Tommy Kirk
Born: 1941-12-10 in Louisville, Kentucky, U.S.
Died: 2021-09-28
Known For: Acting
Biography
Thomas Lee Kirk (December 10, 1941 − September 28, 2021) was an American actor, best known for his performances in films made by Walt Disney Studios such as Old Yeller, The Shaggy Dog, Swiss Family Robinson, The Absent-Minded Professor, and The Misadventures of Merlin Jones, as well as the beach party films of the mid-1960s. He frequently appeared as a love interest for Annette Funicello or as part of a family with Kevin Corcoran as his younger brother and Fred MacMurray as his father. Kirk's career with Disney ended when news of his homosexuality threatened to become public. He struggled with drug addiction and depression for several years, appearing in a series of low-budget films before leaving the acting business in the mid-1970s. Kirk opened a carpet cleaning business and lived a mostly ordinary life, occasionally appearing at fan conventions. He died at his home in Las Vegas, Nevada, in September 2021, aged 79.
Filmography
2008
- The Age of Believing: The Disney Live Action Classics as Self
- The Wrecking Crew as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
2006
- The Shaggy Dog Kids as Self
- Fred MacMurray: With Fondness as Self
2002
- 'Old Yeller': Remembering a Classic as Self
- Swiss Family Robinson: Adventure in the Making as Self (archive)
2001
- The Education of a Vampire as Albert Kornfield
2000
- Club Dead as Private Detective
1998
- Billy Frankenstein as Blind Monk
1997
- Little Miss Magic as Mr. Kenner
1995
- Attack of the 60 Foot Centerfold as Passenger
1988
- Streets of Death as Frank Phillips
1976
- Disney's Greatest Dog Stars as Wilby Daniels (uncredited)
1972
- The Streets of San Francisco as Roland Claridge
1971
- Ride the Hot Wind as Captain Gregory Shank
1969
- It's Alive as Wayne Thomas
1968
- Mars Needs Women as Dop - Martian Fellow #1 / Mr. Fast - Seattle Sun Reporter
- Track Of Thunder as Bobby Goodwin
1967
- Catalina Caper as Don Pringle
- It's a Bikini World as Mike / Herbert Samson
- Blood of Ghastly Horror as Lt. Cross
1966
- The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini as Chuck Phillips
- The Unkissed Bride as Ted
1965
- Village of the Giants as Mike
- The Monkey's Uncle as Merlin Jones
- The Wild Weird World of Dr. Goldfoot as Malcolm Andrews
1964
- Pajama Party as Go Go
- The Misadventures of Merlin Jones as Merlin Jones
1963
- Mr. Novak as Tod Seaton
- Savage Sam as Travis Coates
- Son of Flubber as Biff Hawk
1962
- Moon Pilot as Walter Talbot
- Bon Voyage! as Elliott Willard
- Escapade in Florence as Tommy Carpenter
1961
- The Wonderful World of Disney
- The Horsemasters as Danny Grant
- Backstage Party as Self
- Babes in Toyland as Grumio
- The Absent-Minded Professor as Biff Hawk
1960
1959
- The Shaggy Dog as Wilby Daniels
- Disneyland '59 as Self
1957
- Old Yeller as Travis Coates
- Down Liberty Road as Jimmy Rollins
- The Hardy Boys: The Mystery of the Ghost Farm as Joe Hardy
1956
- The Hardy Boys as Joe Hardy
- The Hardy Boys: The Mystery of the Applegate Treasure as Joe Hardy
1955
- Matinee Theater
- Gunsmoke as Jerry Pitcher
- The Millionaire as Tom Morrison
- Frontier
- The Mickey Mouse Club as Self
1954
- The Wonderful World of Disney as Biff Hawk (archive footage)
1953
- Letter to Loretta as Alvin Simms