Hollywood icon Kirk Douglas died on Wednesday at the age of 103 years-old. The actor known for his chiseled good looks was arguably the top star of Tinseltown’s post World War II era.
Kirk Douglas As Spartacus
The in-demand actor was in over 80 films. Starring in such roles as “Champion,” “The Bad and the Beautiful,“ “Lust for Life,” and “Spartacus”, Douglas was a household name for decades. He was awarded an honorary Oscar in 1996.
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His son, Academy Award winning actor-director-producer Michael Douglas, announced Kirk’s death in the Facebook post below
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.
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 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.
#KirkDouglas
https://www.facebook.com/MichaelDouglasOfficial/photos/a.555360757892078/2801257339969064/?type=3
Michael Douglas’ wife Catherine Zeta-Jones also posted a tribute to her father-in-law. Her Instagram post included a picture with the actor in advanced age.
“To my darling Kirk, I shall love you for the rest of my life. I miss you already. Sleep tight…,” Zeta-Jones wrote in the post below.
Kirk Douglas’ Jewish Roots
Kirk Douglas was born Issur Danielovitch Demsky in Amsterdam, New York. The Hollywood legend was the son of Russian Jewish immigrants. Given the economic situation of the day, Kirk went to work at a very young age to help support his family, which included his six siblings.
This self-made man paid his way through St. Lawrence University by working as a janitor before launching his professional acting career.
Watch the video below in memory of this great Hollywood icon. Rest in eternal peace Kirk Douglas.
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