Legendary Hollywood actor Kirk Douglas, who was the last of the stars from the golden age, has died at the age of 103.
Douglas’ passing was announced by his son, actor Michael Douglas in a statement on his Facebook page and was a heartwarming tribute to his famous father.
It is with tremendous sadness that my brothers and I announce that Kirk Douglas left us today at the age of 103. To the world, he was a legend, an actor from the golden age of movies who lived well into his golden years, a humanitarian whose commitment to justice and the causes he believed in set a standard of us all to aspire to.
But to me and my brothers Joel and Peter he was simply Dad, to Catherine, a wonderful father-in-law, to his grandchildren and great-grandchildren their loving grandfather, and to his wife Anne, a wonderful husband.Michael Douglas
The late movie star was popular for playing the character of Spartacus in 1960, earning critical acclaim for his performance and was very influential in a career that spanned over six decades.
Kirk had survived a helicopter crash in 1991 and went on to experience a steady decline in his health, suffering a stroke in 1996. He recovered but the back injury he sustained from the helicopter incident continued to affect him severely.
Kirk Douglas was born Issur Danielovitch Demsky on December 9, 1916. He was an American actor, producer, director, and author.
His movie career began with him featuring in 1946 movie The Strange Love of Martha Ivers after which he became a box office star throughout the 1950s.
Kirk was known for serious dramas, which included westerns and war films. In his career, he appeared in over 90 movies and was noted for his explosive acting style.
In 1955, he established Bryna Productions, a production company that would go on to make films like Paths of Glory (1957) and Spartacus (1960).
As an actor and philanthropist, Douglas received three Academy Award nominations, an Oscar for Lifetime Achievement, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
As a writer, he wrote ten novels and memoirs and is number 17 on the American Film Institute’s list of the Greatest Male Screen Legends of Classic Hollywood Cinema (he was ranked the highest person until his death).
He leaves behind a wife, Anne, aged 100, three children (Michael, Joel, and Peter), and seven grandchildren.
