Kirk's Mr. Bacciagalupe character appeared in 15 of the 26 episodes in the show's first season, 1952-53. In all, he appeared in 19 episodes of the show's 52 total episodes through its end in 1954. The bulk of Kirk’s early film career consisted of playing bit parts, often uncredited, in low-budget productions. Typical roles for him were "ethnic" Sicilian-Americans – gangsters, bartenders, bookies and henchmen. He appeared in several films produced by low-budget studio Monogram Pictures, including "Spooks Run Wild" (1941), "Mr. Wise Guy" (1942) and "Smart Alecks" (1942). Kirk appeared as the villager Schwartz in Universal's "House of Frankenstein" (1944). He was occasionally billed as Joseph I. Kirk, the "I" standing for his birth-name, Ignazio. Through his marriage to Marie Cristillo, the sister of Lou Costello, Kirk secured steady appearances (albeit in small roles) in Abbott and Costello films. His more prominent parts included the pet shop owner in "Rio Rita" (1942), Honest Dan the Bookie in "Here Come the Co-Eds" (1946), the shady real estate agent in "Buck Privates Come Home" (1947), an uncredited bystander in "Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein" (1948) and Dr. Orvilla in "Abbott and Costello Go to Mars" (1953). Kirk continued acting through the late 1950s, with appearances in "The Jackie Robinson Story" (1950), the 1956 Bowery Boys comedy "Hot Shots" and Fritz Lang’s drama "Beyond a Reasonable Doubt" (1956). He also took small roles in television shows such as "Adventures of Superman", "Sheriff of Cochise" and "U.S. Marshal", before retiring from show business in 1958. Kirk was married to Marie Katherine Cristillo (1912–88), who was the sister of Lou Costello and daughter of producer Sebastian Cristillo. After their marriage, Marie was known interchangeably as Marie "Curcuruto" or Marie "Kirk". The couple had two sons. He was the great-uncle of actress Marki Costello, who is the granddaughter of Lou Costello.