Photo: Unknown photographer / Public domain (source: Wikimedia Commons)
Born on December 9, 1916 in Amsterdam, New York, United States, Kirk Douglas was a film producer, television actor and film actor. Kirk Douglas died on February 5, 2020, aged 103. Education on record includes St. Lawrence University. Recorded honors include National Medal of Arts, Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama (1956), Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award (1967) and 5 more. Credited works include 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, The Vikings and Lust for Life.
My Take
Kirk Douglas embodies what I admire most in golden-age Hollywood: ferocity with a conscience. Rising from genuine poverty to become a defining star of the 1950s, he kept choosing bruising material—Paths of Glory, Lust for Life, Spartacus—when safer vehicles would have paid just as well. I am especially struck by his willingness to spend his star power against the blacklist era. The honorary Oscar and the Presidential Medal of Freedom feel almost redundant; his real monument is a filmography built on jutting-jawed defiance. Living to 103, he outlasted the very era he helped define, and few careers feel as thoroughly earned.
This take was written by generative AI, one per person, from publicly reported facts (editorial policy). It is a reading of the record, not reporting.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Kirk Douglas
- Name (Japanese)
- カーク・ダグラス
- Reading
- かーく・だぐらす
- Born
- December 9, 1916 – February 5, 2020
- Origin
- Amsterdam, New York, United States
- Occupation
- film producer / television actor / film actor / film director / screenwriter
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Sagittarius / Dragon
2. Background
- University
- St. Lawrence University
Awards & achievements
- National Medal of Arts
- 1956 Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama
- 1967 Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award
- 1980 Honorary César
- 1981 Presidential Medal of Freedom
- 1991 AFI Life Achievement Award
- 1994 Kennedy Center Honors
- 1995 Academy Honorary Award
3. Works & records
Filmography / notable works
| Category | Title |
|---|---|
| Notable work | 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea |
| Notable work | The Vikings |
| Notable work | Lust for Life |
| Notable work | Paths of Glory |
| Notable work | Spartacus |
4. Links
- Official sitehttps://www.kirkdouglas.com/
- Wikipedia (English)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirk%20Douglas
- Wikipedia (Japanese)https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%82%AB%E3%83%BC%E3%82%AF%E3%83%BB%E3%83%80%E3%82%B0%E3%83%A9%E3%82%B9
- Wikidatahttps://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q104027
5. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
Only publicly available facts are listed; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. Base data was compiled from Wikidata from June 2026 onward; ages are recalculated daily and deaths are checked against Wikidata on an ongoing basis. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.
Frequently asked questions
When was Kirk Douglas born?
Kirk Douglas was born on December 9, 1916.
When did Kirk Douglas die?
Kirk Douglas died on February 5, 2020, aged 103.
Where was Kirk Douglas from?
Kirk Douglas was from Amsterdam, New York, United States.
What did Kirk Douglas do?
Kirk Douglas worked as film producer, television actor, film actor, film director, screenwriter.
Where did Kirk Douglas study?
Kirk Douglas attended St. Lawrence University.
What was Kirk Douglas known for?
Kirk Douglas's notable works include 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, The Vikings, Lust for Life.
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