Kirk Morris
One of the many massive men of peplum who dominated popular Italian sword-and-sandal epics of the early 1960s, Italian Kirk Morris (né Adriano Bellini) was born in Venice on August 26, 1942. A gondolier and winner of the 1961 "Mr. Italia" bodybuilding contest at the time he was discovered by an Italian movie producer, Kirk was immediately plucked from the canals and greased-up runway for a go at campy muscleman stardom. Director Tanio Boccia chose Kirk for the title role in Il trionfo di Maciste (1961) (The Triumph of Maciste) and the slightly boyish-looking, pearly-toothed neophyte making a fine impression on camera. Deemed thereafter a perfect speciMAN to showcase their low-budget spectacles, Kirk proved a fitting beefcake hero to help offset the silly special effects and poorly dubbed dialogue. If one was to try and distinguish Kirk from the other absurdly-muscled actor/bodybuilders around at the time (Steve Reeves, Gordon Scott, Dan Vadis, Ed Fury, Gordon Mitchell, Reg Park, Alan Steel, Brad Harris, Mark Forest, Richard Harrison, Sergio Ciani, et al.), he frequently dyed his pompadour-styled hair from dark to blond and possessed a somewhat sulky resemblance to Elvis Presley. Other than that, his stoic posturings as Hercules, Samson and Maciste were no better or worse than the other bronzed and brawny "biceptuals. Kirk portrayed Maciste, one of the sons of Hercules, in several other movies -- Maciste contro Ercole nella valle dei guai (1961), Maciste all'inferno (1962) (aka Maciste in Hell), Maciste contro i cacciatori di teste (1963), Maciste alla corte dello zar (1964) and La valle dell'eco tonante (1964). The mythological plots, usually set in ancient Egypt, Greece or Rome, were notoriously formulaic -- saving damsels in distress, freeing slaves, restoring thrones to their rightful rulers, battling evil queens and kings, and defeating life-threatening serpents, beasts, witches and demons. While his hero's name often changed, Kirk's mission was almost always the same -- flex and save. He portrayed Samson in Le chevalier de Pardaillan (1962); Sansone in Sansone contro i pirati (1963) (Samson Against the Pirates); Hercules himself in Ercole sfida Sansone (1963); Sandar Khan in I predoni della steppa (1964); Anthar, son of Hercules in Anthar l'invincibile (1964); Nadir in Il dominatore del deserto (1964); Ercole in Maciste il vendicatore dei Maya (1965) (Maciste, Avenger of the Mayans); and Kadir in La magnifica sfida (1965); By 1966, Italian spectacles fell out of favor and lost its core audience. While Kirk would continue to find filming throughout the rest of the decade, most were in featured roles. He played a scientist who gets romantically involved with a voluptuous female alien in the silly-plotted sci-fi adventure 2+5: Missione Hydra (1966), and then played ill-fated bad guy and gunslinger named Ringo in the Terence Hill "spaghetti western" Little Rita nel West (1967). Kirk went back to playing one last top-billed hero as Jeff Smart, who seeks revenge against a Mexican gang in the "spaghetti western" Sapevano solo uccidere (1968) (I'll Die for Vengeance). The film also featured his bodybuilding comrades Alan Steele and Gordon Mitchell. Kirk ended his movie career with the Italian/German action drama Sette baschi rossi (1969) and as a Scottish soldier in the Italian combat story I 7 di Marsa Matruh (1970). Kirk eventually migrated to the United States and went into the advertising field. Years later, however, he returned to Italy and the movies -- but this time as a producer.
Kirk Murray
Kirk Murray is known for Parallax, Six Gun Savior (2016) and Styx & Stones.
Kirk Nelson
Kirk Nelson is known for Humanoid (2003), He's Watching (2022) and Command 5 (1985).
Kirk Noden
Kirk Noden is known for Dispatches from Cleveland (2017).
Kirk Page
Kirk Page is an actor, known for Mystery Road (2018), Redfern Now (2012) and The Turning (2013).
Kirk Palayan
Kirk Palayan has written and produced several dramatic films. He wrote and produced a short film, LABYRINTH (2000), which was lauded for being "a powerful parable on drug abuse" at the Palm Springs International Short Film Festival. He also helped to write BARSTOW (2003) which was chosen to play at the Toronto International Teen Movie Festival. The "Best Thriller" and "Most Promising Director" awards were given to his short film DISSOCIATIVE (2008) which he wrote and produced. His first feature film, which he also helped to produce, BHOPALI (2011), was recognized by the Slamdance Film Festival as the Best Overall Documentary and Audience Favorite Documentary. In 2015, he went on to produce PIÑATA MAN, and in 2021 he produced, SKID ROW, LOS ANGELES, which was recognized by Dances with Films 2021 as the Audience Favorite Documentary Short . He was the Unit Production Manager for the short, SLAYED BY DIVYA, and was the UPM and Executive Producer of his first Feature Film, PRINCESS OF THE ROW. Currently, he is developing a Reality TV Show and is completing his first horror feature script. As the instructor for the Digital Imaging, 3D Animation classes for the Gifted Technology Arts Magnet Program at King Middle School in the LAUSD , he has won numerous awards for his animation curriculum and his students have been recognized for their 3D Animation work for over 10 years by the Los Angeles County Office of Education. He also established the Animation & Film Festival, which is now in its 19th year and highlights some of the best work from student filmmakers and animators in the Los Angeles Unified School District.
Kirk Penberthy
Kirk Penberthy is known for The Happening (2008), The Contender (2000) and Homicide: Life on the Street (1993).
Kirk Ponton
Kirk Ponton is an actor and producer, known for The Reunion (2011), Cries of the Unborn (2017) and The Velvet Elvis (2012).
Kirk R. Smith
Kirk R. Smith is known for Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret (2014).
Kirk R. Thatcher
Kirk R. Thatcher is an Emmy award winning writer/producer, an award winning television, commercial and viral video director, as well as a creature maker and designer for both films and television. Kirk grew up in Los Angeles, and was making films by the age of 10, all involving creatures, space ships or broad comedy. Self taught in the field of Creature Effects he began at age nineteen working at Industrial Light and Magic, designing, creating and puppeteering creatures for blockbuster films such as, Return of the Jedi, Star Trek II, Star Trek III, E.T., Poltergeist, and Gremlins. He was also an associate producer on Star Trek IV, in which he had a memorable cameo as the Punk on the Bus, rocking out to the Punk anthem he both wrote and sang, called, "I HateYou!" Kirk has co-written several Muppet films including Muppet Treasure Island, and directed four television movies: The Muppets Wizard of Oz which premiered at Robert DeNiro's Tribeca Film Festival, "It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie, The Muppets Letters to Santa as well as the Lifetime Network Thanksgiving movie, "Jim Henson's Turkey Hollow" starring Mary Steenburgen. He was Supervising Producer on the Emmy Award winning ABC series, Muppets Tonight, and co-producer on the ABC series Dinosaurs, on which he designed most of the characters, working closely with one of his mentors, the Muppet's creator Jim Henson. As well as his long form work, Kirk has directed over thirty Muppet commercials and web shorts including, Muppet's Bohemian Rhapsody, which has been viewed over 72 Million times, and all of Neil Patrick Harris' web comedy series, "Neil's Puppet Dreams". More recently, Kirk was one of the three regular judges on the Syfy channel series, "Jim Henson's Creature Shop Challenge". In 2018 he created and Executive Produced a series for Netflix entitled, "The Curious Creations of Christine McConnell" with Christine McConnell and the Jim Henson company. Incredibly well received, the series has a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes! He also co-wrote and co-directed the hit Muppet Live Shows that played at the Hollywood bowl and in London's O2 stadium.