John D. Kimble, a longtime talent agent who worked for the William Morris Agency and helped launch Triad Artists in the mid-1980s, died November 10 in Dallas, where he retired in 2022 to be close to family. He was 79.
His death was confirmed by former CBS Entertainment chairman Nina Tassler, who worked for Kimble at Triad.
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Born in Kingsville, Texas, Kimble graduated from the University of Texas in El Paso with dreams of becoming an actor. But he made the critical career decision to represent thespians instead.
He began working with Joan Scott at Writers and Artists before setting up his own shingle in July 1977. A year later, he and agent Gene Parseghian merged their respective companies to create Kimble/Parseghian in the Fisk Building on 57th Street in New York City. Their early client roster included William Hurt, Pamela Reed, Kevin Bacon, Griffin Dunne, Martin Short and Andrea Martin.
The duo opened an office in Los Angeles, where ultimately they teamed with Arnold Rifkin, Nicole David and Jeffrey Hunter to create DHKPR. The agency’s success would led to another merger with the likes of Literary Agency and Adams, Ray & Rosenberg to form Triad Artists in 1984.
As a partner at Triad, Kimble’s clients included George Clooney, Matthew Perry, Sara Gilbert, Brooke Shields, Victoria Principal, Nell Carter and Meredith Baxter. Triad merged in 1991 with the William Morris Agency, where Kimble began a new phase of his career as head of the TV talent department.
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He stepped away from the agency business in 2002. He would end up joining Meridith Baer Home, a luxury staging and interior design firm. He also once operated Kimble-Wallach, an antique and interior design store in Beverly Hills.
Kimble is survived by his niece Kimberly Robinson; nephew Steven Brewer; three great-grandnephews; and a grand niece. His elder sister, Barbara, preceded him in death in 2017.
In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations be made in Kimble’s memory to Briscoe Animal Rescue Center of Uvalde.