catesta Posted August 16, 2006 Report Share Posted August 16, 2006 One of my all time favorite actors has passed away at the young age of 57. LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Veteran character actor Bruno Kirby, best known for his supporting roles in such films as "Good Morning Vietnam," "City Slickers" and "The Godfather: Part II," has died at age 57, relatives said on Wednesday. Kirby, immediately recognizable for his rounded features and a high-timbered, slightly husky voice, died at a Los Angeles hospital on Monday after a brief battle with leukemia, according to a spokesman for his family. The son of actor Bruce Kirby, he was born Bruno Giovanni Quidaciolu in New York City, and his Italian roots figures in many of his roles. Launching his acting career in the 1971 film "The Young Graduates," Kirby was often cast in awkward, geeky roles as a younger performer. But he went on to play more earthy, street-wise supporting parts, often as a sidekick to the star, as in two Billy Crystal comedies "When Harry Met Sally" and "City Slickers." Other memorable roles include the nephew of a mob boss, the young Clemenza, in "The Godfather: Part II," a gangster named Nicky in "Donnie Brasco" and the no-nonsense Lt. Hauk opposite Robin Williams in "Good Morning, Vietnam." Kirby also had a prolific career in television, from a role in the pilot episode for the "M*A*S*H" series to appearances on such shows as "Columbo," "Kojak," "Hill Street Blues," "Frasier" and "The Larry Sanders Show." Addio, Bruno. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmitry Posted August 16, 2006 Report Share Posted August 16, 2006 That is a shame. I always thought he was a bigger actor than the parts he played. Guess we'll never know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Gould Posted August 16, 2006 Report Share Posted August 16, 2006 Very surprising and sad. I have to admit that I sometimes found his voice annoying, but he was also very good in many roles, particularly "Good Morning Vietnam". RIP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe G Posted August 16, 2006 Report Share Posted August 16, 2006 A very enjoyable actor. I remember him years ago doing a bit on Letterman called "A Cop on the Edge". Had me in stitches when he pointed to Dave and barked, "Hey you! Pretty boy!" His part in Godfather II was excellent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Gould Posted August 16, 2006 Report Share Posted August 16, 2006 Very surprising and sad. I have to admit I found his voice tiresome at times, but he was good in the Billy Crystal movies and especially good in "Good Morning Vietnam". RIP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BERIGAN Posted August 16, 2006 Report Share Posted August 16, 2006 Very sad indeed. He was very good in City Slickers. You do get the feeling he wasn't offered as many good of roles as he should have been. Rest in Peace. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Kart Posted August 16, 2006 Report Share Posted August 16, 2006 He was excellent opposite Marlon Brando and Matthew Broderick in Andrew Bergmann's "The Freshman." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexander Posted August 16, 2006 Report Share Posted August 16, 2006 I loved him in "Good Morning Vietnam," "The Freshman," "The Godfather II" (as the young Clemenza), and ESPECIALLY in "When Harry Met Sally." "Nobody's ever quoted me to me before..." RIP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RDK Posted August 16, 2006 Report Share Posted August 16, 2006 Sad. He was a very appealing actor. Can't think about "When Harry Met Sally" without recalling "Baby Fishmouth," which always cracks me up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catesta Posted August 16, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 16, 2006 (edited) He was excellent opposite Marlon Brando and Matthew Broderick in Andrew Bergmann's "The Freshman." He made the movie extremely entertaining. "What? You know how big this is? Bacio di tutti baci... the kiss of all kisses" -- Victor Ray Edited August 16, 2006 by catesta Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmitry Posted August 16, 2006 Report Share Posted August 16, 2006 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randy Twizzle Posted August 16, 2006 Report Share Posted August 16, 2006 As the Limo Driver in the immortal "This is Spinal Tap" Limo driver: Excuse me...are you reading "Yes I Can"? Limo groupie: Yeah, have you read it? Limo driver: Yeah, by Sammy Davis Jr.? Limo groupie: Yeah. Limo driver : You know what the title of that book should be? "Yes I Can if Frank Sinatra Says it's Okay". Cause Frank calls the shots for all of those guys . Did you get to the part yet where uh...Sammy is coming out of the Copa... it's about 3:00 in the morning and uh...he sees Frank? Frank's walking down Broadway by himself.... (Limo window raised by Nigel) Limo driver: Fuckin' limeys. Marty: Well you know, ah...they're not uh,...used to that world. Limo driver: Yeah yeah. Marty: You know Frank Sinatra it's a different world that they're in. Limo driver: You know, it's just that people like this...you know... they get all they want so they don't really understand, you know...about a life like Frank's, I mean, you know when you've loved and lost the way Frank has, then you uh ...you know what life's about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7/4 Posted August 16, 2006 Report Share Posted August 16, 2006 57? too damm young... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stereojack Posted August 17, 2006 Report Share Posted August 17, 2006 Back in 1977 a friend of mine who owned a small used record store in Cambridge, MA, was approached by an independent film company who were making a fictional film about a small weekly alternative newspaper in Boston. They liked the quaint look of his store and wanted to know if he would be willing to allow them to film in his store - it was a scene in which the music writer for the paper sells promo LP's to the store. To make a long story short, I and several other friends had the opportunity to be paid extras in the film, although our footage ended up on the cutting room floor. I did stick around to watch the filming of the scene in the store, which involved the owner (my friend, playing himself) and two young actors. One of the actors struck me as somewhat of a horse's ass - full of himself and very "actor-y"; the other was quiet and earnest, and very good in the scene, which typically, was shot several times from several angles. The experience taught me something about how films are made, and interestingly, both of the actors went on to successful careers. They were Jeff Goldblum and Bruno Kirby. The film, btw, was "Between the Lines", which occasionally shows up on TV. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catesta Posted August 17, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 17, 2006 I take it Goldblum was the horse's ass? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chalupa Posted August 17, 2006 Report Share Posted August 17, 2006 (edited) As the Limo Driver in the immortal "This is Spinal Tap" Limo driver: Excuse me...are you reading "Yes I Can"? Limo groupie: Yeah, have you read it? Limo driver: Yeah, by Sammy Davis Jr.? Limo groupie: Yeah. Limo driver : You know what the title of that book should be? "Yes I Can if Frank Sinatra Says it's Okay". Cause Frank calls the shots for all of those guys . Did you get to the part yet where uh...Sammy is coming out of the Copa... it's about 3:00 in the morning and uh...he sees Frank? Frank's walking down Broadway by himself.... (Limo window raised by Nigel) Limo driver: Fuckin' limeys. Marty: Well you know, ah...they're not uh,...used to that world. Limo driver: Yeah yeah. Marty: You know Frank Sinatra it's a different world that they're in. Limo driver: You know, it's just that people like this...you know... they get all they want so they don't really understand, you know...about a life like Frank's, I mean, you know when you've loved and lost the way Frank has, then you uh ...you know what life's about. Yes! I was looking for that early today and got distracted. Thanks for posting it. Edited August 17, 2006 by Chalupa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stereojack Posted August 17, 2006 Report Share Posted August 17, 2006 I take it Goldblum was the horse's ass? Yes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Gould Posted August 17, 2006 Report Share Posted August 17, 2006 I don't wish to derail this, but wasn't Goldblume's earliest role as one of the hoods who rapes/kills Chuck Bronson's wife and daughter in the first Death Wish? Wasn't that a few years before '77? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stereojack Posted August 17, 2006 Report Share Posted August 17, 2006 I don't wish to derail this, but wasn't Goldblume's earliest role as one of the hoods who rapes/kills Chuck Bronson's wife and daughter in the first Death Wish? Wasn't that a few years before '77? According to IMDB, he'd had eleven TV and movie roles before "Between the Lines", but at the time, I had never heard of him. Nor had I heard of Kirby, who'd had 15 roles, including "Godfather II", which I had seen. I think it takes a number of appearances before we begin to recognize actors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kalo Posted August 17, 2006 Report Share Posted August 17, 2006 Very sorry to hear about Bruno Kirby's death. Just by chance I watched one of my favorite movies the other night, Albert Brooks's Modern Romance, which has a good part for Kirby as Brooks's assistant film editor. His limo driver bit in Spinal Tap is one of the funniest things in the film. And there's more of him in the outtakes included on the DVD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BruceH Posted August 18, 2006 Report Share Posted August 18, 2006 Shocking and sad that he passed away so young. I forgot that he was in Modern Romance! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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