Kyle Andrew Weir, 54, passed away early Thursday morning at Helen Keller Hospital in Sheffield, Alabama, after a brief illness.

A native of Florence and a 1981 graduate of Coffee High School, Kyle was well known in the area as an actor in several local theaters. Early in his career, he performed a leading role in “The Miracle Worker,” the William Gibson play about Helen Keller staged on the grounds of Ivy Green in Tuscumbia. He appeared in that production with his life-long friend, Anna Eastep Gibson.

In the mid-1980s, his love of acting took him to New York City, where he studied and honed his craft, appearing in several off-Broadway plays.

Later, he lived and worked in Atlanta, Georgia, performing in theater, film, and video, appearing, for example, in the Elton John music video of “The Circle of Life,” one of the songs from the Walt Disney film, “The Lion King” (1994).

His film credits include roles in such features as “Firehead” (1991), starring Christopher Plummer, and “Gordy” (1995), the children’s movie about a talking pig. In that film, Kyle gave one of his more memorable comic performances. He also appeared in a number of short films by local, independent filmmakers, notably Steve Richeson’s “The Burglar” (2006) and “Mystic Swirl” (2007).

Once he moved back to Florence, Kyle worked for a number of years as a research librarian at the Florence Public Library, a position well suited to his sharp intelligence and boundless curiosity.

Kyle was widely admired for his ability to be someone else, but he was deeply loved for simply being himself. His encyclopedic knowledge and wry humor made him a real raconteur and a genuine pleasure to be around, as his many friends will attest.

Kyle was preceded in death by his parents, D.J. and Helen Weir, and by a nephew, David Geoffrey Weir. He is survived by his beloved daughter Kyla Weir; his sister Barbara Weir Hall; his brother David Weir; and his nieces Lauren Hall Stooksberry and Katie Hall Williams.

A celebration of Kyle’s life will take place this Sunday, August 6th, 3:00 p.m., at Cypress Moon Studios, 1000 Alabama Avenue, Sheffield.