Legendary Hollywood actor Kirk Douglas dies at 103
LOS ANGELES - Hollywood actor Kirk Douglas, known for his roles in iconic films such as "Spartacus" and the father of actor Michael Douglas, died on Wednesday at age 103.
Michael Douglas confirmed his father's death in a post on his Instagram account:
"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 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, 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."
Kirk Douglas was a three-time Oscar nominee, for his leading roles in the films "Champion," "The Bad and the Beautiful" and "Lust for Life." He received an honorary Oscar in 1996, and received the Hollywood Foreign Press Association's Cecil B. DeMille Award in 1968.
In addition to his on-screen success, Douglas played a critical rolein ending Hollywood blacklisting of the 1950s, insisting on the hiring and provision of on-screen credit to blacklisted screenwriter Dalton Trumbo for the 1960 epic "Spartacus."
He suffered a stroke in 1996 that left him struggling to speak, but he and his wife of 65 years, Anne Buydens, continued making public appearances and were well known for their philanthropic work. They donated millions of dollars to help rebuild school playgrounds around Los Angeles, and they funded the Anne Douglas Center for Homeless Women at the Los Angeles Mission.
Fellow actors and friends took to social media to express their condolences:
Filmmaker and Actor Rob Reiner posted:
Douglas and his wife were also known as philanthropists.
They donated millions of dollars to the Motion Picture hospital in Woodland Hills, which is home to the Kirk Douglas Care Pavilion.