Photo: Unknown photographer / Public domain (source: Wikimedia Commons)
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.
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
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Sagittarius / Dragon
- Origin
- Amsterdam, New York, United States
- Occupation
- film producer / television actor / film actor / film director / screenwriter
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
4. Personality
Motto
Private
5. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | — |
6. Links
- Official sitehttp://www.kirkdouglas.com/
- 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
Frequently asked questions
When was Kirk Douglas born?
December 9, 1916 – February 5, 2020.
Where is Kirk Douglas from?
Kirk Douglas is from Amsterdam, New York, United States.
What does Kirk Douglas do?
Kirk Douglas works as film producer, television actor, film actor, film director, screenwriter.
What is Kirk Douglas known for?
Notable works include 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, The Vikings, Lust for Life.
Film producer — see all → · Television actor — see all → · More people from United States →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-11
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.