Burt Young told me how excited he was to finally see Hal's version.  Hal Ashby's "Lookin' to Get Out" screened last night at the UCLA Billy WIlder Theatre We saw this film at CineVegas, where we met writer Al Swartz, along with his co-writer Jon Voight.  When I saw Jon, Sunday at the LA film festival award brunch, he invited us to see the film again last night at the UCLA Billy Wilder Theatre. During his introduction Jon announced that he wanted to sit in Billy Wilder's s...

'Rocky' actor Burt Young chats with Movie Geeks United Now we know why Burt Young played Sylvester Stallone’s dyspeptic bother-in-law Paulie so convincingly in the penultimate Rocky picture: He was peeved at the he-man. Interviewed on Movie Geeks United, the legendary character actor says it was only his daughter’s fond memories of his earlier collaborations with Sly that repaired an epic rift. CAPTION: Burt (above): Much, ah, happier in the final Rocky fli...

Talk about art imitating life, or vice-versa – or something like that. Here’s the story: In 1981, Jon Voight signed on to star in a comedy called Lookin’ To Get Out, which he’d co-written. Co-starring would be Burt Young of Rocky fame, and the stunning Ann-Margret. Directing would be Hal Ashby, a maverick who’d made such hit flicks as Harold and Maude (1971), Shampoo (1975) and Being There (1979), and who would die of cancer 1988. Jon had been pa...