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“Kirk
Douglas’
talent
begins in
the soles of
his feet and
ends in the
spirit that
can vault
beyond the
stars.”
These words
of tribute
from the A m
e r i c a n
Academy of
Dramatic
Arts sum up
the essence
of
the man. A
lifetime of
achievement
- which
includes 85
films, nine
plays, eight
books and a
host of
other
contributions
to his art,
his country
and his
fellowman -
speaks for
itself.
Born
December 9,
1916, the
son of
illiterate
Jewish
Russian
immigrants,
Issur Danielovitch was driven to leave behind the poverty of his childhood
which he did
with great
success. He
made his
Broadway
debut as a
singing
Western
Union boy
in Spring
Again. In
1942, Mr.
Douglas
decided to
enlist in
the U.S.
Navy, where
he served as
a
communications
officer
in
anti-submarine
warfare.
After the
war he
returned to
Broadway
and, in
1949, his
agent
arranged for
him to
co-star with
Ava Gardner
and Gregory
Peck in The
Gre a t
Sinner. Kirk
declined and
instead
chose to
play
the
anti-hero,
Mr. Kelly,
in Champion,
at a much
lower
salary. The
role of the
cynical
boxer in
Stanley
Kramer’s
film, won
him both
stardom and
an Academy
Award
nomination.
He received
his
second
nomination
in 1952 for
playing an
opportunistic
movie mogul
in
The Bad and the Beautiful,
and his
third in
1956 for his
portrayal of
Vincent
Van Gogh in
Lust for
Life, for
which he won
the
New York
Film
Critics’
Best Actor
Award.
In 1955, Mr.
Douglas
formed one
of
Hollywood’s
first
independent
film
companies
which he
named
Bryna, after
his mother.
It was
managed by
his
wife Anne,
and produced
many
memorable
films
including
Paths of
Glory, The
Vikings,
Spartacus,
Lonely are
the Brave
and Seven
Days in May.
On a
personal
level, one
of Mr.
Douglas’
great
victories
has been his
dramatic
recovery
from a
debilitating
stroke which
occurred
several
years ago.
At one
point, he
actually
contemplated
suicide.
How he
surmounted
his
depression
is recounted
in his book,
My Stroke of
Luck, which
is
inspirational
and
entertaining
reading.
In Mr.
Douglas
own words:
“My stroke
taught me so
much, and
for
all that it
stole, it
gave me even
more....Now
I want to
share what I
have
learned.”
His book has
helped
countless
people. It
is
definitely a
must read.
Mr. and Mrs.
Kirk Douglas
have
contributed
and
continue to
donate
millions of
dollars for
the
building and
restorations
of
playgrounds.
They
have already
established
200;
their target
is at least
500. |