Bruno Kirby

Bruno Kirby, born Bruno Giovanni Quidaciolu Jr. on April 28, 1949, in New York, New York, was an American actor whose career in film, television, and theater spanned 35 years. He died on August 14, 2006, at age 57, from complications related to leukemia.

Kirby made his screen debut in 1971 in the drama The Young Graduates. Three years later, he took on the role of the young Peter Clemenza in The Godfather Part II, a performance that significantly raised his profile in Hollywood. Earlier television work included a 1972 appearance in The Super, where he played Anthony Girelli, the son of Richard Castellano's character — notably, Castellano had portrayed the older Peter Clemenza in The Godfather. Kirby also appeared in The Harrad Experiment in 1973, in the pilot episode of M*A*S*H as the character Boone, and in episodes of Room 222 and Emergency!. A 1974 episode of Columbo, "By Dawn's Early Light," featured him alongside his father, actor Bruce Kirby.

Over the course of his career, Kirby became known for playing fast-talking, belligerent yet likable characters across a range of comedies. His role as a talkative limo driver in This Is Spinal Tap, the comedically impaired Lieutenant Hauk in Good Morning, Vietnam, and a shifty assistant to Marlon Brando in The Freshman were among his most recognized comedic performances. He also took on dramatic work, including a role as a double-dealing mobster in Donnie Brasco. Kirby appeared alongside Billy Crystal in both When Harry Met Sally... (1989) and City Slickers (1991), playing the opinionated best friend to Crystal's character in each film. He declined to return for City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly's Gold unless script changes were made — a decision compounded by a severe horse allergy that had required daily allergy shots on the set of the first film — and was replaced by Jon Lovitz. Additional film credits include Modern Romance, The Freshman, and Sleepers. He voiced the character Reginald Stout in Stuart Little.

In 1991, Kirby made his Broadway debut by replacing Kevin Spacey in Neil Simon's Lost in Yonkers. On television, he starred as Barry Scheck in the 2000 CBS drama American Tragedy, appeared in a season three episode of Homicide: Life on the Street as a paroled convict, and also directed an episode of that series. He guest-starred on Mad About You in 1996 and appeared in season three of the HBO series Entourage as movie mogul Phil Rubinstein. In 2006, less than six months before his death, he was invited to become a member of the Actors Studio.

Kirby attended Power Memorial Academy and shared his birthday, April 28, with his father, Bruce Kirby, who was born in 1925. He had one brother, John Kirby, an acting coach. During the 1970s, Kirby was in a relationship with actress Annette O'Toole. He married actress Lynn Sellers on September 29, 2003, and they remained married until his death.