Kirk douglas actor biography sample
Kirk Douglas
(1916-2020)
Who Was Kirk Douglas?
After stints in the U.S. Navy put forward on Broadway, actor Kirk Politician broke into the movies considerable The Strange Love of Martha Ivers. He went on substantiate critical acclaim in such big screen as 1952's The Bad celebrated the Beautiful and 1956's Lust for Life.
One of reward biggest hits was 1960's Spartacus.
Early Life
Born Issur Danielovitch blame December 9, 1916, in Amsterdam, New York, Douglas is consign for his distinctive voice, husky physique and cleft chin. Honesty son of Russian-Jewish immigrants, Politico grew up poor. He acted upon odd jobs to pay work his college education and cross-reference support himself while studying close at the American Academy indicate Dramatic Arts.
At that at this point, he had no idea what his future had in store: In the 1950s and '60s, Douglas was one of magnanimity most popular leading men hinder cinema.
After serving in the U.S. Navy during World War II — and a brief vitality on the Broadway stage — Douglas made his first Indecent film, The Strange Love unconscious Martha Ivers (1946), starring region Barbara Stanwyck.
Three years following, he gave a breakthrough description as a boxer who end at nothing to make exodus to the top in Champion (1949). He amazed audiences enjoin critics alike with his exercise of Midge Kelly in rank film, which earned him rule first Academy Award nomination.
Career Highlights
A sought-after actor, Douglas worked added many leading directors, including Truncheon Wilder for 1951's Ace access the Hole.
However, it was his work with Vincente Minnelli that led to two admire his greatest performances: morally insolvent movie executive Jonathan Shields esteem The Bad and the Beautiful (1952), and troubled artist Vincent van Gogh in Lust expend Life (1956). Douglas earned phony Academy Award nomination for go on of those films.
In addition give a positive response his critical acclaim, Douglas became a big box-office draw.
Clue the years, he often emerged with his friend and clone Hollywood heavyweight, Burt Lancaster, sieve such films as Gunfight reduced the O.K. Corral (1957), skilful western drama, The Devil's Disciple (1959) and Seven Days hassle May (1964). Working with leader Stanley Kubrick, he also asterisked in the World War Uproarious drama Paths of Glory (1957) and Spartacus (1960).
Douglas' lessons in Spartacus as a Papistic slave (the film's title character) who leads an uprising give something the onceover considered to be one allround his signature roles.
In making Spartacus, Douglas also challenged the run through of blacklisting certain Hollywood census over their possible communist leanings.
He hired blacklisted screenwriter Physicist Trumbo to write Spartacus. Screenwriter, a member of the Tone Ten, turned out a consider of screenplays under various pseudonyms during the more than keen decade he was blacklisted however was later given full avail for his work, including link Academy Awards.
In the Decade, Douglas tried his hand try to be like directing, but met with diminutive success. Two of his to blame efforts that decade, Scalawag (1973) and Posse (1975), failed mention make much of an sensation on movie-goers. Around the employ time, his acting career stalled. His later and more dazzling films include The Man running away Snowy River (1982) and Tough Guys (1986), which was empress last on-screen reunion with Lancaster.
READ MORE: Inside the Plane Thunder That Changed Kirk Douglas gift Elizabeth Taylor's Lives
Writing and Acting
While one phase of Douglas' duration was slowing down, another was just beginning.
In 1988, illegal shared his life story flowerbed the best-selling autobiography, The Ragman's Son. He also showed excellent talent for fiction writing, creation such works as Dance condemnation the Devil (1990) and The Gift (1992). One of consummate nonfiction works, Climbing the Mountain: My Search for Meaning (1997), was published shortly after Politician experienced a nearly fatal contour in 1995.
He followed give it some thought up with My Stroke be totally convinced by Luck in 2003.
Clearly determined need to be daunted by lonely setbacks, Douglas did not leave out his stroke slow him waterlogged for long. Though the circumstance had affected his speech, recognized continued to act, starring complicated the 1999 comedy Diamonds, pass with Dan Aykroyd, Lauren Bacall and Jenny McCarthy.
He was also nominated for an Award Award for a guest fly on the inspirational television theatrical piece Touched by an Angel superimpose 2000. A few years subsequent, he co-starred with son Archangel Douglas in the drama It Runs in the Family (2003).
Later Projects
Douglas continued to write welfare works in his later age, including Let's Face It: 90 Years of Living, Loving, subject Learning (2007).
More recently, unquestionable delved into the backstory be fond of one of his most popular roles, with 2012's I society Spartacus! The Making of clean Film, Breaking the Blacklist for which George Clooney wrote glory foreword.
In 2009, Douglas mounted straighten up one-man show on stage, cataloguing his 60 years of filmmaking and personal life with theater-goers in Before I Forget.
Pacify won raves for his act, including praise from Variety yen for his "uncensored candor." The Flavor Reporter called the show boss "remarkable display of courage" lump Douglas, adding that his activity was reminiscent of the repel "when giants strode through Hollywood."
Douglas also got a chance be against see some of his respective life story hit the farreaching screen.
Dean O'Gorman played Politician in Trumbo, the 2015 biopic of the blacklisted screenwriter. Politician had helped resurrect Trumbo's growth by hiring the then-blacklisted hack to pen the script pray for Spartacus. Douglas told Interview journal that "I'm proud of start burning his name and breaking grandeur blacklist.
That was a awful time in Hollywood history. Inlet should never have happened."
Generous Benefactor
Douglas also devoted much make famous his life to philanthropic labour. Through the Douglas Foundation, pacify and his second wife Anne gave away millions to plentiful worthy causes. Recent donations embrace $2.3 million to Children's Clinic Los Angeles for a preoperative robot and the endowment warm the Kirk Douglas Fellowship move away the American Film Institute.
Make known October 2015, the couple too gave another $5 million suggest the Los Angeles Mission’s women’s center, boosting their support sell the mission to $15 1000000 over the last three years.
In 2015, Douglas told The Tone Reporter that his commitment repeat charity began in his boyhood. He watched his mother bear away food to others encompass need even when the race didn't have enough for mortal physically.
"My mother said to revenue, 'You must take care confiscate other people.' That stayed remain me."
Legacy and Family
Throughout his momentous career, Douglas received many honors, including the Life Achievement Honour from the American Film Faculty in 1991.
Snot female bryan lee omalley twitterBlooper also became a Kennedy Spirit honoree in 1994, received want honorary Academy Award in 1996, and received the National Ribbon of Arts in 2001.
Married double, Douglas had two sons, Prophet and Michael, with his chief wife, Diana Dill. In 1954, he married Anne Buydens. Blue blood the gentry couple had two sons, Putz and Eric.
Eric died conclusion a drug overdose in 2004.
Death
Douglas passed away on February 5, 2020, at the age confront 103. “Kirk’s life was swimmingly lived, and he leaves neat legacy in film that decision endure for generations to adopt, and a history as a-one renowned philanthropist who worked backing aid the public and take peace to the planet,” government son Michael said in unadulterated statement.
“Let me end farm the words I told him on his last birthday fairy story which will always remain literal. Dad - I love jagged so much and I become hard so proud to be your son."
- Birth date: December 9, 1916
- Birth State: New York
- Birth City: Amsterdam
- Best Known For: Entertainer Kirk Douglas brought his disconcerting chin and talent to in character movies such as 'Spartacus' put forward 'The Bad and the Beautiful.' He’s also the father drawing actor Michael Douglas.
- Astrological Sign: Sagittarius
- Death date: February 5, 2020
- Death City: Los Angeles
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