Veteran Performer Kyle Stone Passes Away

SANTA MONICA, Calif.—Veteran performer Kyle Stone has passed away. He was 54 years old.  Stone's career began in 1993, and he is credited with more than 1,700 performances on the Internet Adult Film Database. Stone had been nominated for sex scenes and acting performances dating back to 2003, and his acting won him two AVN Awards for Non-Sex Performance in Hotel No Tell in 2013 and Conflicted earlier this year. He was also inducted this year into the XRCO Hall of Fame. According to longtime friend Peter Klimenko, who has known the actor for more than 40 years, Stone passed away in his sleep and was discovered in his bedroom this morning. (The Los Angeles County Coroner's Office was unable to confirm the time and cause of death until next of kin could be officially notified.) Klimenko had spoken to Stone about three weeks ago and said that things were going well for the actor. According to Klimenko, he had been happily involved with “the best girlfriend he ever had” and was working steadily at a mainstream job but had just quit in order to pursue a business opportunity in the industry. "He was very upbeat, positive," Klimenko said. "What a horrific loss," said director/agent Jonathan Morgan, who had recently engaged Stone to do computer work for Morgan's agency. "We lost a legend in this business. Kyle was always a professional from beginning to end, probably one of the most amazing actors that I've been around. Because I would be directing comedic movies, Kyle not only had a wide range of comedic timing but also he could meld himself into a character. It was never Kyle being Kyle. He went from the crazy starship commander in Space Nuts to the very flamboyant camp counselor in Camp Cuddly Pines Powertool Massacre to the bellhop in Hotel No Tell. When I needed somebody who had their dialogue down but also had the comedic timing and could give me a character, there was only one phone call that I had to make: Kyle Stone." "I've known him my whole career," veteran editor Sonny Malone told AVN. "He was, seriously, a gentleman in this industry. That sounds cheesy, but that's the truth. ... This is just a shock." "I'm just as shocked as anybody else," AVN Hall of Fame performer Melissa Hill said. "I called Tony Tedeschi and Guy DiSilva. Tony was 'Nope. Not believing it. It's a hoax.' "I thought he was goofy. He was always a big flirt," Hill continued. "He really enjoyed his job: He understood that he was an average-looking guy and he thought he had the best job in the world. When we were in the Philippines working for Private, he went off on an adventure to Hong Kong. He wanted me to go with him but I chickened out at the last minute. He went, and a photo from that trip is on his Facebook page. I always enjoyed working with him, because he was very friendly and always prepared. He was a true professional. I was jealous of his non-sex awards. 'You and your non-sex roles. Kyle! I want some of that!'" she added. Another AVN Hall of Famer, writer/director/publicist DCypher, offered, "Kyle was a great actor. I booked him on countless scenes for Andre Madness and others. He was a smart guy with strong opinions who loved to read and could hold his own, on set and off." Upon hearing the news, longtime screenwriter Penny Antine told AVN, “He was one of the nicest guys in the business. Good actor. Good attitude. Always professional. Easy to work with. Fun. I'm so sorry to hear he died so young with so much living left to do.”