On Thursday, his son Michael Douglas, an acting icon in his own right, revealed the news of his father’s death in an emotional statement.
(Instagram/@michaelkirkdouglas)
Kirk Douglas, who became the last great star of Hollywood’s golden era, died at the age of 103 on Wednesday. The news broke when Kirk’s son Michael took to his official Instagram handle to share the news.
On Thursday, his son Michael Douglas, an acting icon in his own right, revealed the news of his father’s death in an emotional statement. He shared a series of pictures of his father, along with other family members and friends. Alongside the pictures, Michael penned a heartfelt note.
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He wrote, “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.”
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Michael further added, “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. #KirkDouglas (sic).”
The star was survived by his wife Anne Buydens and his three sons Michael, Joel and Peter. Douglas suffered a stroke back in 1996 that left him with slurred speech and damages facial nerves. The famed actor made more than 90 movies in a career that stretched across seven decades. Films including Spartacus and The Vikings made him one of the biggest box-office stars of the 1950s and 60s. The legend was also nominated three times for the best actor Oscar in 1949 for Champion, The Bad and the Beautiful in 1953 and Lust for Life in 1957. Douglas never received an Academy Award for an individual film but the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences awarded him an honorary Oscar in 1996 for his role as a creative and moral force in the industry.
Meanwhile, Michael’s wife, Catherine Zeta-Jones, was among those leading the tributes in the wake of her father-in-law’s death.
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To my darling Kirk, I shall love you for the rest of my life. I miss you already. Sleep tight…
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