Thank you, Kirk Douglas. There shall never be another.
6
He was, is, and always shall be, Spartacus. RIP.
7
There was so much more to Issur Danielovich, a/k/a/ Kirk Douglas, than his splashy roles in "Spartacus" and "Lust for Life." Aside from the later "Seven Days in May," in my view his best work preceded the big Hollywood epic hero role in "Spartacus." "The Strange Love of Martha Ivers," "I Walk Alone," "A Letter to Three Wives," "Out of the Past," "The Bad and the Beautiful,""Ace in the Hole," "Paths of Glory" and more -- all of them powerful performances, in important examples of the cinematic art in postwar America, none of which would have been the same or as successful without his presence.
And in life -- real life -- a real mensch. Not many in over the top, larger than life, anything goes Hollywood, then or now, of whom that can be said.
I know what I'll be doing evenings for the next couple of weeks - watching the Kirk Douglas filmography!
7
He rocked in "Out of The Past" (1947)
2
Keep hanging on, Olivia DeHavilland!
8
How very, very poignant that Kirk Douglas, who throughout his career was able to so often honestly and successfully manage to depict in his art the realities of the lives of immigrants and the outsiders in our society, died on the very day when the nation's greatest critic of immigrants and outsiders decided to hold his celebration of his own most dubious triumphs.
As the son of a poor ragpicker and as a Jew, during a time when anti-semitism and disdain for the poor was all but taken for granted in American society, Kirk Douglas in his best movies managed to depict an acute awareness of the day to day challenges that outsiders among us face in order to gain success in our society.
How very, very poignant that Douglas, this champion of equality under the law, this hero of long odds and this constant voice for the voiceless died on the same day that the nation's greatest critic of the immigrant experience or anyone who dares speak out against hate, corruption or racism, decides to hold his celebration of his own most dubious triumph.
As a warning and a curse - In the famous words of Mr. Kirk Douglas' most famous picture, I would only reply to those who think that the rest of us in this country can be so easily cowed or intimidated by such deceptive and hate filled rhetoric (as we've heard today coming out of Washington ): "I'm Spartacus".
6
Kirk Douglas lived a storied life. His autobiographies say so much about the man and the legend.
Yes, yes, yes, a movie star of tremendous vigor and scope. He portrayed a wide range of characters -- either talented artists (like Vincent Van Gogh in Lust for Life), the tormented (again in Lust for Life), heroic (Spartacus, Ulysses, and Seven Days in May), honorable and doing the right thing (Paths of Glory and Seven Days in May), or flawed and fighting to overcome his own foibles (like The Detective with William Bendix as a New York police detective, Strangers When We Meet with Kim Novak, Lonely Are the Brave, The Vikings, and Gunfight at the OK Corral). Whatever his movie role, he was captivating, larger than life, and conveyed to his audience an appreciation for greatness, human foibles, and empathy. I extend my condolences to his family.
3
Encourage anyone who liked/ loved Kirk Douglas to read "The Ragman's Son", his early autobiography! It is worthwhile!
6
Thank you for a recap of wonderful films Kirk Douglas wowed us with!
What an amazing journey from Issur Danielovich to Kirk Douglas!
With strength, courage, passion and humanity, he transformed his tough beginnings into a long and blessed life.
My condolences to his family for their great loss.
1
"Last of Hollywood's Golden Age"?
Yes, a giant from that era, but please don't forget Miss Olivia de Havilland, still with us at 103, and with an illustrious stage and screen career that started ten years before than Kirk Douglas'.
9
In addition to the Kirk Douglas performances that are typically mentioned, I wish that his work in A Letter to Three Wives were more widely recognized. It was charming and witty, and with its quiet power and intelligence, it really demonstrated his acting range. He was an immensely admirable actor and an even more admirable man.
6
He was a great actor, but Spartacus was so gruesome for me when I saw it at age 12 that I had nightmares for weeks. I'm glad he had a long and happy life.
Kirk Douglas is also survived by the last living one of his sisters, Mrs. Ida Sahr of Schenectady, NY.
9
I too am a long-time fan of Kirk Douglas. Douglas along with Lancaster, James Cagney to name just a few iconic and compelling actors. No matter what the movie, script, you just had to keep watching when Douglas was on screen. My favorite as a child watcher of the 430pm movie after school was Lonely Are The Brave, no idea why I loved it, but I did. I really need to find a copy of Lust for Life, clips show a real tour de force performance. What a true life force Kirk Douglas was/is.
3
It is unfortunate that the last thing Kirk Douglas had to witness in life was the Medal of Freedom he received and richly deserved being given to Rush Limbaugh, an opportunistic demagogue and divider.
22
Difficult to fully celebrate him when one looks into what he did to Natalie Wood...
18
Did you really just call the sexual coercion and humiliation Douglas bragged about in his book as "sexual conquests," as if they were macho achievements to be celebrated??? And no mention of Natalie Wood's assertion that Douglas violently raped her when she was a teenager? Reasonable people can disagree about how to handle these things in an obit, but there's no excuse for calling sexual coercion a "conquest."
15
It is very sad that Kirk Douglas passed. He built himself up from basically nothing- and achieved a great career- but- more important- he gave back.
3
I wonder what Natalie Wood would say about his passing if she were still among the living.
Beware idol worship.
16
He raped, or tried to rape, a very young Natalie Wood.
11
@Lily. Thank you for bringing this up. Yes.
4
My father took me to see Spartacas when it came out and I was 7. It had a huge impact on me. The heroic rebel. The inter-racial relationship between Spartacas and the African fighter with the net and spear. I went home and got out my toy soldiers to wage epic battles, using my mom’s large hair curlers in place of those burning rollers we saw in the movie. Rest In Peace Kirk.
2
Thank you Mr. Douglas! You leave us with a body of work that will always live on and inspire. I read that at the height of his stardom he was asked to embark on a world tour to be a roving ambassador of good will for the United States. He and his wife agreed on one condition. They would pay for the entire trip and they did. He and Mrs. Douglas changed so many lives with their generosity and charitable work. And on a lighter note, picture your favorite male movie star of today and you can imagine how Kirk Douglas thrilled his fans, especially the boys and girls who knew him as a larger than life cowboy from his many films, when Mr. Douglas rode a horse in the Palm Springs Christmas parade. The Douglas's had a home there and were beloved members of the community. Rest in peace Izzy and enjoy your BIG welcome home party with all your friends in heaven!
3
I seem to remember seeing Douglas on stage in San Francisco, paired with Burt Lancaster in "The Boys in Autumn." The play, by Bernard Sabath, told the tale of Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn as older men. It was a work in progress at the time and eventually opened in New York with a different cast that included George C. Scott. This had to be the mid-1980s and so would have marked Douglas' appearance on a stage after "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest."
1
I thought he would live forever. He was so full of life and talent.
His Jewishness played a large role in his life. He couldn't forget his roots and I think his struggles showed up in his acting. It gave him depth and filled him with a need to surpass his rivals.
The thing that stands out, was his need to give back and to learn. His philanthropy was heartfelt and gladly received by those who were privileged to receive it.
His lasting legacy will be as an astonishingly talented actor and a Jewish man who never lost sight of his heritage and the need to educate and give back to society. While anti-Semitism played a role in his life, he wasn't defined by it. What an unbelievable accomplishment.
Mr. Douglas was a mensch.
15
He was a really decent honorable American, of a sort so much in need in these times. Let´s keep his memory alive.
8
Kirk Douglas in "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea" was magnificent. I was just 6-years old when the film opened and I was blown away by Douglas' performance. It is not often that an actor plays both serious and comical scenes in the same movie. Kirk Douglas did it in "Twenty Thousand Leagues" and I was hooked on his movies from then on.
2
He's not one I would think about when ruminating on old Movie Stars. He wasn't Bogart, nor was he Cary Grant. It's rather like Kobe, who wasn't Michael, wasn't Magic, wasn't Kareem, wasn't Jerry West. People seem to lose perspective when remembering dead folks. Something exaggerates, over states. Of course old folks, like me, do remember when these people were performing, but younger people have nothing to compare with since Movies, in the switch to Color, lost so much that made the stars special. Then there's the maudlin nature of modern grief, brought in by JFK then reprised big time with the Princess Diana.It's all very odd.
3
I can never stop watching a Kirk Douglas film even if I've seen it several times. He was just great.
8
"a member of a pantheon of leading men, among them Burt Lancaster, Gregory Peck, Steve McQueen and Paul Newman."
Mr Douglas had Plenty of acting range, but I am not sure he was a "leading man." Specifically his roles leaned more toward top billing roles but they were in the vein of versatile character and ensemble acting. And he was Great at that. Maybe I am not familiar with all of his work but article writer's label of Douglas as one of the great leading men of the 50s doesnt seem quite on target.
@K Henderson
Peck and Lancaster were a different era. McQueen came out of TV , as did Newman. Their style of acting was influenced by the nuances that the small screen taiught, whereas the Movie only people, came from Stage and radio. Quite a different form of performance. I don't think there's any comparison.
2
As I grew older and reminisced about the film stars of my youth, almost all dead, I held on to the fact that at least one, Kirk Douglas, was still alive. His death, to me, closes the book on a bygone Hollywood era.
8
I feel very sad hearing about Kirk Douglas's passing. From what I know and read, he was a very poor Jewish boy who excelled at every major thing he undertook, from being a student, wrestler, actor, lover, father, husband and prolific writer. He outlived all his peers, and his story is a true American classic. Condolences to his family as so many of us honor his life and work.
6
A fine tribute to one of the greats of cinema.
My favorite is “Paths of Glory.”
To the list of tough guy actors from that era I would add Richard Widmark and Robert Mitchum.
RIP, Kirk Douglas.
3
Kirk Douglas was one of those movie stars who was so much more than just a movie star. He took roles that were uncomfortable and daring, unlike so many others.
I loved his movies with Burt Lancaster.
R.I.P. Izzy.... Mr Douglas
3
My favorite? "A Letter to Three Wives" (1949) and not mentioned here or elsewhere. A shame. Smart, sharp script by Mankiewicz who followed this with "All About Eve". Mr Douglas plays a schoolteacher with the heart and mind of a poet philosopher struggling with post war Buy, Buy, Buy. He is terrific as is the entire ensemble cast. That is how I will remember you Mr Douglas: George Phipps!
5
Kirk Douglas, along with Burt Lancaster, were the kind of real tough guys that many actors have pretended to be. Real tough guys with values and inner strength that more than matched what you could see.
87
@cheryl
Great comment! And oh so true.
7
@cheryl Throw Robert Mitchum and Robert Ryan in that elite group too. RIP, Spartacus.
17
@cheryl Kirk was also a very spiritual man. He said this was heaven here on Earth or hell. There was no need to die and go anywhere as this was it. Make it what you wish.
9
While he was filming "Lust for Life" in Arles, many old-timers (who remembered Vincent Van Gogh) were stunned by the resemblance. A visually beautiful Vincent Minelli film, it remains my favorite of Mr. Douglas's movies. Unlike most film stars, he really wasn't "likable," possessed of an undeniable edge, but he made it work. And what a life, especially as a philanthropist and defier of the Black List. Godspeed, sir, and God bless.
85
@Bella Wilfer Lust for Life is superb! For my money, Douglas' best acting in one of the great Hollywood films about art and artists.
6
@Bella Wilfer
Hear, hear. But I take ever so slight an exception to his being not "likable". We parked next to each other in San Diego in 1970. As we stepped out of our cars (Fiat and Rolls) no words were spoken but his big smile at me made my day.
19
I read this obituary while listening to the President of the United States ramble and gloat.
It's a shame that our political leaders can't measure up to being half the mensch Kirk Douglas was.
20
@Rich Egenriether
Half? You are giving Trump WAYYYY too much credit. If he were half the man Kirk Douglas was, I would be canvassing for Trump!
Trump is a microbe with a megalomanic attitude.
4
Thanks for this tribute to one of the great stars of Hollywood's golden age. While his talents on the big screen are what he is best known for, his personal rise from rags (literally) to riches, his efforts to break the McCarthy blacklists, and his openness to talking about the setbacks in his life are what make him a role model. It's also nice to be reminded of the qualities that make someone truly worthy of receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
162
My father was a minister in Canton, NY in the '50s. He got in trouble for being outspoken against the McCarthy witch hunts. There was a local meeting of parishioners and citizens where he stood up to defend himself. A student at St. Lawrence University was in the crowd, and was the only person to speak in support of my father. The student's speech was compelling, and quieted the crowd. Many many years later my dad realized who that was. Kirk Douglas, or rather Izzy, as he then identified himself.
150
@Ted Ford Webb Great story, but Mr. Douglas was in the St Lawrence class of '39 and a big star by the 1950's.
25
not sure the math works. i think he graduated from SLU in late 30s or at least before he entered the armed forces in wwll.
13
"Lonely are the Brave" is one of the best films ever made imho which is a commentary on the advent of a changing world due to "progress." I'm a big fan of Mr. Douglas and this film in particular. RIP to a powerful human being inside and out.
4
@JB
I likewise fell in love with that movie the first time I saw it. Imagine my surprise when I saw Mr. Douglas on a talk show in the '70's, and he said that it was his favorite movie.
2
Rest in peace Mr. Douglas. I fondly remember many of your films which brought me much joy. Your Oscar appearance after your stroke brought tears to my eyes as I rooted for you in your recovery. You will be missed, but your legacy will live on in all your films.
77
Thanks for a well-written tribute to Mr. Douglas. That last paragraph is a killer.
1
His Judaism having been such an important factor to him, I
was surprised that this review fails to mention either "The Juggler"
or "Cast A Giant Shadow." The first is a gripping portrayal of a
Holocaust survivor's struggle to stay alive inside after coming
to Israel after the war. The second tells the story of Mickey Marcus, the Eisenhower staff officer who played a crucial role
in secretly creating the Burma Road that allowed needed supplies
to get thru from Tel Aviv to starving Jerusalem during the War of
Independence. ( I got a real kick out of his use of a 1956 Pontiac
convertible ostensibly in 1948 as well as Frank Sinatra's dropping
bombs by hand out of a Piper Cub.) Also his friendship with
Robert Capa and their sharing of canteens of arak during a
lull in the fighting. Given the antiSemitism of his youth I think
that in addition to their excellence as movies these say a great
deal about what made him come alive so vividly on screen.
2
I'm Spartacus! Mr. Douglas was a real mensch. A vanishing breed, in the movies and in real life.
3
Great scene from Seven Days in May:
General Scott/Burt Lancaster (planning to overthrow the US government, but finding that his once loyal aide is trying to stop him): "Colonel Jiggs, do you know who Judas was?"
Colonel Jiggs/Kirk Douglas: "Yes sir, I do. He was a man I respected and admired until he disgraced the 4 stars on his uniform."
Anyone else see any parallels with what went one in the US Senate yesterday, at least with one Republican senator?
Disclaimer, the 46% president has never deserved any respect or admiration.
6
A great Douglas film not mentioned: "The Devil's Disciple"
5
A shout out about Ace in the Hole, where Douglas brought to life the most despicable journalist in American film.
1
A life well lived. I think he played college football at Michigan State if my memory is correct.
I will remember him most for his part in The Vikings with Tony Curtis and Mr. Douglas' performance in Spartacus. I lived in a small southern Michigan town and a highlight of the week was going to the Saturday morning movie at the Bohm theatre. His famous dimpled chin must be the most famous chin ever.
1
The world lost a great artist. Kirk Douglas truly had a "lust for life" in his acting career which spans for decades. Kirk Douglas put his heart, mind and soul in very role he portrayed from Spartacus to Van Gogh and afterwards. Truly, Kirk Douglas' legacy will live on to infinity. Well done Kirk!
4
In his One-Man show "Before I Forget" Mr. Douglas told his amazing life story warmly, beautifully, and honestly. His
extraordinary longevity and resilience after his stroke were demonstrations of his "toughness" that were not scripted or acted. They were the real thing. His range as an artist–both as actor and writer was wide; his generosity as a philanthropist,
admirable. I read that John Wayne had chastised Mr. Douglas for playing a "weakling" like Vincent. It was yet another demonstration of his strength. A great man has passed. RIP Kirk Douglas.
11
Just when I think I've seen all of his movies ,I see by the comments, there are several I have not seen. Got a new list and the search is on.
Thank you Mr. Douglas for all your great performances. RIP
PS - read his book way back (Ragman's Son). There was something about it I remember that lifted me out of a down time I was going through. Thanks
9
"20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" was my favorite as a child. Think I will watch it again tonight.
7
One film not mentioned yet is "A Letter to Three Wives". Kirk Douglas plays a high school teacher and the husband of Ann Sothern. Kirk Douglas' performance is witty and sincere - and a great foil to the other stars of the film. Directed by Joe Mankiewicz (father of Ben Mankiewocz, often seen on TMC), "A Letter to Three Wives" is of-its-time, has a unique story-telling format, and definitely worth seeking out. I will be watching this film today, remembering all the great performances of this American icon.
13
Looking forward to revisiting his many great films, maybe read a book or two. Thanks for the reminders about this giant, yet humble, figure.
6
My sincerest condolences to his family on their loss. I have watched almost all of Kirk Douglas' films on the small screen. Yet, his performance always drew me in until the screen was not so small anymore.
RIP Kirk
7
I can still see Mr. Douglas in Jacques Tourneur's "Out of the Past". Thank you for the memories. RIP, my friend.
7
I met Kirk Douglas circa 1986, while working as a messenger. He was having a discussion with his secretary in the reception area of his business office when I walked in. His response to my entrance? He stopped his conversation, shook my hand and said, "Hi, I'm Kirk". A real Mensch, Kirk it was a pleasure to meet you!
56
On top of being a screen dominating actor Kirk Douglas was also an accomplished writer.
In his memoir “The Ragman’s Son” he recalls his friendship and numbers of films with Burt Lancaster, with whom many associated him. At the 1958 Academy Awards ceremony the two did a very funny song and dance routine entitled “It’s Great Not To Be Nominated,” making light of their record. Kirk also wrote of attending a Dodgers baseball game at Ebbets Field where a fan asked him: “Hey Koik, where’s Boit?” Afterwards, he wrote, the two always called each other Koik and Boit.
Thanks for all the memories Koik. Rest In Peace.
26
My family knew his back in the day, growing up in Amsterdam. Many years later, Kirk Douglas inspired my dad by example to have a second Bar Mitzvah at age 83. He said, “If it’s good enough for Kirk Douglas, it’s good enough for me!” May both their memories be for a blessing.
17
Mr. Douglas seemed to escape mortality, living over a century. But he will live on through his works. I agree his less storied, smaller budget films speak best to his passion and acting skills, e.g., The Heroes of Telemark." He is beloved by his alma mater, St. Lawrence University, where my daughter recently graduated. He was a generous benefactor. But can anyone answer the question, why hitchhike to SLU? It's in a cold, remote region of upstate NY. Searching for a diamond in the rough? Doing things his way? Defying convention and comfort zones? An iconoclast who will be missed!
7
just shows how tough - and wise he was!
1
I realize that everyone will pick "Spartacus" as their favorite Kirk Douglas film, but my choices are "Out of the Past" (the ultimate film noir) and "Tough Guys" with Burt Lancaster.
He had a much broader range than some credit him with.
10
@WesTex I agree completely on Out of the Past. An outstanding example of Noir and great performances by Douglas, Mitchum, Greer
5
@SneedHearn let us also not forget Detective Story, Ace in the Hole, 7 Days in May, Lonely are the Brave, The Vikings. He brought fervor even to potboilers.
2
@Jazzmandel YES! Ace in the Hole! I showed it to my high school journalism students. Excellent example of his work.
A life well lived and an example of drive, humanity and social justice. As the grandchild of Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe, it is gratifying to see the pattern of his life. The last Kirk Douglas movie I saw was It Runs in the Family- in which art appears to have imitated his son and grandson's lives. I now wonder if there was a Viking funeral.
14
It should be mentioned, alongside Kirk Douglas' support for Dalton Trumbo and strong, ethical stand against McCarthy's blacklist, was the fact that the film "Spartacus" was based on the book of the same name by noted author Howard Fast, also blacklisted.
From Wikipedia, "In 1950, [Howard Fast] was called before the House Committee on Un-American Activities; in his testimony, he refused to disclose the names of contributors to a fund for a home for orphans of American veterans of the Spanish Civil War (one of the contributors was Eleanor Roosevelt), and he was given a three-month prison sentence for contempt of Congress.
"While he was at Mill Point Federal Prison, Fast began writing his most famous work, Spartacus, a novel about an uprising among Roman slaves. Blacklisted by major publishing houses following his release from prison, Fast was forced to publish the novel himself. It was a success, going through seven printings in the first four months of publication. (According to Fast in his memoir, 50,000 copies were printed, of which 48,000 were sold.)
"Just as the production of the film version of Spartacus (released in 1960) is considered a milestone in the breaking of the Hollywood blacklist, the reissue of Fast's novel by Crown Publishers in 1958 effectively ended his own blacklisting within the American publishing industry."
Honor to them all!
60
One movie that wasn't noted was "Cast a Giant Shadow," which was about West Point graduate and former WWII US Army Col. "Mickey" Marcus becoming a Israeli General in the 1948 war. Being Jewish, as I am, I have to believe that it meant something to Mr. Douglas, who returned to his heritage later in life.
29
Thanks for the bio, Kirk Douglas truly one of the greatist may he RIP.
9
How...interesting...that the star of the eerily prescient "Ace in the Hole" should leave us now. The sensation-seeking, media-frenzied society and pop culture depicted in that 1950s film presaged the "new normal" in the new millennium. RIP Mr. Douglas.
12
Dear Nina,
Interestingly, the film “Ace in the Hole,” also released under the title “The Big Carnival,” was based on what happened when a spelunker named Floyd Collins became trapped deep inside a cave in central Kentucky. As crowds gathered at the site the newspapers and radio stations issued frenzied stories and bulletins. The story dominated the news for two weeks. Poor Floyd Collins died and the spectacle died with him. But the reporter played by Kirk Douglas in the film, after coming upon a man similarly trapped inside a cave, tells his young and naive cameraman about Floyd Collins and sees in the man’s plight his ticket back to big-time newspaper reporting.
Stay well Nina, and in our own media-crazed age, stay sane.
Allen
1
Last of the "Tough Guys".
7
@VJR I think more than one person would agree that isn't necessarily bad. "Tough" guys are overrated.
1
Kirk was a legend beyond his time. Over the past two decades, living on as one of the few remaining connections to the Hollywood golden age, he's taken on the feeling of a totem. And that's a shame because, divided by many decades from his performing prime, it obscured his talent and his accomplishments, and not only as an actor. Kirk was born Issur Danielovitch, the child of immigrants, the son of a junkman, a native Yiddish speaker, and a wartime navy veteran.
I've seen 23 movies he appeared in, and Douglas had a distinct natural style, a booming earnestness that was ably accompanied by his loud, edgy voice and that famous chin. That earnestness was great in movies like Lonely Are the Brave, but it was best when balanced with a cynical streak (as in Ace in the Hole) or a surprising talent for comedy (as in Man without a Star). Occasionally, Kirk had all three traits in the same performance. I think he was rarely better than in There Was a Crooked Man, an underrated Western in which he played a charming, picaresque con man. He was rangy, wild, funny, and dangerous in that movie, and so overshadowed everyone else that you forgot Henry Fonda was playing opposite him. He was great in that movie. He was usually great in all of his movies. He was a bona fide movie star. I'll miss him.
17
I always watch Detective Story and Seven Days in May when they are on TV. Two of the best films ever made.
12
Yes to "Paths of Glory," "Lust for Life," "Detective Story" and many others, but for my money the best of them all is the largely overlooked classic "Lonely are the Brave,"which among many other virtues, featured a young Gena Rowlands to die for.
18
Gave DVD copies of that for Christmas this year. Saw "Lonely Are the Brave" not when it came out but on a 12-inch black and white television set in 1974 while lying in bed recovering from a surgery. Thought then it was maybe the greatest movie I'd ever seen. Was also my introduction to Edward Abbey, upon whose novel it was based. Still grateful for the movie and for the introduction.
8
@ken winston caine
I was 11 on Long Island and for some reason I cut out the NY Times review of "Lonely Are the Brave"
and mounted it on red construction paper. I carried the review throughout HS. I thought the film was speaking directly to me and I became a great fan of Kirk Douglas.
RIP Spartacus!
How wonderful to read of all the accomplishments and charitable work of Mr. Douglas. After this week, it is just uplifting to read of someone with true strength of character. Condolences to his family.
15
I knew this day would eventually come, when a Hollywood actor who helped mold my childhood would pass away, his star diminished. While it was inevitable he seemed to defy death which was fitting for an actor who was so much larger than life.
I grew up watching Kirk Douglas, an early fan of his film work, and writers better than I will be composing tributes to a stellar career, so no attempt at that here. He inspired a generation of men and women. He was a hero on screen in the truest sense of the word: brave, courageous in the face of overwhelming odds, tender in love, brutal in the fight.
I have seen the film clips of him accepting awards after his debilitating stroke, I have seen the withering of his body at the hands of time, and I have heard the difficulty he had speaking simple sentences. But that's not how I will remember him. He will always be Spartacus, the passionately intense slave, fighting against overwhelming odds, and dying on the cross as his newborn son escapes Rome with his mother to freedom. No matter how many times I see the film, I weep at its powerful ending scene.
And the "I'm Spartacus!" moment in the film when he sheds a single tear as he realizes the love his people had for him will live on as a piece of iconic cinema magic. Because of that magic, Kirk Douglas defied death and will live on for future generations. His star may be diminished, but it will never burn out.
21
I am Spartacus!
Rest in peace. May his memory be a blessing.
30
I am Spartacus
1
Great article remembering a legend. The piece didn’t mention two of my favorite movies late in his career. Man From Snowy River where he played twin brothers, one good and the other evil. The Fury, directed by Brian DePalma, where he plays disgruntled CIA officer opposite John Cassavetes
RPI to a great human being
11
@Richard, Thank you for bringing up The Man from Snowy River. I liked it so much that I bought the DVD so I could watch it again and again. Kirk's performances of the two brothers demonstrated his understanding of human nature and sibling rivalry. The location of the story, in Australia, provided some of the most stunning scenery, and the horsemanship in this movie far excels anything I have ever seen. Most highly recommended. Kirk Douglas was the best.
1
Great obit of one incredible life and journey. Just to learn of where he came from and how little his family had. Rest easy, Kirk Douglas! Congrats on a life well-lived.
17
@oyvey : I recommend his autobiography, "The Ragman's Son". Many words of wisdom and humorous anecdotes.
I read it years ago but I remember the story of Kirk being approached by an attractive young lady on the street. When he saw her gleaming eyes he anticipated a romantic encounter, but her first words were, "Aren't you Michael Douglas' father?"
4
He was great in Kazan's "The Arrangement". i saw it in the theatre when I was 15. The scene in the boardroom where he gets real about cancer and cigarettes blew me away, even more than the attempt suicide in the sports car.
8
He received the Medal of Freedom from Jimmy Carter.
And now Rush Limbaugh has received has received one from Melania Trump.
Which tells us just about all we need to know about the direction America is going.
143
@A. Stanton
What I always thought was for individuals like a Neil Armstrong is really all about politics. Mr. Douglas was a staunch Democrat - Carter while Mr. Limbaugh a staunch Republican- Trump.
@AG Please the point is not political the point is to have the good taste and sensibility not to compare refined tea (Douglass ) with dirty water (Limbaugh)
44
@A. Stanton
Amen. Absolutely correct
8
In light of Mitt Romney's recent vote this seems an opportune time to remind readers of Issur's fave movie (and mine), Lonely Are the Brave, in which his character Jack Burns learns, “that if you try to be an individual, society will crush you.”
But surely Kirk would also remind us of the advice of one of the 20th century's greatest inventor's—Hollywood most gorgeous leading lady—Hedi Lamarr, who admonished us to, "Do it, anyway."
52
My favorite Kirk movie was 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. He was great and I would bet he would say it was one of his favorites
12
The phrase "his many sexual conquests" belongs to a bygone era. "He was credibly accused of raping Natalie Wood" is how we talk in 2020.
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@Ramparts
You are exactly right: "sexual conquests" implies that power is applied to obtain sexual gratification. At least, the act of conquest denies agency and choice to the "conquered"; at worst it is simply rape and if the allegations are true about Nathalie Wood, it was a violent, vicious rape. He was supposed to have said that he "liked them young!" How many women and girls may have suffered from his "conquests"? Many artists' contributions and talent should not be a smoke screen for the horrible things they did to those around them. Also how can one reconcile taking religion and marriage seriously and being so casual about multiple affairs?
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A medal of freedom that was deserved
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Wow - what a life story! I had no idea he came from such abject poverty. He's the embodiment of the American story we all like to think can happen.
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It was beautiful when Mr. Douglas was bad.
May he rest in peace and love.
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I’m disappointed this never mentions his role in the 1954 Disney film “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.” I wouldn’t argue his portrayal of harpooner Ned Land is among his best work, but he was a bright spot in the movie playing against notables like James Mason and Peter Lorre, and it’s a film younger folks might be familiar with.
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@dmarkwind Thank you. That was one of the first movies I ever saw as a small child (it frightened the wits out of me) and Douglas was mesmerizing as the bad boy sailor.
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I was 11 in 1951 when I saw my first Kirk Douglas movie, Detective Story. It's not one that gets a lot of press, but it's a subtle, fine portrait of a police officer who can't forgive his wife for what he finds out about her after their marriage. He often played tormented souls, and this detective is one of his best.
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@EFpoetrygal1
I was nine and it scared me to death.
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Goodbye, Kirk, and thanks for your many unforgettable film performances. I know I'll revisit them again and again.
You were a class act in all respects.
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RIP Mr. Douglas, we thank you.
I guess that leaves Olivia deHavilland as the last survivor
of the Golden Age.
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@RABNDE
Arguably Margaret O’Brien as well.
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@RABNDE
And Marsha Hunt, Norman Lloyd
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Another celebrity with an, ahem, "complicated" history who has been very successful at sweeping it under the rug. I'll choose to remember Natalie Wood instead today.
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@Why not remember them both? They were both fine performers. Douglas also did some fine and courageous things apart from acting.
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Much I didn't know here and as I just learned much to admire in a life about which I knew nothing but the image projected on the screen.
That's the way it is. As we hurry through the years, we miss much of the background of those fleeting images that flicker past our otherwise occurpied lives. Thanks for filling in some of the blanks.
As I said, much to admire here, and much to ponder about how things have changed. Was particularly taken by that Presidential Medal of Freedom President Carter awarded him and couldn't help but contrast it with the Freee-dumb awards handed out by our current president and what that contrast means.
On the one hand, Douglas, a man with a lifetime of real accomplishment, who spent many of his last years sharing the fruits of his success with others not so fortunate.
On the other, Rush Limbaugh, who made his good living being loud, dishonest and mean.
Can't help but think there''s a lesson in here somewhere.
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Douglas actually portrayed a Marine Corps colonel in Seven Days in May — not an Air Force officer as Mr. Bergqvist writes. As a Marine, I took heart in that casting — hoping that our service’s ethos of “doing right,” and comparatively smaller entanglement with the military-industrial complex, would make our leaders — in politically charged circumstances — more likely to hew true to the Constitution.
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When you compare today's pampered so-called stars (Tom Hanks excluded) to those like Kirk Douglas and Burt Lancaster of the golden age you realize how great they were and how much we miss them. Those actors could actually act and had a screen presence and bigger than life personality that commanded your attention regardless of the merits of the actual film they were in. For this old timer they are sorely missed.
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@Rossano excellent post. I would other icons like Gregory Peck and Jimmy Stewart
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Dalton Trumbo wrote the screenplay “Lonely Are the Brave” (1962), in which Mr. Douglas played a defiant, old-fashioned cowboy in modern New Mexico who becomes a fugitive from the law.
Based on a wonderful book by Edward Abbey.
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@David Henry Thanks David, my first thought upon hearing of his death was how great that book and movie remain today. Highly recommended.
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Many times I have watched Spartacus, The Vikings, Seven Days in May -- what a great actor! - and a man who really achieved such goodness in this world.
I saw Spartacus on the big screen when it was first released -- what an experience!!, I will never forget the music, the scenes of fighting, and just sobbing at the end.
Right now I just feel so sad this lovely man has left -- may his family be comforted by how many people loved him.
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I’m surprised here that nobody talks about what was probably his most significant role, I’m talking about Eddie Anderson in The Arrangement (1964). I have often wondered how this role influenced her life afterward. In any case, it had an effect on mine.
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Not only was Kirk Douglas a "Star of Hollywood's Golden Age", he WAS golden as well as being one tough bird on and off the screen.
They truly don't make 'em like him anymore.
Gosh, he was a very handsome man in his prime and quite the distinguished elder statesman in the industry. There was such a refined ruggedness about him.
You will be missed Mr. Douglas but remembered fondly forever in all of your movies. Thank you for sharing your talent with the world.
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He was a shining star that will continue to warm those who take the time to watch his movies. The most believable VanGogh ever.
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True, his Van Gogh is the best! Love what Joe Mankiewicz brought out of him in There Was a Crooked Man and Letter to Three Wives. Douglas was an important producer, as well. Micheal brilliantly followed in his footsteps.
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I loved Kirk Douglas and watching him in any movie. His career was interesting because he bridged the gap between the stars of Hollywood's Golden Age in the 1930s and 1940s (James Stewart, Cary Grant, Clark Gable, Humphrey Bogart, Bette Davis, Katharine Hepburn, Gary Cooper, Spencer Tracy) and the more iconoclastic, "enfant terrible" types who would achieve stardom beginning in the 1950s and 1960s (Marlon Brando, Jack Nicholson, Dustin Hoffman, Jane Fonda, etc.).
Douglas was definitely somebody who belonged in both camps. That he took a chance and appeared in a Stanley Kubrick film as early as 1957 ("Paths of Glory") was a sign that he could and would survive and prosper as Hollywood began transitioning out of the studio system era.
He was a great actor, and a really a model for anybody in any profession to follow in terms of noticing trends and keeping ahead of them.
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@AR Since mention of earlier stars is made here, let's not forget Henry Fonda, William Holden, and Charlton Heston. Not to mention the man who gave weight to every film he was in: Anthony Quinn.
Taking nothing away from the extraordinary Kirk Douglas or from this fine post.
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@AR - Not to mention taking on the challenging role of Vincent van Gogh in Lust for Life (1956) and a dual role in The Man from Snowy River(1982). For me my favorites are The Devils Disciple (1959) and the great Paths of Glory (1957).
But more importantly - where do kids today get to not only watch but to even find out about these great movies? Yes, I know they are out there on TCM, IFC, Sundance etc. but the bean counters (particularly Comcast) are increasingly putting these stations behind ever more expensive paywalls. When I was a kid back in the 1970s these movies were always shown on TV. You turned on the TV and there they were - for free. Today we're assaulted by a tsunami of too much of everything - much of which is mediocre at best (esp. the digital flicks) and pure drek at worst - and we have to pay for it.
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Have you seen how horrible the Sundance Channel’s listings have become?
There is now only one person left from Hollywood's Golden Age: Olivia de Havilland, also aged 103. When she passes, that truly will be the end of that era.
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@Marcus Actually, there is at least one more person left from Hollywood's Golden Age -- even though he's a character actor, not a big star. Norman Lloyd, who is even older than either Mr. Douglas or Ms. de Havilland, is 105 (born in 1914) and, astonishingly, has a credit as recently as 2015, when he would have been 101.
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Being born in 1950, Mr Douglas was an integral fiber of popular American culture. He was a yardstick for measurement of quality.
Many thanks to you and may you rest in peace, Mr Douglas.
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@N Comerford
Without actually double checking the article, simple math gives us the fact that he was not born in 1950.
2020 -103 = 1917 (or 1916, depending on the month he was born)
@Lu ~ I believe N Comerford was referring to the year he, not Mr. Douglas, was born.
@Lu
If you read the comment more carefully I believe the poster is referring to their own year of birth.
Well, this makes Olivia de Havilland the last living representative of Hollywood's golden age. Douglas, a genuine movie star, an underrated actor and a mensch, possessed a vitality matched only by his good pal, Burt Lancaster. The two of them working together resulted in a spectacular display of adrenaline regardless of the nature of their material (vide "Seven Days in May"). To say he'll be missed is an understatement.
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@stu freeman Adrenaline? I would say testosterone would be more like it. But Kirk and Burt were a pair the likes of which we will never see again.
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I just cried when my husband told me about the passing of Kirk Douglas. I don't care if he was a 103. I adored him, miss him, and will remember him often.
I was just thinking how sad this week has been.
One legend in his own mind is acquitted while a legend of the screen passes away.
Sincere condolences to the family, loved ones, friends and many, many fans of Mr. Douglas.
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...Over the years I have seen many of his films. I've always enjoyed his sincere acting intensity no matter which role he was portraying....Olav ha-sholom !
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I’m not sure I’ve seen all of Douglas’s films but I’ve seen most of them. My favorite was “Seven Days in May” which also had Burt Lancaster starring. A rather spare, black and white movie during the Cold War, based on a novel by Fletcher Knebel and a screen play by Rod Serling, I find it still relevant today.
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@Steve Projan I saw this film as a young man when it was first released and I think that this riveting movie is one of the main sources of my lifetime interest in national affairs. This film changed my life and you cannot say that about many films. And Kirk Douglas made it great.
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@Steve Projan Unfortunately the movie has more relevance today than any time since its release.
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Mr. Douglas' charitable work, defense of Mr. Trumbo and grace in the face of devastating illness will stand as his greatest legacies. His film career will stand as the vehicle which allowed him to enter our lives and set a shining example.
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I’m just old enough to remember Kirk Douglas in many of his later roles, like in “The Final Countdown” (1980). I’ve seen “Spartacus” (1960) of course which is a classic. But he’s been in so many movies that some younger folks may not even realize that they have seen at least on of his films. Hollywood has lost a lion.
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