kids encyclopedia robot

Bruno Kirby facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
Bruno Kirby
Bruno Kirby.jpg
Kirby in When Harry Met Sally... (1989)
Born
Bruno Giovanni Quidaciolu Jr.

(1949-04-28)April 28, 1949
New York City, U.S.
Died August 14, 2006(2006-08-14) (aged 57)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Other names Bruce Kirby Jr.
B. Kirby Jr.
Occupation Actor
Years active 1971–2006
Spouse(s)
Lynn Sellers
(m. 2003)
Parent(s) Bruce Kirby (father)

Bruno Kirby (born Bruno Giovanni Quidaciolu Jr.; April 28, 1949 – August 14, 2006) was an American actor. He was known for his roles in City Slickers, When Harry Met Sally..., Good Morning, Vietnam, The Godfather Part II, and Donnie Brasco. He voiced Reginald Stout in Stuart Little.

Early life

Kirby was born in New York City on April 28, 1949. His father was actor Bruce Kirby (born Bruno Giovanni Quidaciolu). His brother John Kirby is an acting coach.

Kirby attended Power Memorial Academy.

Career

Kirby was a character actor whose career spanned 35 years. In 1971 he made his screen debut in the drama The Young Graduates, although it was his role three years later as the young Peter Clemenza in epic crime film The Godfather Part II that raised his profile in Hollywood. In the summer of 1972, Kirby, in one of his early television appearances, portrayed Anthony Girelli, the son of Richard Castellano's character Joe Girelli, in The Super; Castellano had played the older Pete Clemenza in The Godfather.

His other television appearances included Room 222, and the pilot episode of M*A*S*H, portraying the character Boone (he had no lines). He also appeared in the 1974 Columbo episode "By Dawn's Early Light", alongside his father Bruce Kirby, and in the season 2 episode "Seance" of Emergency!, where he was credited as "B. Kirby Jr."

Described by Leonard Maltin as the "quintessential New Yorker or cranky straight man", Kirby appeared in a series of comedies, typically playing fast-talking, belligerent yet likable characters. His best known roles include a colleague of Albert Brooks' film editor in Modern Romance; a talkative limo driver in This Is Spinal Tap; the jealous, comedically impaired Lieutenant Hauk in Good Morning, Vietnam; and a shifty assistant to Marlon Brando—a parody of his Godfather role—in The Freshman. Kirby balanced comedies with dramatic roles like Donnie Brasco as a double-dealing mobster.

Kirby appeared with Billy Crystal in When Harry Met Sally... (1989) and City Slickers (1991). Both featured Kirby's character as the opinionated best friend to Crystal's character. Kirby refused to sign on for City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly's Gold unless script changes were made, and was subsequently replaced by Jon Lovitz.

In 1991, Kirby made his Broadway debut when he replaced Kevin Spacey in Neil Simon's Lost in Yonkers. In the last decade of his life, he had success in Stuart Little and was increasingly working in television. He starred as Barry Scheck in a 2000 CBS drama American Tragedy, played a paroled convict in a season three episode of Homicide: Life on the Street, and also directed an episode of that show.

He appeared on the HBO TV series Entourage in season 3, episode 4, "Guys and Doll", as movie mogul Phil Rubinstein.

He was invited to be a member of the Actors Studio in 2006, less than six months before his death.

Personal life and death

Kirby, like his character in This is Spinal Tap, was a fan of Frank Sinatra. He enjoyed playing softball in the late 1970s. He was also strongly allergic to horses and needed daily allergy shots on the set of City Slickers (part of the reason he declined to return for City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly's Gold).

Kirby married Lynn Sellers on September 29, 2003. They remained married until his death in 2006.

He shared the same birthday, April 28, with his father, actor Bruce Kirby, who was born in 1925.

Kirby died on August 14, 2006, at age 57, from complications related to leukemia.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1971 The Young Graduates Les Credited as B. Kirby Jr.
1973 The Harrad Experiment Harry Schacht
1973 Superdad Stanley Schlimmer
1973 Cinderella Liberty Alcott
1974 The Godfather Part II Young Peter Clemenza Credited as B. Kirby Jr.
1976 Baby Blue Marine Pop Mosley
1977 Between the Lines David Entwhistle
1978 Almost Summer Bobby DeVito
1980 Where the Buffalo Roam Marty Lewis
1980 Borderline Jimmy Fante
1981 Modern Romance Jay
1982 Kiss My Grits Flash
1984 This Is Spinal Tap Tommy Pischedda
1984 Birdy Phil Renaldi
1985 Flesh and Blood Orbec
1987 Tin Men Mouse
1987 Good Morning, Vietnam Lt. Steven Hauk
1989 Bert Rigby, You're a Fool Kyle DeForest
1989 When Harry Met Sally... Jess Fisher
1989 We're No Angels Deputy
1990 The Freshman Victor Ray
1991 City Slickers Ed Furillo
1992 Hoffa Nightclub Comic Uncredited
1993 Golden Gate Agent Ron Pirelli
1995 The Basketball Diaries Swifty
1996 Sleepers Mr. Carcaterra
1997 Donnie Brasco Nicky Santora
1999 A Slipping-Down Life Kiddie Acres Manager
1999 Spy Games Max Fisher Alternate title: History Is Made at Night
1999 Stuart Little Reginald "Reggie" Stout (voice)
2001 One Eyed King Mickey
2006 Played Detective Allen Final film appearance

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1969–1973 Room 222 Herbie Constadine 5 episodes
Credited as B. Kirby Jr.
1972 The Super Anthony Girelli 10 episodes
1972 M*A*S*H Pvt. Lorenzo Boone Episode: "Pilot"
1973 Emergency! Ken Episode: "Seance"
1974 Columbo Cadet Morgan Episode: "By Dawn's Early Light"
1975 Kojak Keith Wicks Episode: "Acts of Desperate Men"
1976 Delvecchio Episode: "Board of Rights"; uncredited
1979 Detective School Marvin Episode: "The Bank Job"
1981 ABC Afterschool Special Official Episode: "Run, Don't Walk"
1982 Million Dollar Infield Lou Buonomato Television movie
1982 Fame Marty Shwartz Episode: "Homecoming"
1983 Hill Street Blues Louis Episode: "The Russians Are Coming"
1984 Buchanan High Mr. Prescott 2 episodes
1989–1990 It's Garry Shandling's Show Brad Brillnick 8 episodes
1991 Tales from the Crypt Billy Paloma Episode: "The Trap"
1992 Mastergate Abel Lamb Television movie
1993 Fallen Angels Tony Reseck Episode: "I'll Be Waiting"
1993 Frasier Marco (voice) Episode: "Call Me Irresponsible"
1993–1998 The Larry Sanders Show Himself 5 episodes
1994 Late Show with David Letterman Cop on the Edge 1 episode
1995 Homicide: Life on the Street Victor Helms Episode: "The Gas Man"
1996 Mad About You Virgil Episode: "The Gym"
1999 Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child The Great One (voice) Episode: "Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves"
2000 American Tragedy Barry Scheck Television movie
2001 Biography Narrator Episode: "Bobby Darin: I Want to Be a Legend"
2004 Helter Skelter Vincent Bugliosi Television movie
2004 The Jury Carmen Pintozzi Episode: "Too Jung to Die"
2006 Entourage Phil Rubenstein Episode: "Guys and Doll"
Final television appearance

Awards and nominations

Year Result Award Category Film or series
1992 Nominated American Comedy Awards Funniest Supporting Actor City Slickers

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Bruno Kirby para niños

kids search engine
Bruno Kirby Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.