The driving force behind legendary movies like Scream and Peter Pan, John Kirby, has passed away at 75 after a tragic ALS battle. He passed away on the morning of Wednesday, July 15.
You might not know his name, but you will definitely have felt his presence in a number of hit movies. That's because Kirby was an acting coach, lending his talents to several stars and ensuring they were in their best form.
Kirby's longtime associate Nathan Besbitt confirmed his tragic passing in a post on social media. "Hello friends of John Kirby... I am here to officially, with a broken heart, announce the passing of our beloved John. It has been devastating for us, and we're just trying to find a way to cope," he said, through tears.
He went on to thank friends and family and fans alike for their heartfelt messages. "It means so much to all of us that love him and have been in his life for so long."
Besbitt also announced the location of Kirby's funeral, in an idyllic and scenic plot in the Hollywood Hills.
He finished his statement with a thank you for the support during "this whole ALS journey." The Scream acting coach had been diagnosed with the condition three years ago, with his condition rapidly deteriorating.
Besbitt said, "Let's change our profile pics to a picture of John for the next couple of days just to honor him if you can."
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Kirby Was the Driving Force Behind Movies Like 'Scream' and 'Peter Pan'
John Kirby was well known in acting circles for being a great acting coach. He worked with Jim Caviezel in a number of his works, including 2002's The Count Of Monte Cristo and 2004's Bobby Jones: Stroke Of Genius.
He also helped out on a number of other hit movies, including 2003's Peter Pan, 2005's The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, and 2011's Scream 4.
A GoFundMe fundraiser has also been set up for the legendary acting coach. So far, over $18,500 has been raised for him following his passing. A message in the comments reads, "John, you were an incredible soul. You will be missed by so many. May you RIP!
