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Joe Kirk

Joe Kirk

Actor · Died April 16, 1975, aged 71 · New York City, New York, USA

Ignazio "Nat" Curcuruto (October 1, 1903 – April 16, 1975), better known by his stage name Joe Kirk, was an American radio, film, and television actor who was best known for playing the role of Mr. Bacciagalupe on The Abbott and Costello Show. He was married to Lou Costello's sister Marie in real life.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
October 1, 1903
Died
April 16, 1975 (aged 71)
From
New York City, New York, USA
Works as
Actor
Titles
20 on MovieCove · 36 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 12% in 30 days

What are Joe Kirk's films like?

Across their 6 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Society.

Genres

Action2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 10th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Comedy2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 59th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
32%
Society
26%
Morality
20%
Power
15%
Self
6%
Justice2 titles, browse their movies with this themeTradition vs change2 titles, browse their movies with this themeLoyalty2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 5 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Light: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their light movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 5 · Serious 0 · Dark 0

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 2 · Stylized 3 · Heightened 0

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 1 · Charged 4 · Intense 0

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

A split, not a type: Steady 2 · Shifting 3 · Whiplash 0

Funny: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their funny movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 1 · Some laughs 1 · Funny 3

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 1 · Even-paced 4 · Relentless 0

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 4 · Engaged 1 · Full focus 0

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 4 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Joyful
4
Warm
4
Tense
2
Absurd
2
Thrilling
2
Other
2

How their films linger

Feel-good6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 1 with a twist

  • Happy4
  • Bittersweet1
  • Cyclical1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Joe Kirk's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 11 of their 20 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (9).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Joe Kirk's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

36 credits, 20 with a MovieCove page; 1 appearance as themselves is hidden until asked for.

  • The Abbott and Costello Show: Who's On First? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    as Mr. Baccigaloupe (archive footage)

  • U.S. Marshall (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1958)

    Show 1 episode · as Ed Mathis

  • How to Marry a Millionaire (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Official Detective (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1957)

    Show 2 episodes · Actor

  • Beyond a Reasonable Doubt(1956)

    as Clothing Store Clerk

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • Fort Algiers(1953)

    as Luigi

    Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films

  • Abbott and Costello Go to Mars(1953)

    as Dr. Orvilla

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • Abbott and Costello Meet Captain Kidd(1952)

    as Flirtatious Pirate (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • The Abbott and Costello Show(1952)

    Show 15 episodes · as Double Crossing Dan · as Drugstore Customer · as Indian · as Mr. Bacciagalupe

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all shows

  • Adventures of Superman(1952)

    Show 1 episode · as Gangster with Binoculars (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all shows

  • Lost in Alaska(1952)

    as Henchman

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films

  • The Jackie Robinson Story(1950)

    as Tony (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • Red Light(1949)

    as Reporter in Newsreel (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • Impact(1949)

    as Hotel Clerk

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • My Dear Secretary(1948)

    as Process Server with Divorce Papers (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein(1948)

    as Man at Costume Party in Fez

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • The Noose Hangs High(1948)

    as Gangster (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • Oysters and Muscles (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1948)

    as Dan Miller

  • Buck Privates Come Home(1947)

    as Real Estate Salesman

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films

  • Little Giant (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1946)

    as Salesman

  • River Gang (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1945)

    as Gangster

  • The Naughty Nineties (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1945)

    as Croupier

  • Blonde Ransom (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1945)

    as Bender

  • Here Come the Co-eds(1945)

    as Honest Dan Murphy the Bookie

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • House of Frankenstein(1944)

    as Schwartz (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • Christmas Holiday (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1944)

    as Airline Attendant (uncredited)

  • Sweethearts of the U.S.A. (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1944)

    as Ghost of Napoleon

  • Phantom Lady(1944)

    as Sanders - Stage Manager (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • Margin for Error (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1943)

    as Officer Solomon

  • X Marks the Spot(1942)

    as Dizzy's Fellow Henchman (as Joseph Kirk)

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films

  • Who Done It? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    as Harry, 'Murder At Midnight' sound man

  • Pardon My Sarong (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    as Henchman with Tabor (uncredited)

  • Rio Rita(1942)

    as Pet Shop Owner (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • Over My Dead Body (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1942)

    as Sailor

  • Dick Tracy vs. Crime, Inc.(1941)

    as Brownstone Heavy 3

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Spooks Run Wild (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1941)

    as Camp Counselor

Career shape

Star power in the 89th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 36 titles from 1941 to 2011.

Highest rated

The Abbott and Costello Show (1952)

Midcredits 89th

Film career

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting36 of 36: 36 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score66th

By decade

1940s24 · acting1950s11 · acting2010s1 · acting

Billing

usually 13th · top billed in 0% of 14 roles
4146

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do Joe Kirk's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 61st percentile, the median of all 18; across their 5 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 41st percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

41stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 5

Approval · how many liked their films

54thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 5

Reach · how many have seen their films

53rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 5

Midcredits score across 20 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up6
  • 50th to 74th8
  • 25th to 49th4
  • Below 25th2

Shape of the crowd

13 of their 20 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved3
  • Crowd Pleaser13
  • Broadly Agreed2
  • Mixed2

Most divisive · actor

Dick Tracy vs. Crime, Inc. (1941)

72nd percentile spread · 13% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

The Abbott and Costello Show (1952)

Midcredits 89th · 89% liked

Reviewers score the acting 48/100 in their films, across 5 reviewed titles; fans 62, detractors 34. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does Joe Kirk work with?

People who share at least 2 of Joe Kirk's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Bud Abbott shares the most, 4.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers and cinematographers

Producers