Hollywood Mourns Loss Of Veteran Character Actor
Posted August 16, 2006 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
But if you’ve ever seen “The Godfather: Part II”, “Good Morning Vietnam” or “Donnie Brasco”, you’ve seen Bruno Kirby. He constantly played the sidekick, the best friend and sometimes the villain in a score of pictures over a three decade career.
The veteran character actor died in Los Angeles Tuesday from complications of leukemia. He’d only recently been diagnosed with the illness.
Kirby began his career on TV shows like Room 222, M*A*S*H*, Fame and scores of other hit programs, but it was in the movies where he really got noticed.
He played Billy Crystal’s best friend in two classic comedies – “When Harry Met Sally” and “City Slickers”. And he was the military man who opposed Robin Williams’ free form D.J. in “Good Morning Vietnam”.
But it was in 1974’s second “Godfather” where critics really took notice. Kirby played a young “Pete Clemenza,” the role originally portrayed by Richard S. Castellano in the first installment.
His passing was sudden and tragic – he was just 57 years old.
“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,” his wife, Lynn Sellers, noted in a statement.
“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.”
Kirby is survived by his wife, father, stepmother and two brothers.
