Kirk Douglas dies at 103

[Mike Gebert]

People and TMZ have reported that Kirk Douglas has died at age 103.

Just in time to be the last one on the Oscar montage.

[Keatonesque]

I honestly never thought this day would finally come. Thank you for your body of work, Mr. Douglas. From the most humble of beginnings to leaving an indelible mark that will stand the test of time, we are forever in your debt for your contributions to film. I loved him in too many films to name. And with him goes the last leading male star of the Golden Age.

[boblipton]

The New York Times was distracted by some nonsense in Iowa or D.C. and just got around to the important news.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/05/movi ... Obituaries

Bob

[sepiatone]

So long Kirk. RIP! The LoC and AFI should hold a retrospective of his great works, like they did Garbo back in 1990-91.

[Fred M. Stevens]

Natalie Wood

(Coincidentally, George Jessel’s last wife was a 16 year old)

[Mike Gebert]

Oh look, someone brought up the Natalie Wood rumor, before he was even cold.

How daring. How honest. How 2020.

There's no Spartacus or Ace in the Hole or Lust For Life—there's just the TMZ dirt, to be aired as quickly as it can be. Gossip is the sum of a man's 103 years. Thanks for making sure NitrateVille is just like every other part of the aphasic-memoried internet.



Update: this writer looked at it and reveals how completely shaky and unsourced the allegation is.

https://www.wonkette.com/are-we-serious ... ossip-blog

[wingate]

Goodbye to a true great

[Jim Roots]

Saw a picture of him at his 103rd birthday. That dimple on his chin still blazed forth on an isolated patch of a head that had been seriously altered by age and the effects of his stroke (one eye was nearly closed). Can't tell you how comforting that was.

Always a favourite.

Jim

[Dean Thompson]

Through the years he and his wife donated about $40,000,000 to the Motion Picture Country Home and Hospital, much of it earmarked for Harry's Haven (named after Douglas's father), a facility for treating residents with Alzheimer's disease. As much as I enjoy many of his performances, I think I'll remember him best for that classy act of philanthropy. RIP.

[maliejandra]

On the surface, he isn't the type of actor I would be terribly interested in, but he gives sensitive and thoughtful performances, so many of them important classics. His book The Ragman's Son made me admire him all the more. I highly recommend it.

[buskeat]

Oh look, someone brought up the Natalie Wood rumor, before he was even cold.

How daring. How honest. How 2020.

There's no Spartacus or Ace in the Hole or Lust For Life—there's just the TMZ dirt, to be aired as quickly as it can be. Gossip is the sum of a man's 103 years. Thanks for making sure NitrateVille is just like every other part of the aphasic-memoried internet.

This is what finally made me deactivate Twitter for good yesterday. Good grief. There's only so much relentless hypocrisy I can take.

[s.w.a.c.]

Someone was kind enough to purchase the stellar-looking (with zero extras) blu-ray of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea for me via the Disney Movie Club recently, which will be my in memoriam Kirk title of choice.

Or possibly my laserdisc of Lonely Are the Brave, that a real personal favourite I'd love to have on blu-ray.

[Hamilton's Grandson]

RIP KIRK! What a career!

Amazing that you had a birthday recently and reached an age beyond a century.

(BTW other 12/9 birthdays . Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. , Mark Hamilton)

[boblipton]

....and TCM gets it.



Bob

[Keatonesque]

Someone was kind enough to purchase the stellar-looking (with zero extras) blu-ray of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea for me via the Disney Movie Club recently, which will be my in memoriam Kirk title of choice.

Or possibly my laserdisc of Lonely Are the Brave, that a real personal favourite I'd love to have on blu-ray.

Kino Studio Classics is releasing a Blu-ray of LONELY ARE THE BRAVE this summer. Very fitting.

[Smari1989]

I re-watched OUT OF THE PAST recently (in which he plays a supporting role) and thought, how incredible that Kirk is still with us... A great talent, R.I.P. Are there any major stars born in the 1910s alive now, other than de Havilland? The list cannot be long by now, sadly.

[Keatonesque]

[s.w.a.c.]

Someone was kind enough to purchase the stellar-looking (with zero extras) blu-ray of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea for me via the Disney Movie Club recently, which will be my in memoriam Kirk title of choice.

Or possibly my laserdisc of Lonely Are the Brave, that a real personal favourite I'd love to have on blu-ray.

Kino Studio Classics is releasing a Blu-ray of LONELY ARE THE BRAVE this summer. Very fitting.

Great news, I'll be grabbing one of those for sure.

No sign of 20,000 Leagues in that TCM montage, but I'm guess the editor (who did a great job) didn't have time to wait around for a Disney clearance.

It's too bad, considering that's probably how many filmgoers became Kirk fans at a very early age.

[Keatonesque]

I just wished to commend the author of this important rebuttal to the hysteria surrounding a certain baseless accusation being accepted at face value and promoted on so many social media tributes to this remarkable man. I highly recommend this because it's invaluable in times of people being considered guilty until proven innocent: https://www.wonkette.com/are-we-serious ... ossip-blog

[boblipton]

I just wished to commend the author of this important rebuttal to the hysteria surrounding a certain baseless accusation being accepted at face value and promoted on so many social media tributes to this remarkable man. I highly recommend this because it's invaluable in times of people being considered guilty until proven innocent: https://www.wonkette.com/are-we-serious ... ossip-blog

Thanks for posting this link to a weak-assed ‘defense’ of Kirk Douglas. I don’t know what the author of this piece of thinks, since she seems to have to prove her credentials as being against rape and for other people to believe whatever bs they believe on whatever terms they believe because, reasons.

If this is the way that professional writers think they have to write, then.... we’ll, I don’t like it.

Again, thanks for this. It’s an eye-opener in more ways than one.

Bob

[silentfilm]

I know that Douglas wrote several books, some autobiographical, but is there a good biography out on him that is well researched? (Beware, there are several slap-dash memorial books already listed on Amazon.)

[Keatonesque]

I know that Douglas wrote several books, some autobiographical, but is there a good biography out on him that is well researched? (Beware, there are several slap-dash memorial books already listed on Amazon.)

I cannot recall biographies of him, but that's probably because I prefer his own THE RAGMAN'S SON, by far one of the most rewarding and moving autobiographies I've ever read (out of well over a hundred).

[Professor Echo]

Oh look, someone brought up the Natalie Wood rumor, before he was even cold.

How daring. How honest. How 2020.

There's no Spartacus or Ace in the Hole or Lust For Life—there's just the TMZ dirt, to be aired as quickly as it can be. Gossip is the sum of a man's 103 years. Thanks for making sure NitrateVille is just like every other part of the aphasic-memoried internet.

Update: this writer looked at it and reveals how completely shaky and unsourced the allegation is.

That’s it, Mike. Once again you and I are in such sync with the exact same way of thinking it’s becoming more and more obvious that certain types of cloning or mind melding are no longer just science fiction. Be afraid, be very afraid.

(In any case, you save me a lot of time from having to post my own comments, so thanks!)

[silentfilm]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... arity.html

Kirk Douglas leaves his entire $60m fortune to charity, including donations to LA children's hospital, Sinai Temple and St Lawrence University - leaving nothing to his son Michael (who is worth $300m)

Actor Kirk Douglas has reportedly left his entire $60million fortune to charity
Kirk, who died February 5, was known for charitable contributions during his life
A total of $50million will be distributed through the Douglas Foundation, which was founded by Kirk and his wife, Anne
Some of the beneficiaries include St Lawrence University, the Sinai Temple of Los Angeles, the Kirk Douglas Theatre and the Children's Hospital Los Angeles

By Valerie Edwards For Dailymail.com

Published: 11:53 EST, 23 February 2020 | Updated: 13:44 EST, 23 February 2020

Actor Kirk Douglas has reportedly left his entire $60million fortune to charity.

Kirk was laid to rest on February 7 at the Westwood Memorial in Los Angeles, two days after he died at his home. He was 103.

According to the Mirror, Kirk didn't leave any money to his son, Michael, a Hollywood star who has his own net worth of about $300million.

But Kirk, who was known for his charitable contributions throughout his life, did leave the money to several beneficiaries.

A total of $50million will be distributed through the Douglas Foundation, which was founded by Kirk and his wife, Anne.

Actor Kirk Douglas has reportedly left his entire $60million fortune to charity. He didn't leave any money to his son, Michael (left with his father in 2012), a Hollywood star who has his own net worth of about $300million
But Kirk, who was known for his charitable contributions throughout his life, did leave the money to several beneficiaries, including to the Kirk Douglas Theatre (pictured)
+12

But Kirk, who was known for his charitable contributions throughout his life, did leave the money to several beneficiaries, including to the Kirk Douglas Theatre (pictured)

Some of Kirk's millions was left to the Children's Hospital Los Angeles (pictured)

A third beneficiary was the Sinai Temple of Los Angeles, which houses the Kirk and Anne Douglas Childhood Center
Another beneficiary was St Lawrence University (pictured), where Kirk and Anne established a scholarship for minority and underprivileged students

According to the Mirror, some of the beneficiaries include St Lawrence University, the Sinai Temple of Los Angeles, the Kirk Douglas Theatre and the Children's Hospital Los Angeles.

Prior to his passing Kirk and Anne were already in the process of making more generous donations.

Meanwhile, Michael has been campaigning for Michael Bloomberg.

The actor addressed an audience while speaking in support of the Democratic presidential candidate and former New York City mayor at a Bloomberg campaign office on Sunday in Quincy, Massachusetts.

Kirk is survived by Anne, who is his second wife, and three of his four sons: Michael, Joel, and Peter.

Michael, 75, responded to his father's death by posting a series of pictures of the two of them together, including a family portrait with all Kirk's sons. He called his father 'a legend', 'a humanitarian' and 'a wonderful husband'.

'It is with tremendous sadness that my brothers and I announce that Kirk Douglas left us today at the age of 103,' Michael wrote at the time.

The actor addressed an audience while speaking in support of the Democratic presidential candidate and former New York City mayor at a Bloomberg campaign office on Sunday in Quincy, Massachusetts

'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 for all of us 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 grandchild their loving grandfather, and to his wife Anne, a wonderful husband.

'Kirk's life was well lived,' Douglas added, 'and he leaves a legacy in film that will endure for generations to come, and a history as a renowned philanthropist who worked to aid the public and bring peace to the planet'.

'Let me end with the words I told him on his last birthday and which will always remain true. Dad- I love you so much and I am so proud to be your son,' Michael said.

Kirk and Anne married in 1954. Kirk had two sons with Anne, Eric and Peter Douglas.

Their youngest son Eric tragically died of an accidental drug overdose in 2004 aged 46.

Kirk is survived by his second wife Anne (together, in 2013) and three of his four sons: Michael, Joel, and Peter. Together, Kirk and Anne founded the Douglas Foundation
Michael (left), 75, responded to his father's death by posting a series of pictures of the two of them together. He called his father 'a legend', 'a humanitarian' and 'a wonderful husband'

Michael Douglas and his brother Joel were the sons of Kirk and his first wife Diana Douglas, who died in 2015 aged 92.

German-born Anne, 100, met Kirk in Paris when she was the publicity girl on his 1953 film Act Of Love.

Anne initially turned down the job as Kirk had built up a reputation as a Lothario but eventually agreed to work with him as long as it was strictly business.

At the time, Kirk was engaged to actress Pier Angeli but says he 'fell out of love with her'.

He married Anne in Las Vegas on May 29, 1954. Kirk admitted to extramarital affairs in their 65 years as a married couple.

Anne knew about the affairs and wrote: 'One of the things I love most about Kirk is his inability to keep secrets… Let me explain my attitude concerning this. As a European, I understood it was unrealistic to expect total fidelity in a marriage.'

Douglas suffered a stroke back in 1996 that left him with slurred speech and damaged facial nerves but it didn't stop him from attending the Academy Awards ceremony two weeks later to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award.

He had been in relatively good health since his stroke.

Michael's wife, Catherine Zeta-Jones, 50, was among those leading the tributes in the wake of her father-in-law's death, writing alongside a photo of the pair: 'To my darling Kirk, I shall love you for the rest of my life. I miss you already. Sleep tight...'

A host of other Hollywood stars joined in the outpouring of grief, with celebrities and fans alike flooding social media to honor the legendary screen star after news of his death broke.

Kirk Douglas and Anne Buydens (pictured together in 1954) were married for 65 years despite Douglas' extramarital affairs

Kirk and Anne are pictured in 1963 with their son Peter - the couple had a second son Eric who died in 2004

Kirk is seen in a promotional still from the 1960 Stanley Kubrick film Spartacus

Sylvester Stallone, who shared a poster from Douglas's 1949 boxing film Champion, wrote on Instagram: 'KIRK DOUGLAS!!! The last great giant of my cinema heroes has passed on to Infinite glory. Amazing artist! The likes of which we will never ever see again!'

Steven Spielberg presented Douglas with an honorary Oscar at the Academy Awards in 1996 and was also one of those who gave remarks at the star's 100th birthday party in December 2016.

'Kirk retained his movie star charisma right to the end of his wonderful life and I’m honored to have been a small part of his last 45 years,' Spielberg said.

'I will miss his handwritten notes, letters and fatherly advice, and his wisdom and courage – even beyond such a breathtaking body of work – are enough to inspire me for the rest of mine.'

Douglas was the son of Jewish Russian immigrants who rose through the ranks to become one of Hollywood's biggest-ever stars.

Flowers adorned Kirk's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame following his death on February 5

The famed actor and producer, who was one of the last of Hollywood's Golden Age, made more than 90 movies in a career that stretched across seven decades.

He was renowned for the macho tough guy roles he took on.

Films such as Spartacus and The Vikings made him one of the biggest box-office stars of the 1950s and 60s.

Douglas received critical acclaim for his role in the 1960 classic Spartacus where he played the gladiator leader of a Roman slave revolt.

He was nominated three times for the best actor Oscar in 1949 for Champion, The Bad and the Beautiful in 1953 and Lust for Life in 1957.

Douglas never received an Academy Award for an individual film but the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences awarded him an honorary Oscar in 1996 for his role as a creative and moral force in the movie industry.