Cleft-chinned, steely-eyed and virile star of international cinema who rose from being "the ragman's son" (the name of his best-selling 1988 autobiography) to become a bona fide superstar, Kirk Douglas, also known as Issur Danielovitch Demsky, was born on December 9, 1916 in Amsterdam, New York. His parents, Bryna (Sanglel) and Herschel Danielovitch, were Jewish immigrants from Chavusy, Mahilyow Voblast (now in Belarus). Although growing up in a poor ghetto, Douglas was a fine student and a keen athlete and wrestled competitively during his time at St. Lawrence University. Professional wrestling helped pay for his studies as did working on the side as a waiter and a bellboy. However, he soon identified an acting scholarship as a way out of his meager existence, and was sufficiently talented to gain entry into the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. He made his Broadway debut in "Spring Again" before his career was interrupted by World War II. He joining the United States Navy in 1941, and then after the end of hostilities in 1945, returned to the theater and some radio work. On the insistence of ex-classmate Lauren Bacall, movie producer Hal B. Wallis screen-tested Douglas and cast him in the lead role in The Strange Love of Martha Ivers (1946). His performance received rave reviews and further work quickly followed, including an appearance in the low-key drama I Walk Alone (1947), the first time he worked alongside fellow future screen legend Burt Lancaster. Such was the strong chemistry between the two that they appeared in seven films together, including the dynamic western Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (1957), the John Frankenheimer political thriller Seven Days in May (1964) and their final pairing in the gangster comedy Tough Guys (1986). Douglas once said about his good friend: "I've finally gotten away from Burt Lancaster. My luck has changed for the better. I've got nice-looking girls in my films now.". In this article, we will talk about Kirk Douglas's Biography including Net Worth, Age, Birthday, Height, Weight, Family, Children etc.
Kirk Douglas Biography
After appearing in "I Walk Alone", Douglas scored his first Oscar nomination playing the untrustworthy and opportunistic boxer Midge Kelly in the gripping Champion (1949). The quality of his work continued to garner the attention of critics and he was again nominated for Oscars for his role as a film producer in The Bad and the Beautiful (1952) and as tortured painter Vincent van Gogh in Lust for Life (1956), both directed by Vincente Minnelli. In 1955, Douglas launched his own production company, Bryna Productions, the company behind two pivotal film roles in his career. The first was as French army officer Col. Dax in director Stanley Kubrick's brilliant anti-war epic Paths of Glory (1957). Douglas reunited with Kubrick for yet another epic, the magnificent Spartacus (1960). The film also marked a key turning point in the life of screenwriter Dalton Trumbo, who had been blacklisted during the McCarthy "Red Scare" hysteria in the 1950s. At Douglas' insistence, Trumbo was given on-screen credit for his contributions, which began the dissolution of the infamous blacklisting policies begun almost a decade previously that had destroyed so many careers and lives.
Douglas remained busy throughout the 1960s, starring in many films. He played a rebellious modern-day cowboy in Lonely Are the Brave (1962), acted alongside John Wayne in the World War II story In Harm's Way (1965), again with The Duke in a drama about the Israeli fight for independence, Cast a Giant Shadow (1966), and once more with Wayne in the tongue-in-cheek western The War Wagon (1967). Additionally in 1963, he starred in an onstage production of Ken Kesey's "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest", but despite his keen interest, no Hollywood studio could be convinced to bring the story to the screen. However, the rights remained with the Douglas clan, and Kirk's talented son Michael Douglas finally filmed the tale in 1975, starring Jack Nicholson. Into the 1970s, Douglas wasn't as busy as previous years; however, he starred in some unusual vehicles, including alongside a young Arnold Schwarzenegger in the loopy western comedy The Villain (1979), then with Farrah Fawcett in the sci-fi thriller Saturn 3 (1980) and then he traveled to Australia for the horse opera/drama The Man from Snowy River (1982).
Unknown to many, Kirk has long been involved in humanitarian causes and has been a Goodwill Ambassador for the US State Department since 1963. His efforts were rewarded with the Presidential Medal of Freedom (1981), and with the Jefferson Award (1983). Furthermore, the French honored him with the Chevalier of the Legion of Honor. More recognition followed for his work with the American Cinema Award (1987), the German Golden Kamera Award (1987), The National Board of Reviews Career Achievement Award (1989), an honorary Academy Award (1995), Recipient of the American Film Institute's Lifetime Achievement Award (1999) and the UCLA Medal of Honor (2002). Despite a helicopter crash and a stroke suffered in the 1990s, he remained active and continued to appear in front of the camera. Until his passing on February 5 2020 at the age of 103, he and Olivia de Havilland were the last surviving major stars from the Golden Years of Hollywood.
To know his complete profile, check the following table.
| Name | : | Kirk Douglas |
| Birth Name/Full Name | : | Issur Herschelevitch Danielovitch |
| Nickname (s) | : | - |
| Other Name (s) | : | Issur Danielovitch , Mr Kirk Douglas |
| Gender | : | Male |
| Date of Birth | : | December 09, 1916 |
| Birthplace | : | Amsterdam, New York, USA |
| Citizenship | : | American |
| Height | : | 1.75 m |
| Weight | : | - kg |
| Profession (s) | : | Actor , Producer , Director |
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Kirk Douglas Age in 2023 and Birthday Info
In this section, we will add Kirk Douglas's birthday-related information. Kirk Douglas was born in Amsterdam, New York, USA on December 09, 1916.He died on in Beverly Hills, California, USA (natural causes). Check the below table for more information.
| Date of Birth | : | December 09, 1916 |
| Birth Place | : | Amsterdam, New York, USA |
| Country | : | United States |
| Date of Death | : | 2020-2-5 |
| Death Place | : | Beverly Hills, California, USA (natural causes) |
| Aged | : | 104 years |
| Next Birthday | : | 09 December, 2023 |
| Horoscope(Zodic Sign) | : | Sagittarius |
Kirk Douglas Height and Weight
Now we are going to add Kirk Douglas's Height (In Meter, Centi Meter, and Feet-Inches) and Weight (In Kilogram and Pounds). As weight changes frequently, we may not have the current weight of Kirk Douglas. The height of Kirk Douglas is 1.75 m. Check the below table to see in more units.
| Height in Meter | : | 1.75 m. |
| Height in Centimeter | : | 175 cm. |
| Height in Feet-inches | : | 5'9" |
| Weight in Kilogram | : | - kg |
| Weight in Pounds | : | - lb |
Kirk Douglas Family (Spouse, Children, Parents, Siblings, Relatives)
In this section, we will add Kirk Douglas's complete family information including his martial status, husbandorwife, children, parents, relatives, and siblings.
| Marital Status | : | Married |
| Spouse (s) | : | Anne Douglas (29 May 1954 - 5 February 2020) (his death) (2 children) , Diana Douglas (2 November 1943 - 23 February 1951) (divorced) (2 children) |
| Children (s) | : | Michael Douglas , Eric Douglas , Joel Douglas , Peter Douglas |
| Parents (Father and Mother) | : | Danielovitch, Herschel , Danielovitch (Sanglel), Bryna |
| Relatives | : | Demsky-Becker, Freida (sibling) , Carys Douglas (grandchild) , Dylan Douglas (grandchild) |
Kirk Douglas Social Accounts (Facebbok, Instagram, Twitter, Website)
In this section, we will add Kirk Douglas's Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and personal website.
| : | Kirk Douglas Facebook | |
| : | Kirk Douglas Instagram | |
| : | Kirk Douglas Twitter | |
| Personal Website | : | Kirk Douglas Webiste |
Kirk Douglas Net Worth in 2023
Are you curious to know what was the net worth of Kirk Douglas at time when he died. The net worth of Kirk Douglas was $60 Million. We do not guarantee the net worth of Kirk Douglas is the exact amount. This is based on several sources on the internet.
Kirk Douglas Facts and Trivia
Here is the list of top facts about Kirk Douglas.
- In October 1997, he was ranked #53 in Empire (UK) magazine's "The Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time" list.
- Born Issur Danielovitch (also reported as Issur Danielovitch Demsky) to Jacob Danielovitch and mother Bryna (after whom he later named his production company, Bryna Productions), from Russia, who came to America in 1912.
- On January 28, 1996, he suffered a stroke that made this very difficult for him to talk. Speech therapy over the years greatly alleviated the problem.
- Received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Jimmy Carter on January 17, 1981. This is the highest civilian honor in the United States.
- Turned down two Oscar-winning roles: Lee Marvin's in Cat Ballou (1965) and William Holden's in Stalag 17 (1953).
- Father of four sons: Michael Douglas, Eric Douglas, Joel Douglas and Peter Douglas.
- Earned $50,000 for saying the only English word at the end of a 1980s Japanese television commercial: "Coffee".
- He survived a helicopter crash on February 23, 1991, in which two fellow occupants were killed. He was left with a debilitating back injury.
- Has celebrated his Bar Mitzvah twice: first (as most Jewish boys do) when he was 13 and later when he was 83.
- Received his Bachelor's degree in English from St. Lawrence University in Canton, New York. President of the class of 1939.
- Received the Medal of Honor on June 14, 2002 from the University of California-Los Angeles, during the school's graduation ceremony for theater, film and television students. Previous recipients include former US Presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton, former Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres, and actors Laurence Olivier and Carol Burnett.
- Inducted into the Hall of Great Western Performers of the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum (1983).
- Father-in-law of Catherine Zeta-Jones.
- Originally cast to play Colonel Sam Trautman in First Blood (1982), but walked out on the project. He wanted substantial changes made to the script, specifically that John Rambo die at the hands of Trautman, like the character did in the novel. The writers held their ground and refused. Richard Crenna was eventually cast in the role.
- Was voted the 36th Greatest Movie Star of all time by Entertainment Weekly magazine.
- Was named #17 greatest actor on The 50 Greatest Screen Legends list by the American Film Institute.
- Wore lifts in many of his films, which made him appear about 5' 11" or 6' 0" on screen. Once, as a prank, Burt Lancaster found his lifts on a film set and hid them from him, which allegedly infuriated him.
- In August 1986, he had a pacemaker fitted after collapsing in a restaurant.
- Douglas had a fully Jewish upbringing, but did not practice extensively as an adult. This changed when, on his 83rd birthday, he had a second Bar Mitzvah, reaffirming his faith and causing him to practice again.
- President of the 'Official Competition' jury at the 33rd Cannes International Film Festival in 1980.
- Member of the 'Official Competition' jury at the 23rd Cannes International Film Festival in 1970.
- Had appeared with Burt Lancaster in eight films: I Walk Alone (1947), Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (1957) and The Devil's Disciple (1959), The List of Adrian Messenger (1963), Seven Days in May (1964), Victory at Entebbe (1976), Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid (1982) (in archive footage) and Tough Guys (1986).
- In 2005, he had both knees replaced against the advice of his doctors. The operation was a success.
- After son Michael Douglas was fired from the stage production of "Summer Tree", he bought the stage and film rights to the story and gave it to Michael to star in.
- Grandfather of seven children: Cameron Douglas (born 13 December 1978), Dylan Michael Douglas (born 8 August 2000), Carys Zeta Douglas (born 20 April 2003) (children of his son Michael Douglas), Kelsey Douglas (born 1992), Tyler Douglas (born 1996), Ryan Douglas (born 2000) and Jason Douglas (born 2003) (children of his son Peter Douglas).
- Former father-in-law of Diandra Luker.
- Had appeared in a stage production of "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" and later bought the film rights. He didn't make a movie of this and eventually turned the rights over to his son Michael Douglas, who was able to secure financing and produce the film One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975).
- If he had not heeded wife Anne Douglas's advice, he would have been on producer Mike Todd's private plane in 1958 when it crashed and killed all on-board. Todd's wife Elizabeth Taylor was also scheduled to be on the plane but canceled due to a bad cold.
- Met his German wife-to-be, Anne Douglas, when she applied for a job as his assistant on the French location shoot for Un acte d'amour (1953).
- He was awarded the American National Medal of Arts from the National Endowment of the Arts (2001).
- Resided in Palm Springs, California, for more than 40 years. In October 2005, the city honored him by naming a lushly landscaped drive "Kirk Douglas Way". It winds around part of Palm Springs International Airport. A lavish ceremony and party was given by the Palm Springs International Film Society and International Film Festival and was attended by Douglas, his wife Anne Douglas and their three surviving sons. His son Joel, also a Palm Springs resident, was responsible for the campaign.
- In 1950, he gave up his two- to three-pack-a-day cigarette habit. In 1955, his father later died from lung cancer at age 72.
- In 1955, he started his own production company, Bryna Productions--named after his mother--making him one of the first actors to do so.
- He and wife Anne Douglas renewed their wedding vows in California around the 50th anniversary of their 1954 marriage. They reaffirmed their vows before 300 friends and family members at the famous Greystone Estate in Beverly Hills. Guests included Dan Aykroyd, Lauren Bacall, Nancy Reagan and Tony Curtis. He walked into the traditional Jewish ceremony to the tune of "I'm in the Mood for Love" and later sang a tune he had written for the occasion, "Please Stay in Love With Me".
- Attended the state funeral of former President Ronald Reagan, with Charlton Heston, Tom Selleck and California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, on June 11, 2004.
- Helped break the Hollywood blacklist by hiring Dalton Trumbo, a member of the "Hollywood Ten", to write the screenplay for Spartacus (1960). Despite widespread criticism from many in the industry, including John Wayne and Hedda Hopper, Douglas refused to back down and Trumbo received screen credit under his own name. When presenting Douglas with an honorary Oscar for lifetime achievement at The 68th Annual Academy Awards (1996), Steven Spielberg publicly thanked Douglas for his courage. However, Otto Preminger had already broken the blacklist by hiring Trumbo for Exodus (1960). Trumbo's family publicly said that Douglas greatly exaggerated his role in breaking the blacklist.
- Attended the premiere of Basic Instinct (1992), which starred his son, Michael Douglas.
- In 2006, he fell out with his close friend, former President Jimmy Carter, over Carter's book "Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid".
- His idol was President Harry S. Truman.
- Confirmed his retirement from acting after making Illusion (2004), although he did act in one more film, Meurtres à l'Empire State Building (2008), and has had numerous appearances (as himself) on entertainment and gossip programs, and in documentaries.
- While filming The War Wagon (1967) in September 1966, he enraged co-star John Wayne by recording a television commercial endorsing Edmund G. Brown, the Democratic Governor of California, after Wayne had recorded an advertisement for Republican challenger Ronald Reagan.
- Admitted he made The Big Trees (1952) for nothing just to get out of his contract with Warner Bros. He later said "It was a terrible movie.".
- In his last book, "Let's Face It: 90 Years of Living, Loving and Learning", he expressed regret at turning down William Holden's Oscar-winning role in Stalag 17 (1953), Stephen Boyd's role in The Fall of the Roman Empire (1964), and Lee Marvin's Oscar-winning role in Cat Ballou (1965).
- He was originally cast in John Wayne's role in Sands of Iwo Jima (1949), but pulled out in order to make Champion (1949).
- He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6263 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on February 8, 1960.
- Best of friends with Karl Malden (who was also very close with his son Michael Douglas, with whom he co-starred on The Streets of San Francisco (1972)). After Malden died on July 1, 2009, Douglas remarked that their acquaintance was the longest he had with anyone in his life, lasting 70 years.
- Co-hosted (with Cass Elliot) the release party for folk-rocker Donovan's album "Barabajagal" (1969), posing for photos with Donovan and Elliot. He described Donovan as "not just a gentleman, but a gentle man".
- Enlisted in the United States Navy in 1941, shortly after the United States entered World War II. He served as a communications officer in submarine warfare. He received a medical discharge in 1944 due to combat-related injuries.
- Was not close friends with Burt Lancaster, as was often perceived. Their friendship was largely fabricated by the publicity-wise Douglas, while in reality they were very competitive with each other and sometimes privately expressed a mutual personal disdain despite respecting each other's acting talents.
- His acting mentor was Gary Cooper.
- Lonely Are the Brave (1962) was his favorite film.
- He turned down a key role in The Great Sinner (1949) to star in Champion (1949). He was replaced by Melvyn Douglas.
- At the 1987 American Academy of Dramatic Arts tribute to Douglas, Burt Lancaster, said "Kirk would be the first person to tell you he's a very difficult man." After a pause, he added "And I would be the second.".
- His father changed the family name from Danielovich to Demsky.
- Hedda Hopper told him after he became a star with Champion (1949), "Now that you're a big hit, you've become a real S.O.B." Douglas replied "You're wrong. I was always an S.O.B. You just never noticed before.".
- Hal B. Wallis tested him for a role in what would be his film debut in The Strange Love of Martha Ivers (1946) after a recommendation by Lauren Bacall.
- He wrote his autobiography without the help of a ghostwriter.
- Was signed to play Gabey in On the Town (1949), but had to be replaced because he suffered from a case of psychosomatic laryngitis.
- Got out of his contract with Warner Bros. in exchange for starring in any film they chose, for no salary -- the film turned out to be The Big Trees (1952).
- When he was contacted by MGM to replace Ricardo Montalban in The Story of Three Loves (1953) because of his box-office power, he refused until he discussed it with Montalban, who was in training for the role. Although Montalban felt appreciative of Douglas' concern for him, he understood the studio's position and gave up the role.
- The day when Kirk Douglas was born was Saturday.
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