‘Incredible icon’ Kirk Douglas dies at 103
The actor was the star of the movie industry’s golden age
The actor and Hollywood legend Kirk Douglas has died aged 103.
His son Michael said in a statement: “It is with tremendous sadness that my brothers and I announce that Kirk Douglas left us today. To the world, he was a legend, an actor from the golden age of movies... but to me and my brothers Joel and Peter he was simply Dad.”
Michael's wife, Catherine Zeta-Jones, posted a photo of her and her father-in-law, writing on Instagram: “I shall love you for the rest of my life. I miss you already.”
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Born Issur Danielovitch Demsky to Russian-Jewish immigrants, Douglas said that he tried as many as 40 jobs before finding fame as an actor. He rose to prominence during Hollywood's “golden age”, earning his first of three Oscar nominations for the 1949 boxing story Champion.
Hit films, including Spartacus and The Vikings, made him one of the biggest box office stars in the 1950s and 1960s. The BBC says Douglas “prided himself on playing the tough guys, the sort of characters he once described as ‘sons of bitches’”.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––For more culture features - and a concise, refreshing and balanced take on what really matters - try The Week magazine. Start your trial subscription today –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
The actor William Shatner called Douglas “an incredible icon” of the film industry, while director Steven 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.”
Star Trek actor George Takei wrote on Twitter: “Douglas was a champion for many just causes and lived a long and storied life. He was adored and beloved, and he shall be missed.”
CNN said: “The actor was a larger-than-life character, a titan of the entertainment industry, and - by virtue of his longevity - one of the last surviving links to a particular era of Hollywood's past.”
He is survived by his wife, Anne Buydens, and his three sons: Michael, Joel, and Peter. A fourth son, Eric, died in 2004.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
'Being more nuanced will not be easy for public health agencies'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Where did Democratic voters go?
Voter turnout dropped sharply for Democrats in 2024
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
4 tips to save as health care costs rise
The Explainer Co-pays, prescription medications and unexpected medical bills can really add up
By Becca Stanek, The Week US Published
-
Sport on TV guide: Christmas 2022 and New Year listings
Speed Read Enjoy a feast of sporting action with football, darts, rugby union, racing, NFL and NBA
By Mike Starling Published
-
House of the Dragon: what to expect from the Game of Thrones prequel
Speed Read Ten-part series, set 200 years before GoT, will show the incestuous decline of Targaryen
By Chas Newkey-Burden Published
-
One in 20 young Americans identify as trans or non-binary
Speed Read New research suggests that 44% of US adults know someone who is transgender
By The Week Staff Published
-
The Turner Prize 2022: a ‘vintage’ shortlist?
Speed Read All four artists look towards ‘growth, revival and reinvention’ in their work
By The Week Staff Last updated
-
What’s on TV this Christmas? The best holiday television
Speed Read From films and documentaries to musicals for all the family
By The Week Staff Published
-
Coco vision: up close to Chanel opticals
Speed Read Parisian luxury house adds opticals to digital offering
By The Week Staff Published
-
Abba returns: how the Swedish supergroup and their ‘Abba-tars’ are taking a chance on a reunion
Speed Read From next May, digital avatars of the foursome will be performing concerts in east London
By The Week Staff Published
-
‘Turning down her smut setting’: how Nigella Lawson is cleaning up her recipes
Speed Read Last week, the TV cook announced she was axing the word ‘slut’ from her recipe for Slut Red Raspberries in Chardonnay Jelly
By The Week Staff Published