Character actor Bruno Kirby, best known for his role of Billy Crystal's friend Jess in
When Harry Met Sally, succumbed to leukemia in Los Angeles on Monday at age 57.
“We are incredibly grateful for the outpouring of support we have received from Bruno's fans and colleagues who have admired and respected his work over the past 30 years. Bruno's spirit will continue to live on not only in his rich body of film and television work but also through the lives of individuals he has touched throughout his life,” said Lynn Sellers, Kirby's wife. She added that her husband was diagnosed with the disease just recently.
Born in New York City in 1949, Kirby began his career with the 1971 film
Young Graduates. He also made appearances on TV in
Room 222,
The Super and
M*A*S*H, before being snapped up to play a younger Pete Clemenza in
Godfather II.
Kirby was also appreciated for his comedic performances in
The Freshman,
This is Spinal Tap,
Good Morning Vietnam and another Billy Crystal-starrer
City Slickers. Among his notable serious roles were those in Al Pacino's
Donnie Brasco and Brad Pitt-starrer
Sleepers.
The self-confessed Frank Sinatra fanatic's career graph boasts of above 60 appearances in films and TV shows. Kirby's most recent work was in
Entourage on HBO in which he played Phil Rubenstein, a producer who is grief-stricken when he loses his Shrek doll to theft.
Kirby's father Bruce Kirby is also a noted character actor as is his brother John, a Hollywood acting coach who was involved with
The Tales of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, the screen adaptation of theologian C S Lewis' book.
