John D. Kimble, a prominent longtime Hollywood talent agent at agencies including DHKPR, Triad and William Morris, died Sunday in Dallas. He was 79.
Born in Kingsville, Texas, he was raised in Uvalde, Texas and graduated the University of Texas, El Paso with a theater degree. He started out hoping to act in Westerns, and was offered a contract through Screen Gems. But Kimble pivoted to representing actors rather than performing, and began his agency career working with Joan Scott at Writers and Artists.
Kimble set up his own shingle in 1977, and the next year, merged his company with the agency run by Gene Parseghian to for Kimble/Parseghian in New York. Their roster included William Hurt, Pamela Reed, Kevin Bacon, Griffin Dunne, Martin Short and Andrea Martin.
Kimble moved to California to open the L.A. office of his agency, soon merging with Arnold Rifkin, Nicole David and Jeffrey Hunter to creat DHKPR. With the addition of literary agency Adams-Ray-Rosenberg and Regency Artists to create Triad Artists in 1984.
His love of design and collecting also led him to open Kimble-Wallach, an antique and interior design store in Beverly Hills.
At Triad, Kimble’s clients included George Clooney, Matthew Perry, Sara Gilbert, Brooke Shields, Victoria Principal, Nell Carter and Meredith Baxter.
Triad merged with the William Morris Agency in 1991, where he headed the TV talent department. In 2002, he left to work on creative endeavors and went to work with Meridith Baer Home, a staging and interior design firm.
He is survived by his niece, Kimberly Robinson (husband Jeffrey Robinson), nephew Steven Brewer (wife Kristin Brewer), three great-grand-nephews Carson, Riley, and Wes and his grandniece Ashley Robinson and nephew, Austin Robinson.
Donations be made in his name to the Briscoe Animal Rescue Center of Uvalde.
