Kirk Douglas

Kirk Douglas (born December 9 1916) is an American actor and film producer. Father of Hollywood actor and producer

Related Topics:
December 9 - 1916 - American - Actor - Film producer - Hollywood

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Michael Douglas.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Born Issur Danielovitch Demsky, he was born in Amsterdam, New York to poor Belarusian-Jewish parents (who came from Homel, also known as Gomel).

Related Topics:
Amsterdam, New York - Belarusian - Jew - Homel - Gomel

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

At St. Lawrence University he was on the wrestling team. To help make his way through college, he thought getting an acting scholarship might work. His talents got him noticed at the acclaimed American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City, where he soon received a scholarship, along side classmate Betty Joan Perske (better, and soon to be known as Lauren Bacall). Served in the U.S. Navy from the outbreak of World War II in 1941 until it ended in 1945. After the war he returned to New York City and started doing radio theater and commercials, while trying to break in on Broadway.

Related Topics:
St. Lawrence University - Wrestling - Scholarship - American Academy of Dramatic Arts - New York City - Lauren Bacall - U.S. Navy - World War II - 1941 - 1945 - Radio - Commercials - Broadway

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Douglas was helped by actress Lauren Bacall in obtaining his first screen role in the Hal B. Wallis movie, The Strange Love of Martha Ivers 1946, starring Barbara Stanwyck. Hal B. Wallis was on his was to New York to look for new talent when Bacall suggested he look up her old drama school classmate, who was working in an off-Broadway play at the time.

Related Topics:
Hal B. Wallis - The Strange Love of Martha Ivers - 1946 - Barbara Stanwyck - Off-Broadway - Play

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Popular at home and around the world, Kirk Douglas received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1981 and the French Legion of Honor in 1985.

Related Topics:
Presidential Medal of Freedom - 1981 - French Legion of Honor - 1985

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Kirk Douglas received four Academy Award nominations for his work in Champion, The Bad and the Beautiful and Lust for Life (as Vincent Van Gogh). Douglas did not win any competitive Oscars, but received a special Oscar in 1996 for "50 years as a moral and creative force in the motion picture community."

Related Topics:
Academy Award - Champion - The Bad and the Beautiful - Lust for Life - Vincent Van Gogh - 1996

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

He also played an important role in breaking the Hollywood blacklist by publicly opposing Stanley Kubrick's intention to take credit for the screenplay of Spartacus, which had been adapted from Howard Fast's novel by the blacklisted Dalton Trumbo.

Related Topics:
Stanley Kubrick - Spartacus - Howard Fast - Dalton Trumbo

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

For his contributions to the motion picture industry, Kirk Douglas has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6263 Hollywood Blvd. In 1984, he was inducted into the Western Performers Hall of Fame at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

Related Topics:
Hollywood Walk of Fame - 1984 - Western Performers Hall of Fame - National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum - Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In October 2004, the avenue "Kirk Douglas Way" in Palm Springs, California was named in his honor by the Palm Springs International Film Society and International Film Festival.

Related Topics:
October 2004 - Avenue - Palm Springs, California - Palm Springs International Film Society and International Film Festival

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Douglas has been married twice, first to Diana Dill (born 22 January, 1923; married November 2, 1943 - divorced in 1951), with whom he had two sons, Micheal and producer Joel Douglas. And then to his second wife, Anne Buydens (married May 29, 1954 to the present).

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~