Actor Kirk Douglas, Hollywood legend Has Passed Away At 103: Kirk Douglas, One of the most famous personalities of America, leading men of the mid 20th century always commended for his dimpled chin, well-defined feature, who mad an unflagging career in Hollywood history, has passed away at the age of 103 on Wednesday. The actor’s death was announced via TMZ on Wednesday night, which reported his health had been ‘in decline’. Kirk Douglas was born Issur Danielovitch Demsky in the industrial town of Amsterdam. His parents, Jewish immigrants from Russia, raised seven children, and as soon as he was old enough, Douglas went to work to help support the family. He was an actor, producer, director, and author. He made his film debut in, The strange love of Maratha Ivers in 1946 with Barbara Stanwyk.
Highlights
- Hollywood acting legend Kirk Douglas died on Wednesday aged 103
- The Spartacus star is survived by his wife of 65 years Anne Buydens and his three sons Michael, Joel, and Peter. A fourth child, Eric, died of a drug overdose in his 40s, in 2004
- His son Michael Douglas, an acting icon in his own right, revealed the news of his father’s death in an emotional statement
Douglas soon developed into a leading box-office star throughout the 1950s, known for serious dramas, including westerns and war movies. During his career, he appeared in more than 90 movies. Douglas was popular for his explosive acting style, which he displayed as a criminal defense attorney in Town Without Pity (1961).
His son, actor Michael Douglas, posted on Instagram: “It is with tremendous sadness that my brothers and I announce that Kirk Douglas left us today at the age of 103,” Kirk’s son, Michael Douglas, wrote in a statement shared to social media. He continued: “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 added.
Michael concluded his post by writing: “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.”
Douglas, received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1981, the Jefferson Award for public service in 1983, and the French Legion of Honor in 1985. However, he never actually won an Academy Award, Douglas was granted an Honorary Oscar in 1996 “for 50 years as a creative and moral force in the motion picture community.”
