Character actor Bruno Kirby was born in Hell’s Kitchen, New York City. His father Bruce was an actor and his brother John was an acting coach. Kirby’s first film was the obscure The Young Graduates (1971) and he also appeared on several television shows until his profile in Hollywood was given a boost with a role in The Godfather Part II (1974).
Kirby became best known for his scene stealing parts in This Is Spinal Tap (1984), Good Morning, Vietnam (1987), and The Freshman (1990). He excelled at playing working class characters with a distinctive voice that was pure New York. However, Kirby was able to show a dramatic side as evident in solid performance in Donnie Brasco (1997).
The films he best and most fondly remembered for are the two he did with Billy Crystal – When Harry Met Sally… (1989) and City Slickers (1991), playing the comedian’s best friend. He also developed a long-running working relationship with director Barry Levinson, appearing in two of his films and a memorable guest spot on his TV show Homicide: Life on the Streets.
Kirby died on August 14, 2006 at age 57 in Los Angeles from complications related to leukemia.
