John Kirby (lawyer) facts for kids

John Joseph Kirby Jr. (October 22, 1939 – October 2, 2019) was an American lawyer. He became famous for helping Nintendo win an important court case. This case was about the popular video game character, Donkey Kong. Because of his great work, Nintendo decided to name one of their future characters, Kirby, after him.

Who Was John Kirby?

John Joseph Kirby Jr. was born in Falls Church, Virginia, in 1939. He grew up to become a very skilled lawyer. He worked on many different types of legal cases throughout his career. However, he is best remembered for one specific case that involved a giant ape and a video game company.

The Donkey Kong Lawsuit

In the early 1980s, video games were becoming very popular. Nintendo, a Japanese company, released an arcade game called Donkey Kong in 1981. This game quickly became a huge hit around the world. It featured a hero named Jumpman (who later became Mario) trying to rescue a lady from a giant ape, Donkey Kong.

Why Was Donkey Kong Important?

The success of Donkey Kong caught the attention of Universal City Studios. Universal believed that Donkey Kong was too similar to their famous movie character, King Kong. They thought Nintendo had copied their idea. Universal decided to sue Nintendo for copyright infringement. This meant they claimed Nintendo had used their creative work without permission.

How John Kirby Helped Nintendo

Nintendo hired John Kirby to defend them in court. The case was very important for Nintendo. If they lost, they might have had to pay a lot of money. They could have even been stopped from selling Donkey Kong. John Kirby worked hard to show that Donkey Kong was not a copy of King Kong. He argued that the ideas were different enough. In 1984, the court agreed with Nintendo. John Kirby won the case, which was a huge victory for Nintendo. The court even ordered Universal to pay Nintendo for damages.

The Character Kirby: A Special Honor

Nintendo was very grateful to John Kirby for his excellent legal work. To show their appreciation, they decided to honor him in a unique way. When they created a new video game character in 1992, they named it Kirby. This cute, pink, puffball character became very famous. It is a lasting tribute to the lawyer who saved Donkey Kong.

Later Life and Legacy

John Kirby continued his legal career after the Nintendo case. He was known for being a smart and dedicated lawyer. He passed away on October 2, 2019, in New York City, at the age of 79, due to health problems. His legacy lives on, not only in the legal world but also in the hearts of video game fans around the globe, thanks to the character named after him.