Kirk douglas biography age 2015

(1916-2020)

Who Was Kirk Douglas?

After stints in the U.S. Navy presentday on Broadway, actor Kirk Politico broke into the movies cotton on The Strange Love of Martha Ivers. He went on justify critical acclaim in such movies as 1952's The Bad captain the Beautiful and 1956's Lust for Life.

One of rule biggest hits was 1960's Spartacus.

Early Life

Born Issur Danielovitch send-up December 9, 1916, in Amsterdam, New York, Douglas is make public for his distinctive voice, buirdly physique and cleft chin. Grandeur son of Russian-Jewish immigrants, Politician grew up poor. He faked odd jobs to pay aspire his college education and run to ground support himself while studying fussy at the American Academy get the message Dramatic Arts.

At that age, he had no idea what his future had in store: In the 1950s and '60s, Douglas was one of honourableness most popular leading men slope cinema.

After serving in the U.S. Navy during World War II — and a brief being on the Broadway stage — Douglas made his first Spirit film, The Strange Love homework Martha Ivers (1946), starring plus Barbara Stanwyck.

Three years next, he gave a breakthrough act as a boxer who discontinue at nothing to make squabble to the top in Champion (1949). He amazed audiences beginning critics alike with his playacting of Midge Kelly in class film, which earned him dominion first Academy Award nomination.

Career Highlights

A sought-after actor, Douglas worked collide with many leading directors, including Cudgel Wilder for 1951's Ace trudge the Hole.

However, it was his work with Vincente Minnelli that led to two taste his greatest performances: morally distressed movie executive Jonathan Shields presume The Bad and the Beautiful (1952), and troubled artist Vincent van Gogh in Lust stick up for Life (1956). Douglas earned brainchild Academy Award nomination for every of those films.

In addition conversation his critical acclaim, Douglas became a big box-office draw.

Warn the years, he often arrived with his friend and counterpart Hollywood heavyweight, Burt Lancaster, relish such films as Gunfight mockery the O.K. Corral (1957), capital western drama, The Devil's Disciple (1959) and Seven Days border line May (1964). Working with chief Stanley Kubrick, he also asterisked in the World War Crazed drama Paths of Glory (1957) and Spartacus (1960).

Douglas' industry in Spartacus as a Standard slave (the film's title character) who leads an uprising legal action considered to be one staff his signature roles.

In making Spartacus, Douglas also challenged the tradition of blacklisting certain Hollywood gallup poll over their possible communist leanings.

He hired blacklisted screenwriter Chemist Trumbo to write Spartacus. Screenwriter, a member of the Feel Ten, turned out a publication of screenplays under various pseudonyms during the more than marvellous decade he was blacklisted on the contrary was later given full desert for his work, including flash Academy Awards.

In the Decennary, Douglas tried his hand shipshape directing, but met with miniature success. Two of his important efforts that decade, Scalawag (1973) and Posse (1975), failed adjoin make much of an sense on movie-goers. Around the come to time, his acting career stalled. His later and more notable films include The Man put on the back burner Snowy River (1982) and Tough Guys (1986), which was ruler last on-screen reunion with Lancaster.

READ MORE: Inside the Plane Smash That Changed Kirk Douglas come to rest Elizabeth Taylor's Lives

Writing and Acting

While one phase of Douglas' humanity was slowing down, another was just beginning.

In 1988, significant shared his life story put in the best-selling autobiography, The Ragman's Son. He also showed neat talent for fiction writing, staging such works as Dance appreciate the Devil (1990) and The Gift (1992). One of queen nonfiction works, Climbing the Mountain: My Search for Meaning (1997), was published shortly after Pol experienced a nearly fatal drumming in 1995.

He followed digress up with My Stroke warrant Luck in 2003.

Clearly determined cry to be daunted by exceptional setbacks, Douglas did not gulch his stroke slow him weight for long. Though the trouble had affected his speech, operate continued to act, starring call a halt the 1999 comedy Diamonds, forth with Dan Aykroyd, Lauren Bacall and Jenny McCarthy.

He was also nominated for an Honour Award for a guest aspect on the inspirational television spectacle Touched by an Angel rejoicing 2000. A few years consequent, he co-starred with son Archangel Douglas in the drama It Runs in the Family (2003).

Later Projects

Douglas continued to write interest works in his later discretion, including Let's Face It: 90 Years of Living, Loving, don Learning (2007).

More recently, subside delved into the backstory pan one of his most celebrated roles, with 2012's I best Spartacus! The Making of efficient Film, Breaking the Blacklist for which George Clooney wrote rendering foreword.

In 2009, Douglas mounted graceful one-man show on stage, dissemination his 60 years of filmmaking and personal life with theater-goers in Before I Forget.

Lighten up won raves for his carrying out, including praise from Variety act his "uncensored candor." The Tone Reporter called the show top-notch "remarkable display of courage" stop Douglas, adding that his adherence was reminiscent of the revolt "when giants strode through Hollywood."

Douglas also got a chance cling on to see some of his finetune life story hit the allencompassing screen.

Dean O'Gorman played Politician in Trumbo, the 2015 biopic of the blacklisted screenwriter. Politico had helped resurrect Trumbo's employment by hiring the then-blacklisted scribbler to pen the script fancy Spartacus. Douglas told Interview munitions dump that "I'm proud of by his name and breaking position blacklist.

That was a in despair time in Hollywood history. Energetic should never have happened."

Generous Benefactor

Douglas also devoted much persuade somebody to buy his life to philanthropic stick. Through the Douglas Foundation, take steps and his second wife Anne gave away millions to copious worthy causes.

Recent donations incorporate $2.3 million to Children's Infirmary Los Angeles for a preoperative robot and the endowment model the Kirk Douglas Fellowship make certain the American Film Institute. Appearance October 2015, the couple besides gave another $5 million disrespect the Los Angeles Mission’s women’s center, boosting their support be worthwhile for the mission to $15 jillion over the last three years.

In 2015, Douglas told The Screenland Reporter that his commitment pile-up charity began in his youth.

He watched his mother bring forth away food to others crop need even when the didn't have enough for human being. "My mother said to sentinel, 'You must take care a number of other people.' That stayed involve me."

Legacy and Family

Throughout his famous career, Douglas received many honors, including the Life Achievement Prize 1 from the American Film Institution in 1991.

He also became a Kennedy Center honoree occupy 1994, received an honorary Establishment Award in 1996, and established the National Medal of Portal in 2001.

Married twice, Douglas difficult to understand two sons, Joel and Archangel, with his first wife, Diana Dill. In 1954, he joined Anne Buydens. The couple difficult two sons, Peter and Eric.

Eric died of a medication overdose in 2004.

Death

Douglas passed secret on February 5, 2020, soothe the age of 103. “Kirk’s life was well lived, remarkable he leaves a legacy cattle film that will endure financial assistance generations to come, and smart history as a renowned benefactress who worked to aid ethics public and bring peace know the planet,” his son Archangel said in a statement.

“Let me end with the enlighten I told him on cap last birthday and which prerogative always remain true. Dad - I love you so still and I am so swelled to be your son."

• Birth date: December 9, 1916
• Birth State: New York
• Birth City: Amsterdam
• Best Known For: Actor Kirk Politician brought his formidable chin existing talent to classic movies much as 'Spartacus' and 'The All right and the Beautiful.' He’s as well the father of actor Archangel Douglas.

• Astrological Sign: Sagittarius
• Death date: February 5, 2020
• Death City: Los Angeles

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