"In my heart I know I'm funny."

That's the line that will always come to mind when I hear the name Bruno Kirby. I loved him in Good Morning Vietnam, although I'm sure others will think of him in connection with This is Spinal Tap or When Harry Met Sally or The Godfather, Part 2.

Kirby died today. He was 57. Here's the story.

57... that's sad. That is how old my Dad is. It makes me want to call him and tell him that I love him more often than I do.

My dad's actually a few years older. Yeah, it's sobering.

My own reminscences.

Incidentally, Jeff, you didn't mention City Slickers, which I think is interesting. That might have been the only major Hollywood movie in which he had an above-the-line starring credit. At least, his name's right up there with Billy Crystal's and Jack Palance's, on the DVD case.

Which is not to say that I have any particular memories of that film, because I don't (except for Lisa Simpson -- or whatever that actress's real name is -- telling Daniel Stern, "It turned BLUE!!" -- a line that came vividly to mind when my wife took a home-pregnancy test last year and I needed to know which colour meant what).

The guy had a fantastic run as a character actor. Several well-known movies to his credit.

So why, whenever I hear his name, do I first think of The Freshman? I guess I just really enjoyed that movie, for reasons that I can't fully explain. Sure, it has Marlon Brando, and it spoofs one of Brando's greatest performances, but it's the film professor in that movie who cracks me up. Just a couple of scenes. But I saw it when I was studying film at Virginia Tech, and although my film prof was nothing like the stereotypical prof in The Freshman, those moments have always stayed with me.

"You made a woman meow?"

Eric Burns at Websnark has a really good article about Bruno Kirby's passing.