H’wood legend Kirk Douglas dies at 103
Veteran actor was a humanitarian, one of the last stars of Hollywood’s Golden Age: Micheal
Los Angeles: Veteran actor and Hollywood’s Golden Era icon Kirk Douglas, known to fans world over for his films such as Spartacus, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, The Bad and the Beautiful and Champion, has passed away at the age of 103, his family has announced.
The actor died of natural causes on Wednesday. His son, actor Micheal Douglas shared the news of his father’s death on social media.
It is with tremendous sadness that my brothers and I announce that Kirk Douglas left us today at the age of 103. To the world he was a legend, an actor from the golden age of movies who lived well into his golden years, a humanitarian whose commitment to justice and the causes he believed in set a standard for all of us to aspire to.
“But to me and my brothers Joel and Peter he was simply Dad, to Catherine, a wonderful father-in-law, to his grandchildren and great grandchild their loving grandfather, and to his wife Anne, a wonderful husband,” he wrote alongside pictures of Kirk Douglas through the ages.
Michael Douglas said his father leaves a rich cinema legacy behind but he will also be remembered for his contribution to public service.
“Kirk’s life was well lived, and he leaves a legacy in film that will endure for generations to come, and a history as a renowned philanthropist
Douglas was the son of Jewish Russian immigrants who rose through the ranks to become one of Hollywood's biggest-ever stars
The famed actor, who was one of the last of Hollywood's Golden Age, made more than 90 movies in a career that stretched across seven decades
Films such as Spartacus and The Vikings made him one of the biggest box-office stars of
who worked to aid the public and bring peace to the planet.
“Let me end with the words I told him on his last birthday and which will always remain true. Dad - I love you so much and I am so proud to be your son,” he wrote.
His daughter-in-law, actor Catherine ZetaJones also shared a loving photo with Kirk Douglas.
“To my darling Kirk, I
the 1950s and 60s
He was nominated three times for the best actor Oscar in 1949 for Champion, The Bad and the Beautiful in 1953 and Lust for Life in 1957
Douglas never received an Academy Award for an individual film but the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences awarded him an honorary Oscar in 1996 for his role as a creative and moral force in the industry
shall love you for the rest of my life. I miss you already. Sleep tight...” she wrote.
Filmmaker Steven Spielberg, who presented Kirk Douglas with an honorary Oscar at the 1996 Academy Awards, remembered the actor who retained his movie star charisma right till the end.
Born as Issur Danielovitch Demsky in
Amsterdam, Kirk Douglas was one of the seven children of his parents — Jewish immigrants from Russia. When he came of age, he went to work to support his family.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Kirk Douglas put himself through New York’s St Lawrence University by working as a janitor.
After receiving his bachelor of arts degree, he moved to Manhattan where he received a special scholarship for the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.
He made his Broadway debut as a singing messenger boy in Spring Again, starring Grace George and C. Aubrey Smith, soon after graduating in 1941.
Next year, he legally changed his name to Kirk Douglas before enlisting in the US Navy during World War II. He attended the Midshipman School at Notre Dame, and was commissioned an ensign. He served on anti-submarine patrol in the Pacific as a communications officer until 1944, when he was honourably discharged as a lieutenant.
Post-war, he returned to civilian life and Broadway, replacing Richard Widmark as the juvenile lead in Kiss and Tell and appeared in Trio and Star in the Window. His performance in “The Wind Is Ninety” brought him to Hollywood’s attention.
What followed was his Hollywood debut in 1946 with the film The Strange Love of Martha Ivers” with Barbara Stanwyck, which led to leading man roles in the 1950s-60s.
He starred as a ruthless boxer in Champion (1949), a hated, ambitious movie producer in The Bad and the Beautiful (1952) and iconic painter Vincent van Gogh in Lust for Life (1956).
He also launched his banner, Bryna Productions, in 1955. He is billed as the first actor to take control of his career through a production house in the post-War era, challenging the stronghold of Hollywood studios.