Acting Coach John Kirby Dies at 75 After ALS Diagnosis

Acting coach John Kirby died on the morning of Wednesday, July 15, 2026, at age 75, three years after receiving an ALS diagnosis. Longtime associate Nathan Besbitt announced the death in a social media post on Kirby’s Instagram account. Besbitt said the family was “trying to just find a way to cope” following the loss.

Kirby began experiencing symptoms in 2022. A fall and fractured hip in June 2023 prompted medical tests that led to the ALS diagnosis on July 7, 2023.

Kirby worked as an acting coach for actor Jim Caviezel on the 2000 film Frequency. He continued in that role on Caviezel’s subsequent films through 2006. He also contributed to other productions including Peter Pan (2003), The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005), and The Age of Adaline (2015).

A memorial service is scheduled for Saturday, August 15 at 1 p.m. at Forest Lawn in Hollywood Hills. A GoFundMe page has been established for donations.