{{Short description|American actor (1968–2020)}} {{Infobox person | name = Stan Kirsch | image = Stan_Kirsch_in_Friends_1995.jpg | caption = Kirsch guest starring on ''Friends'' (1995) | birth_name = Stanley Benjamin Kirsch Jr. | birth_date = {{Birth date|1968|7|15}} | birth_place = New York City, New York, U.S. | death_date = {{Death date and age|2020|1|11|1968|7|15}} | death_place = Los Angeles, California, U.S. | occupation = {{flatlist| * Actor * screenwriter * director * acting coach}} | spouse = {{marriage|Kristyn Green|2009}} }}
'''Stanley Benjamin Kirsch Jr.''' (July 15, 1968 – January 11, 2020)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://me.lacounty.gov/case-detail/?caseNumber=2020-00337|title=STANLEY KIRSCH JR|publisher=Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner|accessdate=January 12, 2020}}</ref> was an American actor, screenwriter, director, and acting coach.
==Biography== Kirsch was born in New York City, New York. He began acting as a young child. His first acting job was at the age of 4 when he appeared in some Campbell's Soup television commercials. Kirsch appeared in the short-lived Saturday morning TV series ''Riders in the Sky'' and on the soap opera ''General Hospital'' in 1992. He made guest appearances in some TV shows including ''JAG'', ''Family Law'', and ''Friends''.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.cosmopolitan.com/entertainment/tv/news/a43993/friends-boyfriends-where-are-they-now/|title=A "Friends" Where Are They Now? The One With Monica, Rachel and Phoebe's Ex-Boyfriends|last=Tallarico|first=Maria|date=30 July 2015|work=Cosmopolitan|access-date=18 June 2018|language=en-US}}</ref>
His most notable role began in 1992 on ''Highlander: The Series'' as Richie Ryan. He left the show as a regular cast member in the fifth-season finale in 1997, but he made one last guest appearance in the series finale episode, "Not To Be" which aired May 17, 1998.<ref>{{Cite web |date=May 17, 1998 |title=Not to Be |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0601387 |access-date=June 29, 2024 |website=IMDb}}</ref>
Kirsch made his debut as director and producer with the film ''Straight Eye: The Movie'' in 2004. In 2008, he founded his own acting studio called Stan Kirsch Studios.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://stankirschstudios.com/|title=STAN KIRSCH STUDIOS | LA + ONLINE ACTING SCHOOL & CLASSES|website=stankirschstudios.com}}</ref>
On January 11, 2020, 51-year-old Kirsch was found dead in his Los Angeles home. The LA Coroner ruled Kirsch's death a suicide by hanging.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2020/01/stan-kirsch-dead-obituary-highlander-actor-friends-1202830035/|title=Stan Kirsch Dies: 'Highlander: The Series' Actor Was 51|work=Deadline Hollywood|first=Greg|last=Evans|date=January 14, 2020|accessdate=January 14, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://people.com/tv/highlander-actor-stan-kirsch-dead/|title=Highlander Actor Stan Kirsch Dead at Age 51|work=People|first=Jodi|last=Guglielmi|date=January 14, 2020|accessdate=January 14, 2020}}</ref>
==Selected filmography== ===Film=== *1998: ''Reason Thirteen'' (Short) as Michael *1999: ''Shark in a Bottle'' as Punk #1 *2000: ''The Flunky'' as Sammy Bestone *2004: ''Shallow Ground'' as Stuart Dempsey *2004: ''Straight Eye: The Movie'' (Short, writer, director) as Sonny *2005: ''Deep Rescue'' as Kevin
=== Television === *1991: ''Riders in the Sky'' as Axl (1991) *1992–1997: ''Highlander: The Series'' as Richie Ryan *1992: ''CBS Schoolbreak Special'' as Steve *1992: ''The Streets of Beverly Hills'' (TV movie) as Kenny Street *1995: ''Friends'' as young Ethan *1995: ''ABC Afterschool Special'' as Matt *1996–2001: ''JAG'' as Lieutenant Ferrari / Ensign Frank Cody *1996: ''Home Song'' (TV movie) as Kent Arens *1998: ''The Sky's On Fire'' (TV movie) as Chuck *1999: ''Love Boat: The Next Wave'' as Vince *1999: ''Beyond Belief, fact or fiction'' *2000: ''Family Law'' as Rick Quinn *2002: ''First Monday'' as David Dahl Washington Post Reporter
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{IMDb name|id=0456909|name=Stan Kirsch}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Kirsch, Stan}} Category:1968 births Category:2020 deaths Category:2020 suicides Category:20th-century American male actors Category:21st-century American male actors Category:American male soap opera actors Category:American male television actors Category:Male actors from New York City Category:American male screenwriters Category:Film directors from New York City Category:Male suicides Category:Screenwriters from New York (state) Category:Suicides by hanging in California Category:Actors and actresses who died by suicide Category:Writers who died by suicide