Kirk Douglas | WatchedThis

Kirk Douglas

Kirk Douglas

Acting

Biography

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.

Filmography Movies

Acting

Poster for 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
MOVIE

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

7.1(1.0K)
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
Ned Land
Poster for Spartacus
MOVIE

Spartacus

7.5(2.4K)
Spartacus
Spartacus
Poster for Paths of Glory
MOVIE

Paths of Glory

8.3(3.3K)
Paths of Glory
Col. Dax
Poster for Out of the Past
MOVIE

Out of the Past

7.7(0.6K)
Out of the Past
Whit Sterling
Poster for Movie Tough Guys
MOVIE

Movie Tough Guys

10.0(0.0K)
Movie Tough Guys
Self (archive footage)
Poster for Hollywood's Funniest All-Star Bloopers
MOVIE

Hollywood's Funniest All-Star Bloopers

Hollywood's Funniest All-Star Bloopers
Self (archive footage)
Poster for Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
MOVIE

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

6.3(0.0K)
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
Dr. Jekyll / Mr. Hyde
Poster for Is Paris Burning?
MOVIE

Is Paris Burning?

7.2(0.2K)
Is Paris Burning?
General Patton
Poster for Detective Story
MOVIE

Detective Story

7.0(0.2K)
Detective Story
Det. James McLeod
Poster for Tough Guys
MOVIE

Tough Guys

6.0(0.1K)
Tough Guys
Archie Long

Production

Poster for Spartacus
MOVIE

Spartacus

7.5(2.4K)
Spartacus
Executive Producer
Poster for Paths of Glory
MOVIE

Paths of Glory

8.3(3.3K)
Paths of Glory
Producer
Poster for Posse
MOVIE

Posse

6.1(0.1K)
Posse
Director
Poster for Seven Days in May
MOVIE

Seven Days in May

7.3(0.2K)
Seven Days in May
Co-Executive Producer
Poster for The Light at the Edge of the World
MOVIE

The Light at the Edge of the World

6.0(0.1K)
The Light at the Edge of the World
Producer
Poster for Scalawag
MOVIE

Scalawag

5.7(0.0K)
Scalawag
Director
Poster for Seconds
MOVIE

Seconds

7.3(0.4K)
Seconds
Co-Executive Producer
Poster for A Gunfight
MOVIE

A Gunfight

5.8(0.0K)
A Gunfight
Executive Producer
Poster for The Brotherhood
MOVIE

The Brotherhood

6.1(0.0K)
The Brotherhood
Producer
Poster for Something Wicked This Way Comes
MOVIE

Something Wicked This Way Comes

6.4(0.2K)
Something Wicked This Way Comes
Executive Producer

Gallery

Kirk Douglas portrait
Kirk Douglas portrait
Kirk Douglas portrait
Kirk Douglas portrait
Kirk Douglas portrait
Kirk Douglas portrait
Kirk Douglas portrait
Kirk Douglas portrait
Kirk Douglas portrait