those days you couldn't fight left ended, you know,
but fighting it was part of my nature. And I
did an exhibition for Muhammad Ali that was one of
my high spots 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 hoodlum, 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 ballbaide and the Jackson Heights
Ginmo started. Asked her if she ever thought of being
an actress, and she lit up, and she said she

(03:22):
wanted to started with Least Strospect, and I thought that
was a girl. I don't know who the hell least
Strospect was, but I figured I can get it in anywhere.
So I found out who he was. Wrote him a letter.
I don't know if acting has anything for me, but

(03:42):
I'm treading water. See me, and he did so. I
never saw tension in the man's face, but I fear
you an emotional library says, would you work with me? 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 young so Vester Stallone. I wrote, Rocky.
I congratulations a proud He says, you gotta do it.
Let me twist that arm a little bit. I'm gonna
do it.

Speaker 1 (04:46):
You know.

Speaker 2 (04:47):
That's when we first met each other. 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. Really my life worked 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. I

(05:30):
didn't know what huge it's were. Rocky had a crashing
the door down and that was a lot of fun.
You know, My papa was much more talented. I was
acting before he died, and he didn't understand it because
he knew me as a holder. We bring him to

(05:52):
screenings earlier. I had a projection room in Beverly Hills
in my house out there. We'd show some of them
movies the houses. He couldn't 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. Perhaps the

(06:13):
acting I'm a little more structured. I pick I mean's
bullets to use to relax into, to fatten up. Koby
greed it could be anger and I fattened that up.
The personal things that I used to get there police

(06:34):
was quick and crafty, but I have many personal hobbists
that were not me. You know, I mean as warm
as I can make him. 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 of

(06:55):
a gun. Uh's just I go straight astraight every.

Speaker 1 (06:59):
There and 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

(07:22):
of Bert young the story about so much. Here on
Our American Stories, Leehabibe here the host of our American Stories.
Every day on this show, we're bringing inspiring stories from
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(07:45):
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