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Kirk Douglas
0 FOLLOWERS • 58 CREDITS • DEC 9, 1916 - FEB 5, 2020 • 103
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Kirk Douglas (born Issur Danielovitch; December 9, 1916 – February 5, 2020) was an American actor, producer, director and author. He grew up as Izzy Demsky and legally changed his name to Kirk Douglas before entering the United States Navy during World War II. During his career, Douglas appeared in more than 90 movies and was known for his explosive acting style. He became an international star for his leading role as an unscrupulous boxing hero in Champion (1949), which brought him his first nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actor. Other early films include Young Man with a Horn (1950), Ace in the Hole (1951), and Detective Story (1951), a film for which he received a Golden Globe nomination as Best Actor in a Drama. He received a second Oscar nomination for his role in The Bad and the Beautiful (1952), and his third nomination for portraying Vincent van Gogh in Lust for Life (1956), which landed him a second Golden Globe nomination. In 1955, Douglas established Bryna Productions, which produced films as varied as Paths of Glory (1957) and Spartacus (1960). He took the lead roles in both films. Douglas has been praised for helping to break the Hollywood blacklist by having Dalton Trumbo write Spartacus with an official on-screen credit. In 1963 Douglas starred in the Broadway play One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, a story that he purchased and later gave to his son Michael Douglas, who turned it into an Oscar-winning film. As an actor and philanthropist, Douglas received an Oscar for Lifetime Achievement, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. As an author, he wrote ten novels and memoirs. He is No. 17 on the American Film Institute's list of the greatest male screen legends of classic Hollywood cinema. Kirk Douglas died at age 103.
Overview
Kirk Douglas (born Issur Danielovitch; December 9, 1916 – February 5, 2020) was an American actor, producer, director and author. He grew up as Izzy Demsky and legally changed his name to Kirk Douglas before entering the United States Navy during World War II. During his career, Douglas appeared in more than 90 movies and was known for his explosive acting style. He became an international star for his leading role as an unscrupulous boxing hero in Champion (1949), which brought him his first nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actor. Other early films include Young Man with a Horn (1950), Ace in the Hole (1951), and Detective Story (1951), a film for which he received a Golden Globe nomination as Best Actor in a Drama. He received a second Oscar nomination for his role in The Bad and the Beautiful (1952), and his third nomination for portraying Vincent van Gogh in Lust for Life (1956), which landed him a second Golden Globe nomination. In 1955, Douglas established Bryna Productions, which produced films as varied as Paths of Glory (1957) and Spartacus (1960). He took the lead roles in both films. Douglas has been praised for helping to break the Hollywood blacklist by having Dalton Trumbo write Spartacus with an official on-screen credit. In 1963 Douglas starred in the Broadway play One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, a story that he purchased and later gave to his son Michael Douglas, who turned it into an Oscar-winning film. As an actor and philanthropist, Douglas received an Oscar for Lifetime Achievement, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. As an author, he wrote ten novels and memoirs. He is No. 17 on the American Film Institute's list of the greatest male screen legends of classic Hollywood cinema. Kirk Douglas died at age 103.
Known For
What's My Line?
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
The Merv Griffin Show
The Oscars
Real Time with Bill Maher
The Simpsons
Wogan
LIVE with Kelly and Mark
The Colgate Comedy Hour
The Steve Allen Show
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Touched by an Angel
Tales from the Crypt
Golden Globe Awards
The Lucy Show
Parkinson
The Ed Sullivan Show
The Kennedy Center Honors
Tonight Starring Jack Paar
The George Gobel Show
Clive Anderson All Talk
Tony Awards
Is Paris Burning?
The Strange Love of Martha Ivers
If You're Not in the Obit, Eat Breakfast
The Man from Snowy River
This Is Your Life
I Walk Alone
Gunfight at the O.K. Corral
In Harm's Way
Seven Days in May
A Gunfight
The Vikings
Draw!
Posse
Paths of Glory
Spartacus
Ace in the Hole
Last Train from Gun Hill
The Secret
Detective Story
Arthur Hailey's The Moneychangers
Once Is Not Enough
Scalawag
The Brotherhood
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
Saturday Night Live
Young Man with a Horn
Production Credits
Scalawag
The Brotherhood
Paths of Glory
Spartacus
The Vikings
Posse
Seconds
A Gunfight
Seven Days in May
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