By David Poland poland@moviecitynews.com
Eulogizing Bruno: New Yorker Kirby Dead at 57
As pretty much everyone who writes about film on the Internet has noted by now, veteran character actor (and native New Yorker) Bruno Kirby died Monday from complications imposed by leukemia. He was 57. Naturally, his passing has inspired a surge of recollections from legions of fans he likely never knew he had, but that, as they say, is showbiz.
Now, for your browsing convenience, find below a handy guide to those who miss him, what they say made him officially famous and their own favorite Kirby role.
S.T. VanAirsdale, The Reeler
“Kirby was best known for…”: City Slickers
“But my favorite Kirby role is…”: The Godfather, Part II
Sample praise: “For a guy with more than five dozen screen credits in 35 years, Kirby will be best remembered as young Pete Clemenza, backed against a wall and pointing a revolver at the door through which that New York cop could enter… at… any… moment. Silent, terrified and terrifying. And indelible.”
Nikki Finke, Deadline Hollywood Daily
“Kirby was best known for…”: City Slickers, When Harry Met Sally
“But my favorite Kirby role is…”: Between the Lines
Sample praise: None
Erik Davis, Cinematical
“Kirby was best known for…”: City Slickers, When Harry Met Sally, Good Morning, Vietnam
“But my favorite Kirby role is…”: City Slickers
Sample praise: “I will never forget about that performance, and we will never forget about Bruno Kirby. Farewell my good man. Farewell.”
Reader comment bonus: “Ah man, that’s terrible news. ‘Baby fishmouth!’ always makes me laugh. RIP, Mr. Kirby.” — Scott Weinberg
Joe Leydon, Moving Picture Blog
“Kirby was best known for…”: City Slickers, Good Morning, Vietnam
“But my favorite Kirby role is…”: “I’ll Be Waiting,” from the Showtime series Fallen Angels
Sample praise: “‘When I was casting this role,’ [director Tom] Hanks told me years later, ‘I wanted someone who looked like he was a shoe salesman – but who could break your thumbs if he had to.’ If other directors had been as audacious as Hanks, Kirby might have had a very different career.”
Jeffrey Wells, Hollywood Elsewhere
“Kirby was best known for…”: The Godfather, Part II, City Slickers, Modern Romance
“But my favorite Kirby role is…”: None
Sample praise: “A sad thing… sorry.”
Reader comment bonus: “If I were ever asked for a list of my favorite character actors, Bruno Kirby would never have crossed my mind; but hearing he’s died is like losing a piece of my childhood because he was just one of my favorite people in movies, and I plain took him for granted.” — “Hallick”
Edward Copeland, Edward Copeland on Film
“Kirby was best known for…”: A dozen films, evidently, including The Harrad Experiment, City Slickers and Tin Men
“But my favorite Kirby role is…”: The Freshman
Sample praise: “He wasn’t just about comedy though — he also played the closeted coach in The Basketball Diaries and appeared in Donnie Brasco as well.”
(Copeland and Leydon via GreenCine Daily)
Thanks for posting this tribute…it stands apart from some of the snarky commentary circulating through the Web today.
I sat across from Kirby in a small, unexceptional Chinese restaurant near Columbus Circle several years ago…he seemed to be enjoying his meal and the pleasure of browsing the tabloids. I remember his graciousness when I introduced myself, thanked him for his work and mistakenly identified him as Bruno Ganz.