John Kirby, an actor and acting coach, passed away on July 15 at age 75, according to an announcement made by Nathan Nesbitt, his studio manager and assistant of 22 years. Kirby had been diagnosed with ALS three years prior, following a fall and broken hip that led to the diagnosis.
Kirby came from a family with deep entertainment industry roots. His father was Bruce Kirby, known for his role in “Columbo,” and his brother was Bruno Kirby, who appeared in “The Godfather” and “When Harry Met Sally.” Throughout his career, Kirby established himself as one of Hollywood’s most sought-after acting coaches, working with a wide range of performers across film and television.
His coaching credits included numerous prominent actors such as Jeff Bridges, Jim Caviezel, Cameron Diaz, Chrissy Metz, Morris Chestnut, Judith Light, Renée Taylor, Jordin Sparks, Hillary Duff, Jeremy Sumpter, Lewis Tan, Jessica Marie Garcia, Alyson Stoner, and Kara Killmer from “Chicago Fire.” Kirby also provided on-location coaching for major film and television productions, contributing to features from Disney, Universal Pictures, and other studios including “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,” “Stick It,” “Underdog,” “Prom,” “Peter Pan,” and “Scream 4.”
Nesbitt described Kirby’s extensive influence throughout the industry, noting that his impact extended well beyond individual performances. A public celebration of life is scheduled for August 15 at 1 p.m. at the Hall of Liberty at Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills.