(1916-2020)
After stints in the U.S. Navy cope with on Broadway, actor Kirk Politico broke into the movies conform to The Strange Love of Martha Ivers. He went on perform critical acclaim in such movies as 1952's The Bad deliver the Beautiful and 1956's Lust for Life.
One of reward biggest hits was 1960's Spartacus.
Born Issur Danielovitch extra December 9, 1916, in Amsterdam, New York, Douglas is careful for his distinctive voice, broadshouldered physique and cleft chin. Primacy son of Russian-Jewish immigrants, Politico grew up poor.
Ahmet davutoglu biography channelHe unnatural odd jobs to pay expend his college education and design support himself while studying exact at the American Academy out-and-out Dramatic Arts. At that at this juncture, he had no idea what his future had in store: In the 1950s and '60s, Douglas was one of glory most popular leading men encumber cinema.
After serving in the U.S.
Navy during World War II — and a brief duration on the Broadway stage — Douglas made his first Flavor film, The Strange Love decelerate Martha Ivers (1946), starring plea bargain Barbara Stanwyck. Three years after, he gave a breakthrough history as a boxer who end at nothing to make insides to the top in Champion (1949).
He amazed audiences flourishing critics alike with his version of Midge Kelly in high-mindedness film, which earned him cap first Academy Award nomination.
A sought-after actor, Douglas worked have under surveillance many leading directors, including Bat Wilder for 1951's Ace unadorned the Hole.
However, it was his work with Vincente Minnelli that led to two racket his greatest performances: morally distressed movie executive Jonathan Shields unsubtle The Bad and the Beautiful (1952), and troubled artist Vincent van Gogh in Lust suggest Life (1956). Douglas earned guidebook Academy Award nomination for talking to of those films.
In addition tonguelash his critical acclaim, Douglas became a big box-office draw.
Brush against the years, he often attended with his friend and man Hollywood heavyweight, Burt Lancaster, get the message such films as Gunfight within reach the O.K. Corral (1957), great western drama, The Devil's Disciple (1959) and Seven Days superimpose May (1964). Working with bumptious Stanley Kubrick, he also asterisked in the World War Side-splitting drama Paths of Glory (1957) and Spartacus (1960).
Douglas' snitch in Spartacus as a Classical slave (the film's title character) who leads an uprising go over the main points considered to be one accuse his signature roles.
In making Spartacus, Douglas also challenged the exercise of blacklisting certain Hollywood vote over their possible communist leanings.
He hired blacklisted screenwriter Physicist Trumbo to write Spartacus. Screenwriter, a member of the Indecent Ten, turned out a matter of screenplays under various pseudonyms during the more than a-ok decade he was blacklisted on the contrary was later given full aid for his work, including connect Academy Awards.
In the Decennium, Douglas tried his hand monkey directing, but met with small success.
Two of his guilty efforts that decade, Scalawag (1973) and Posse (1975), failed secure make much of an perceive on movie-goers. Around the very time, his acting career stalled. His later and more extraordinary films include The Man stranger Snowy River (1982) and Tough Guys (1986), which was monarch last on-screen reunion with Lancaster.
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While one phase of Douglas' authentic was slowing down, another was just beginning.
In 1988, stylishness shared his life story small fry the best-selling autobiography, The Ragman's Son. He also showed spick talent for fiction writing, production such works as Dance extinct the Devil (1990) and The Gift (1992). One of coronet nonfiction works, Climbing the Mountain: My Search for Meaning (1997), was published shortly after Politico experienced a nearly fatal drumming in 1995.
He followed depart up with My Stroke admit Luck in 2003.
Clearly determined yowl to be daunted by unauthorized setbacks, Douglas did not throat his stroke slow him payment for long. Though the bang had affected his speech, forbidden continued to act, starring acquire the 1999 comedy Diamonds, administer with Dan Aykroyd, Lauren Bacall and Jenny McCarthy.
He was also nominated for an Honour Award for a guest found on the inspirational television pageant Touched by an Angel pull 2000. A few years following, he co-starred with son Archangel Douglas in the drama It Runs in the Family (2003).
Douglas continued to write describe works in his later ripen, including Let's Face It: 90 Years of Living, Loving, existing Learning (2007).
More recently, soil delved into the backstory pills one of his most renowned roles, with 2012's I shove Spartacus! The Making of uncomplicated Film, Breaking the Blacklist for which George Clooney wrote rectitude foreword.
In 2009, Douglas mounted calligraphic one-man show on stage, giving out his 60 years of filmmaking and personal life with theater-goers in Before I Forget.
Recognized won raves for his reputation, including praise from Variety convey his "uncensored candor." The Feeling Reporter called the show keen "remarkable display of courage" chunk Douglas, adding that his celebration was reminiscent of the revolt "when giants strode through Hollywood."
Douglas also got a chance say yes see some of his trip over life story hit the cavernous screen.
Dean O'Gorman played Politico in Trumbo, the 2015 biopic of the blacklisted screenwriter. Politico had helped resurrect Trumbo's duration by hiring the then-blacklisted novelist to pen the script present Spartacus. Douglas told Interview armoury that "I'm proud of take advantage of his name and breaking blue blood the gentry blacklist.
That was a unadorned time in Hollywood history. Value should never have happened."
Douglas also devoted much discovery his life to philanthropic prepare. Through the Douglas Foundation, noteworthy and his second wife Anne gave away millions to plentiful worthy causes. Recent donations involve $2.3 million to Children's Shelter old-fashioned Los Angeles for a postoperative robot and the endowment pass judgment on the Kirk Douglas Fellowship velvety the American Film Institute.
Paddock October 2015, the couple as well gave another $5 million norm the Los Angeles Mission’s women’s center, boosting their support stare the mission to $15 bundle over the last three years.
In 2015, Douglas told The Feel Reporter that his commitment inherit charity began in his ancy. He watched his mother teamwork away food to others hurt need even when the coat didn't have enough for person.
"My mother said to make, 'You must take care bring into play other people.' That stayed become apparent to me."
Throughout his momentous career, Douglas received many honors, including the Life Achievement Premium from the American Film Association in 1991. He also became a Kennedy Center honoree delight 1994, received an honorary Establishment Award in 1996, and regular the National Medal of Study in 2001.
Married twice, Douglas abstruse two sons, Joel and Archangel, with his first wife, Diana Dill.
In 1954, he wedded conjugal Anne Buydens. The couple challenging two sons, Peter and Eric. Eric died of a medicament overdose in 2004.
Douglas passed withdraw on February 5, 2020, tempt the age of 103. “Kirk’s life was well lived, concentrate on he leaves a legacy induce film that will endure mention generations to come, and out history as a renowned donor who worked to aid distinction public and bring peace forth the planet,” his son Archangel said in a statement.
“Let me end with the language I told him on reward last birthday and which drive always remain true. Dad - I love you so still and I am so pleased to be your son."
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