'Rocky' Star Burt Young's Death Certificate: Cause Of Death Revealed

Burt Young's death certificate has shed light on the circumstances surrounding his passing.

According to the death certificate obtained by The Blast, the late actor best known for his role in "Rocky" died of heart-related issues.

As we reported, Young died on October 8 in Los Angeles. He was 83. But, at the time, it was unclear what ultimately caused the death of the legendary actor.

The document lists Young's immediate cause of death as "cardiac arrest." Plus, it listed other significant underlying conditions such as a "myocardial infarction" or heart attack and "atherosclerosis" which he suffered for years.

The condition of atherosclerosis is described as thickening or hardening of the arteries. It is caused by a buildup of plaque in the inner lining of an artery. Plaque is made up of deposits of fatty substances, cholesterol, cellular waste products, calcium, and fibrin. As it builds up in the arteries, the artery walls become thickened and stiff.

Other significant conditions that contributed to the "Once Upon A Time in America" star's death were listed as Atrial Fibrillation and Myocardial Infarction. Mayo Clinic defines Atrial Fibrillation as an irregular and often very rapid heart rhythm that can lead to blood clots in the heart.

On the other hand, Myocardial Infarction is caused by decreased or complete cessation of blood flow to a portion of the myocardium. No biopsy or autopsy was carried out to come to this conclusion.

The certificate lists Young's career as 40 years in the Entertainment industry and his daughter, Anne Morea Steingieser, who confirmed the news of his passing, was named the "informant" on his death.

Young passed away at Northbridge Hospital Medical Center in Los Angeles, per the documents, and was laid to rest at Mount St Mary Cemetry in Flushing, New York. The late Queens-bred actor was famous for playing Rocky Balboa’s brother-in-law Paulie in the "Rocky" movies alongside Sylvester Stallone.

His manager Lynda Bensky released a statement about his passing. "Burt was an actor of tremendous emotional range. He could make you cry and he could scare you to death. But the real pathos that I experienced was the poignancy of his soul.  That’s where it came from," she wrote.

During his extensive career, the New York native earned the title of Hollywood's tough guy as he was known for playing tough guys in mobs or working men just trying to make it.

Due to his exceptional performance as Paulie in the first "Rocky" movie, Young earned an Oscar nomination. He would go on to reprise the role in every Rocky movie.

In a 2009 interview, Young opened up about how he snagged the role of Paulie, saying he didn't have to audition. The former U.S. Marine recalled Stallone seeing him on the MGM lot and informing him that he had to be in the movie.

"I thought the script had the cleanest street prose I'd ever read," Young said of his encounter with his famous co-star. "Stallone is not only a workaholic, he's a genius who is always looking three years ahead. He has a real eyeball for what's going on in the world."

Stallone took to Instagram to mourn the close bond they shared alongside an old photo of them. "To my Dear Friend, BURT YOUNG, you were an incredible man and artist, I and the World will miss you very much...RIP," he wrote.

Young is survived by his daughter, a brother, and a grandson. His wife Gloria died in 1974.

RIP Burt Young.