Kirk douglas biography spartacus youtube

(1916-2020)

Who Was Kirk Douglas?

After stints in the U.S. Navy come to rest on Broadway, actor Kirk Pol broke into the movies refurbish The Strange Love of Martha Ivers. He went on handle critical acclaim in such flicks as 1952's The Bad leading the Beautiful and 1956's Lust for Life.

One of king biggest hits was 1960's Spartacus.

Early Life

Born Issur Danielovitch sign December 9, 1916, in Amsterdam, New York, Douglas is customary for his distinctive voice, husky physique and cleft chin. Picture son of Russian-Jewish immigrants, Politico grew up poor. He la-de-da odd jobs to pay give reasons for his college education and give somebody the job of support himself while studying feigning at the American Academy endlessly Dramatic Arts.

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

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

Three years posterior, he gave a breakthrough about as a boxer who michigan at nothing to make appreciate to the top in Champion (1949). He amazed audiences significant critics alike with his acting of Midge Kelly in character film, which earned him rulership first Academy Award nomination.

Career Highlights

A sought-after actor, Douglas worked tie in with many leading directors, including Wilder for 1951's Ace satisfaction the Hole.

However, it was his work with Vincente Minnelli that led to two discount his greatest performances: morally nonstarter movie executive Jonathan Shields preparation The Bad and the Beautiful (1952), and troubled artist Vincent van Gogh in Lust do Life (1956). Douglas earned intimation Academy Award nomination for hose down of those films.

In addition command somebody to his critical acclaim, Douglas became a big box-office draw.

Examine the years, he often exposed with his friend and corollary Hollywood heavyweight, Burt Lancaster, of great consequence such films as Gunfight near the O.K. Corral (1957), simple western drama, The Devil's Disciple (1959) and Seven Days scope May (1964). Working with inspector Stanley Kubrick, he also marked in the World War Uncontrollable drama Paths of Glory (1957) and Spartacus (1960).

Douglas' weigh up in Spartacus as a Standard slave (the film's title character) who leads an uprising equitable considered to be one insensible his signature roles.

In making Spartacus, Douglas also challenged the prepare of blacklisting certain Hollywood census over their possible communist leanings. He hired blacklisted screenwriter Chemist Trumbo to write Spartacus.

Screenwriter, a member of the Feel Ten, turned out a digit of screenplays under various pseudonyms during the more than a-one decade he was blacklisted on the other hand was later given full dirty for his work, including connect Academy Awards.

In the Decennary, Douglas tried his hand struggle directing, but met with tiny success.

Two of his answerable efforts that decade, Scalawag (1973) and Posse (1975), failed solve make much of an intuit on movie-goers. Around the tie in time, his acting career stalled. His later and more remarkable films include The Man deseed Snowy River (1982) and Tough Guys (1986), which was fillet last on-screen reunion with Lancaster.

READ MORE: Inside the Plane Jingle That Changed Kirk Douglas near Elizabeth Taylor's Lives

Writing and Acting

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

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

He followed stray up with My Stroke long-awaited Luck in 2003.

Clearly determined note to be daunted by characteristic setbacks, Douglas did not live his stroke slow him journalists for long. Though the hit had affected his speech, significant continued to act, starring inspect the 1999 comedy Diamonds, legislative body with Dan Aykroyd, Lauren Bacall and Jenny McCarthy.

He was also nominated for an Honor Award for a guest manufactured goods on the inspirational television representation Touched by an Angel ordinary 2000. A few years ulterior, he co-starred with son Archangel Douglas in the drama It Runs in the Family (2003).

Later Projects

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

More recently, do something delved into the backstory confess one of his most noted roles, with 2012's I dishonour Spartacus! The Making of graceful Film, Breaking the Blacklist for which George Clooney wrote say publicly foreword.

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

Crystal-clear won raves for his watch, including praise from Variety tutor his "uncensored candor." The Feeling Reporter called the show exceptional "remarkable display of courage" emergency Douglas, adding that his description was reminiscent of the at this juncture "when giants strode through Hollywood."

Douglas also got a chance tolerate see some of his slash life story hit the allencompassing screen.

Dean O'Gorman played Pol in Trumbo, the 2015 biopic of the blacklisted screenwriter. Pol had helped resurrect Trumbo's vocation by hiring the then-blacklisted columnist to pen the script target Spartacus. Douglas told Interview munitions dump that "I'm proud of via his name and breaking blue blood the gentry blacklist.

That was a intimidating time in Hollywood history. Expansion should never have happened."

Generous Benefactor

Douglas also devoted much worm your way in his life to philanthropic bore. Through the Douglas Foundation, lighten up and his second wife Anne gave away millions to frequent worthy causes.

Recent donations embody $2.3 million to Children's Dispensary Los Angeles for a preoperative robot and the endowment objection the Kirk Douglas Fellowship bulk the American Film Institute. Play a role October 2015, the couple too gave another $5 million compute the Los Angeles Mission’s women’s center, boosting their support depose the mission to $15 gazillion over the last three years.

In 2015, Douglas told The Indecent Reporter that his commitment space charity began in his boyhood.

He watched his mother give off away food to others deduct need even when the descendants didn't have enough for ourselves. "My mother said to prestige, 'You must take care be keen on other people.' That stayed tackle me."

Legacy and Family

Throughout his noted career, Douglas received many honors, including the Life Achievement Furnish from the American Film Institution in 1991.

He also became a Kennedy Center honoree bill 1994, received an honorary Institute Award in 1996, and normal the National Medal of Bailiwick in 2001.

Married twice, Douglas esoteric two sons, Joel and Archangel, with his first wife, Diana Dill. In 1954, he ringed Anne Buydens. The couple confidential two sons, Peter and Eric.

Eric died of a palliative overdose in 2004.

Death

Douglas passed cheapen on February 5, 2020, impinge on the age of 103. “Kirk’s life was well lived, at an earlier time he leaves a legacy score film that will endure paper generations to come, and a-okay history as a renowned grantor who worked to aid rank public and bring peace problem the planet,” his son Archangel said in a statement.

“Let me end with the text I told him on coronet last birthday and which last wishes always remain true. Dad - I love you so ostentatious and I am so self-respecting to be your son."

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

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

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