Kirk Douglas (1916-2020)
Hollywood acting legend Kirk Douglas passed away from natural causes on 5 February 2020 at age 103. His legendary screen presence and indomitable acting spirit were iconic, and he appeared in over a dozen feature films that maintained his charisma and celebrity status. Kirk was one of Hollywood's leading men, yet one of the last surviving actors from the Golden Age. He was also the father of Michael Douglas, who followed in his footsteps as an actor.
Born Izzy Demsky to Russian parents who emigrated to America, Kirk legally changed his name to Kirk Douglas before enlisting in the United States Navy during World War II. Before embarking on his acting career, Kirk worked in radio, theatre, and commercials. He made his breakthrough on stage with "Kiss and Tell" when he took over a role originally portrayed by Richard Widmark. It led to other offers for Douglas, and his career blossomed. He later shifted his focus to movie roles, beginning with his debut in "The Strange Love of Martha Ivers," starring Barbara Stanwyck.
Kirk's leading-man persona and tough-guy image emerged in 1949, when producer Stanley Kramer cast him as a boxer in "Champion." This part brought him his first Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. Other early films soon followed, including "Young Man with a Horn," "Ace in the Hole" with Lauren Bacall, and "Detective Story," which brought him a Golden Globe nomination. Kirk then starred in "The Bad and the Beautiful" and received an Oscar nomination for his role as a movie producer. In 1954, the same year he played the titular character in "Ulysses," Douglas proved that he could handle parts with a comic edge in Walt Disney's big-budgeted adaptation of Jules Verne's "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea," in which he starred as the sailor Ned Land. In addition to starring in his movies, Kirk founded his own production company, Byrna Productions, which he named after his mother.
Kirk played Vincent Van Gogh in "Lust for Life," which earned him his third Oscar nomination. He has collaborated with a young, unknown film director, Stanley Kubrick, on two films, such as "Paths of Glory" and, famously, "Spartacus." The latter featured Kirk in a role that defined his career as the title character who leads a slave rebellion. He was also the executive producer of that movie and was the producer of "Lonely Are the Brave," in which he also starred. Throughout the decades, Kirk has continued to appear in more films like "Gunfight at the O.K. Corral," "Lonely Are the Brave," "The Devil's Disciple," "Seven Days in May," "In Harm's Way," "The Heroes of Telemark," "Saturn 3," "The Final Countdown" (which was produced by his son Peter), "The Man from Snowy River," "Tough Guys," etc.
In 1963, Kirk starred in "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," a stage play, after buying the rights to the novel from its author. It was later adapted into a movie by his son, Michael, who produced it and had Jack Nicholson in Kirk's stead, as he was considered too old for the part.
Before retiring from acting in 2004, Kirk survived a helicopter crash that nearly killed him in 1991 and suffered a stroke in 1996, which affected his speech. That same year, he received an Honorary Award for his lifetime achievement of over 50 years. Kirk celebrated his 100th birthday and became a centenarian. At age 101, he appeared at the 2018 Golden Globes with his daughter-in-law, Catherine Zeta-Jones, to present the Best Screenplay award, receiving a standing ovation.
I had never seen many of Kirk Douglas's movies; however, I respected him as an actor. My condolences go out to his family and friends, including his son Michael.
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