IBM worker turned sometimes actor Rene Kirby, 70, died on July 11, of multiple causes: Kirby was born with spina bifida, and had been battling throat cancer, and kidney, bladder, and esophageal problems. Despite his physical challenges, he was a state champion swimmer and skier, and worked for 20 years at IBM. Kirby’s movie fame came when the Farrelly brothers cast him in a small supporting role in their controversial comedy Shallow Hal (2001). “Rene’s a guy we met in real life, on our travels, in Burlington,” said Peter Farrelly. “He’s not the kind of guy you see in a movie. You see him in Burlington, but you don’t see him in the movies. There’s a disconnect there.” Kirby only made two other appearances, in the Farrelly brothers’ Stuck on You, and in the TV series Carnivàle. He later became a motivational speaker.
