Joe Kirk
Biography
Joe Kirk was a performer on radio, in films, and on television, born Ignazio Curcuruto in New York City in 1903. He started in vaudeville in the 1930s, where he worked as a comedian and an emcee. During the 1940s he was a supporting regular on Abbott and Costello's radio program, heard in assorted bit parts. On screen he was best known as Mr. Bacciagalupe, the mustachioed Sicilian-American he played on The Colgate Comedy Hour and The Abbott and Costello Show, appearing in 19 of that show's 52 episodes through 1954. His film roles were mostly small, often Sicilian-American gangsters, bartenders, bookies, and henchmen in low-budget pictures. Among them were Spooks Run Wild (1941), Buck Privates Come Home (1947), Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948), Abbott and Costello Go to Mars (1953), and Beyond a Reasonable Doubt (1956). He retired from show business in 1958 and died in 1975.
71years old at death
- Born New York City
- Died Los Angeles
- Star sign: LibraThe sign runs September 23 to October 22
Movie Career
- Films
- 9
- Career span
- 15 years1941 to 1956
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First role
Joe Kirk began his professional career in vaudeville during the 1930s, where he worked as a comedian and a master of ceremonies.
Getting ready for a role
As Mr. Bacciagalupe, Kirk used a heavy Sicilian-American accent, and he said the surname the Sicilian way, not in proper Italian. When excited, he often made improvized asides in Italian, and Lou Costello sometimes laughed along.
About the name
Joe Kirk was sometimes billed as Joseph I. Kirk, and the middle initial stood for Ignazio, which was his birth name.
Joe Kirk movies on Netflix
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
- Bud Abbott and Lou Costello meet Frankenstein1948 Comedy, Family, Fantasyas Man at Costume Party in Fez
IMDb rating 7.321K votes
Most often with
Charles Barton directed two of these films, Charles Lamont two and Jean Yarbrough two. Two actors appear in seven of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Lou Costello's page
Bud Abbott's page
Bela Lugosi's page
Don Porter's page
Howard Negley's page
Paul Newlan's page
All films by Charles Barton
Charles LamontDirector, 2 films, 1952 to 1953
All films by Charles Lamont
Jean YarbroughDirector, 2 films, 1945 to 1952
All films by Jean Yarbrough
Also two films together1 more actor
- George BartonBud Abbott and Lou Costello meet Frankenstein (1948) and Buck Privates Come Home (1947)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.