Kirk Douglas is an American actor and film producer recognized for his cleft chin, his gravelly voice and his recurring roles as the kinds of characters Douglas himself once described as "sons of bitches". He is the father of Hollywood actor and producer Michael Douglas. He was #17 on the American Film Institute's list of the greatest male American screen legends of all time.
Douglas married twice, first to Diana Dill, on November 2, 1943. The couple had two sons, actor Michael Douglas and producer Joel Douglas. They divorced in 1951. He then married Anne Buydens on May 29, 1954. They had two sons, producer Peter Douglas and actor Eric Douglas. Eric Douglas died July 6, 2004 of an accidental drug overdose.
In 1991, he survived a helicopter crash in which two people died. This sparked a search for meaning, which led him, after much study, to embrace the Judaism in which he was raised. He documented this spiritual journey in his book Climbing the Mountain: My Search for Meaning (2001).
In 1996, he suffered a stroke, partially impairing his ability to speak. On December 8, 2006, Douglas appeared on Entertainment Tonight, where the entire staff wished him a happy 90th birthday the night before. His son Michael and his wife, Catherine Zeta-Jones, were among the many celebrities who attended his birthday celebration. On the show, he discussed the books he has written and the death of his son Eric.
A portrait of Douglas, titled "The Great and the Beautiful," which encapsulated his film career, art collection, philanthropy and rehabilitation from the helicopter crash and the stroke, appeared in Palm Springs Life magazine in 1999. The article said "For years, this energetic performer could be seen jogging several miles to get his morning paper, playing tennis with locals or posing for snapshots and signing autographs for star-struck out-of-towners. He has been a veritable one-man tourist promotion over the past four decades, extolling the virtue of the city he loves to virtually anyone who'll listen".
Douglas blogs regularly on his MySpace account.
Vital, active and frequently over the top, Kirk Douglas maintained a hot career by "chewing up the scenery." His intense, clench-jawed delivery was much imitated by popular comics of the day. Kirk Douglas maintained a long, friendly rivalry with fellow macho man Burt Lancaster.
His defining role was as painter Vincent Van Gogh in LUST FOR LIFE. The Kirk Douglas notable pictures include: PATHS OF GLORY, THE VIKINGS, SEVEN DAYS IN MAY, THE BAD AND THE BEAUTIFUL, and SPARTACUS.
Kirk's newest credits include ILLUSION and IT RUNS IN THE FAMILY.
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