Kirk Douglas' life in photos
By Madeline Boardman Updated February 05, 2020 at 06:56 PM EST
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Kirk Douglas through the years
Rugged Actor
Credit: Hulton Archive/Getty Images
Born in New York on Dec. 9, 1916, Kirk Douglas, pictured above in 1945, kicked off his acting career in the 1940s. Douglas counted his first credits for films like The Strange Love of Martha Ivers, Out of the Past, and I Walk Alone, picking up his first Academy Award nomination soon after for 1949's Champion. In the decades since, the actor earned additional Oscar and Golden Globe honors for The Bad and the Beautiful, Lust for Life, and Amos, continued his Hollywood dynasty with sons Michael, Joel, Eric, and Peter Douglas, and appeared in dozens of onscreen projects.
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Kirk Douglas in 1945
GALLERY: Kirk Douglas Through the Years: GettyImages-3170163.jpg circa 1945: American actor Kirk Douglas, who portrayed artist Vincent Van Gogh in 'Lust for Life'.
Credit: John Kobal Foundation/Getty Images
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Kirk Douglas in 1946
GALLERY: Kirk Douglas Through the Years: GettyImages-3170167.jpg 1946: American actor Kirk Douglas, the charismatic star of 'Lust for Life', 'The Vikings' and 'Spartacus'.
Credit: A. L. Whitey Schafer/John Kobal Foundation/Getty Images
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Kirk Douglas in 1948
GALLERY: Kirk Douglas Through the Years: ALL CROPS GettyImages-3170162.jpg circa 1948: American actor Kirk Douglas, the father of Michael Douglas.
Credit: John Kobal Foundation/Getty Images
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Kirk Douglas With Michael Douglas in 1948
GALLERY: Kirk Douglas Through the Years: GettyImages-3172566.jpg 1948: American actor Kirk Douglas lying on a couch with his legs in the air as he balances his son, Michael on the soles of his feet.
Credit: Hulton Archive/Getty Images
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Kirk Douglas in Champion in 1949
GALLERY: Kirk Douglas Through the Years: GettyImages-166893420.jpg American actor Kirk Douglas in a promotional portrait for 'Champion', directed by Mark Robson, 1949.
Credit: Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images
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Kirk Douglas in 1950
GALLERY: Kirk Douglas Through the Years: GettyImages-625799910.jpg Portrait of American actor Kirk Douglas as he poses with his hands in his pockets, 1950.
Credit: PhotoQuest/Getty Images
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Kirk Douglas in the 1950s
GALLERY: Kirk Douglas Through the Years: GettyImages-110135039.jpg Kirk Douglas on a beach in 1950's.
Credit: Reporters Associes/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images
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Kirk Douglas With Joel Douglas and Michael Douglas in 1955
GALLERY: Kirk Douglas Through the Years: GettyImages-3209341.jpg circa 1955: Full-length image of American actor Kirk Douglas using a pole to lift his sons, Joel (L) and Michael, on the deck of a swimming pool.
Credit: Hulton Archive/Getty Images
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Kirk Douglas With Joel Douglas and Michael Douglas at Idlewild Airport on December 15, 1955
GALLERY: Kirk Douglas Through the Years: GettyImages-97259449.jpg December 15, 1955 Kirk Douglas with sons, Joel and Michael, at Idlewild Airport
Credit: Art Edger/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images
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Kirk Douglas in Lust For Life in 1956
GALLERY: Kirk Douglas Through the Years: GettyImages-161060353.jpg Kirk Douglas poses for a portrait in a scene from the film 'Lust For Life', 1956.
Credit: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/Getty Images
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Kirk Douglas with Anne Buydens at the Premiere of Lust for Life in Los Angeles on 1956
GALLERY: Kirk Douglas Through the Years: GettyImages-451347941.jpg CIRCA 1956: Actor Kirk Douglas with wife Anne Buydens attend the premiere of "Lust for Life" in Los Angeles, California.
Credit: Earl Leaf/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
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Kirk Douglas in Spartacus in 1960
GALLERY: Kirk Douglas Through the Years: SPARTACUS, Kirk Douglas, 1960
Credit: Courtesy Everett Collection
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Kirk Douglas With Anne Buydens at a Party in Los Angeles in 1961
GALLERY: Kirk Douglas Through the Years: GettyImages-451407907.jpg CIRCA 1961: Actor Kirk Douglas and his wife Anne Buydens arrive for a party in Los Angeles, California. (Photo
Credit: Earl Leaf/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
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Kirk Douglas With Anne Buydens in 1962
GALLERY: Kirk Douglas Through the Years: GettyImages-499149477.jpg CIRCA 1962: Actor Kirk Douglas and his wife Anne Buydens arrive for a party in Los Angeles, California. (Photo
Credit: Earl Leaf/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
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Kirk Douglas in 1963
GALLERY: Kirk Douglas Through the Years: GettyImages-153476583.jpg American actor Kirk Douglas, circa 1963.
Credit: Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images
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Kirk Douglas Filming Cast a Giant Shadow With Michael Douglas in Rome in 1965
GALLERY: Kirk Douglas Through the Years: GettyImages-1858086.jpg Kirk Douglas (right) and his son American actor Michael Douglas on the set of the film, 'Cast a Giant Shadow,' directed by Melville Shavelson, Rome, Italy, 1965.
Credit: Hulton Archive/Getty Images
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Kirk Douglas in 1970
GALLERY: Kirk Douglas Through the Years: GettyImages-120355530.jpg Kirk Douglas, US actor, wearing a light blue shirt and a dark blue tie, with red motifs, circa 1970.
Credit: Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images
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Kirk Douglas With Dean Martin on The Dean Martin Show on September 7, 1973
GALLERY: Kirk Douglas Through the Years: GettyImages-141131387.jpg September 7, 1973 THE DEAN MARTIN COMEDY HOUR -- "Celebrity Roast: Kirk Douglas" -- Pictured: (l-r) Ted Knight, host Dean Martin, roastee Kirk Douglas
Credit: Gary Null/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank
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Kirk Douglas With Michael Douglas on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson on May 26, 1975
GALLERY: Kirk Douglas Through the Years: GettyImages-141194825.jpg THE TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JOHNNY CARSON -- Episode May 26, 1975 -- Pictured: (l-r) Actor Michael Douglas, Guest host/actor Kirk Douglas
Credit: Fred Sabine/NBCU Photo Bank
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Kirk Douglas in Arthur Hailey's The Moneychangers on December 4, 1976
GALLERY: Kirk Douglas Through the Years: GettyImages-171808252.jpg December 04, 1976 ARTHUR HAILEY'S THE MONEYCHANGERS -- Pictured: Kirk Douglas as Alex Vandervoort
Credit: NBC/NBCU Photo Bank
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Kirk Douglas at Academy Awards Rehearsals on April 12, 1978
GALLERY: Kirk Douglas Through the Years: GettyImages-105402630.jpg Kirk Douglas during Kirk Douglas Leaving Academy Awards Rehearsals - April 12, 1978
Credit: Ron Galella, Ltd./WireImage
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Kirk Douglas With Michael Douglas at the Welcome to L.A. Party for Julio Iglesias in Beverly Hills on March 9, 1983
GALLERY: Kirk Douglas Through the Years: GettyImages-112026397.jpg March 9, 1983 Kirk Douglas and Michael Douglas during "Welcome to L.A." Party for Julio Iglesias at Chasen's Restaurant in Beverly Hills, California, United States.
Credit: Ron Galella/WireImage
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Kirk Douglas With Burt Lancaster in 1986
GALLERY: Kirk Douglas Through the Years: TOUGH GUYS, from left, Kirk Douglas, Burt Lancaster, 1986
Credit: Buena Vista Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection
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Kirk Douglas in 1990
GALLERY: Kirk Douglas Through the Years: GettyImages-117706763.jpg American actor Kirk Douglas, circa 1990
Credit: Nancy R. Schiff/Getty Images
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Kirk Douglas With Jay Leno on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno on June 24, 1994
GALLERY: Kirk Douglas Through the Years: GettyImages-163612407.jpg THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO -- Episode 488 -- Pictured: (l-r) Actor Kirk Douglas during an interview with host Jay Leno on June 24, 1994
Credit: Margaret Norton/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank
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Kirk Douglas With Robin Williams and Steven Spielberg at the 1994 ShoWest in Las Vegas on September 7, 1994
GALLERY: Kirk Douglas Through the Years: GettyImages-111176277.jpg September 7, 1994 Kirk Douglas, Robin Williams and Steven Spielberg during 1994 ShoWest in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States.
Credit: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic
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Kirk Douglas at the 68th Annual Academy Awards in Los Angeles on March 25, 1996
GALLERY: Kirk Douglas Through the Years: GettyImages-623339272.jpg March 25, 1996 US actor Kirk Douglas salutes the crowd at the 68th Annual Academy Awards after he received an Oscar for life time achievment 25 March in Los Angeles.
Credit: Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images
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Kirk Douglas With Michael Douglas and Jack Nicholson at Michael Douglas' Footprint Ceremony at Mann's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood on September 10, 1997
GALLERY: Kirk Douglas Through the Years: GettyImages-115350788.jpg September 10, 1997 Michael Douglas, Kirk Douglas and Jack Nicholson during Michael Douglas Footprint Ceremony at Mann's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, California, United States.
Credit: Jim Smeal/WireImage
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Kirk Douglas With Lauren Bacall for Diamonds in Deauville, France on September 7, 1999
GALLERY: Kirk Douglas Through the Years: GettyImages-115128696.jpg Deauville film festival: Kirk Douglas and Lauren Bacall for "Diamonds" in Deauville, France on September 07, 1999
Credit: Pool Benainous/Scorcelletti/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images
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Kirk Douglas With Diana Douglas, Michael Douglas, and Cameron Douglas at the It Runs In the Family New York Premiere on April 13, 2003
GALLERY: Kirk Douglas Through the Years: GettyImages-85205234.jpg Diana Douglas, Kirk Douglas, Michael Douglas and Cameron Douglas April 13, 2003 'It Runs In the Family' New York Premiere - Inside Arrivals
Credit: Dimitrios Kambouris/WireImage
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Kirk Douglas With Michael Douglas, Anne Buydens, and Catherine Zeta-Jones at the AFI Lifetime Achievement Award: A Tribute to Michael Douglas on June 11, 2009
GALLERY: Kirk Douglas Through the Years: GettyImages-88438753.jpg Michael Douglas, Anne Buydens, Kirk Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones arrive at AFI Lifetime Achievement Award: A Tribute to Michael Douglas held at Sony Pictures Studios on June 11, 2009 i
Credit: Kristian Dowling/Getty Images
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Kirk Douglas at the Theatre Artist Dinner in Los Angeles on September 14, 2011
GALLERY: Kirk Douglas Through the Years: GettyImages-125004387.jpg Kirk Douglas poses during the Theatre Artist Dinner on the stage of the Kirk Douglas Theatre on September 14, 2011 in Los Angeles, California.
Credit: Ryan Miller/Getty Images
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Kirk Douglas With Michael Douglas at SBIFF's 2011 Kirk Douglas Award for Excellence In Film Honoring Michael Douglas on October 13, 2011
GALLERY: Kirk Douglas Through the Years: GettyImages-129202086.jpg Kirk Douglas (L) and actor Michael Douglas attend SBIFF's 2011 Kirk Douglas Award for Excellence In Film honoring Michael Douglas at the Biltmore Four Seasons on October 13, 2011 in Santa
Credit: Michael Buckner/Getty Images
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Robert De Niro and Kirk Douglas attend the 7th Annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival where De Niro was honored with the Kirk Douglas Award For Excellence In Film on Dec. 8, 2012
7th Annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival - Kirk Douglas Award For Excellence In Film Honoring Robert DeNiro
Credit: JB Lacroix/WireImage
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Kirk Douglas and wife Anne arrive at the 2013 Vanity Fair Oscar Party on Feb. 24, 2013
2013 Vanity Fair Oscar Party Hosted By Graydon Carter - Arrivals
Credit: Alberto E. Rodriguez/WireImage
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Kirk Douglas presents at the Anti-Defamation League Centennial Entertainment Industry Awards Dinner Honoring Jeffrey Katzenberg on May 8, 2013 in Beverly Hills, Calif.
Anti-Defamation League Centennial Entertainment Industry Awards Dinner Honoring Jeffrey Katzenberg
Credit: Michael Kovac/WireImage
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Kirk Douglas and his wife Anne Douglas attend the 25th anniversary of The Anne Douglas Center at Los Angeles Mission on May 4, 2017
25th Anniversary Of The Anne Douglas Center - Anne Douglas' Annual Birthday Lunch - Arrivals
Credit: Earl Gibson III/WireImage
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Kirk Douglas on stage during the 75th Annual Golden Globe Awards on Jan. 7, 2018
75th Annual Golden Globe Awards - Show
Credit: Paul Drinkwater/NBCUniversal via Getty Images
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Kirk Douglas at son Michael's Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremonly on Nov. 6, 2018
US-ENTERTAINMENT-HWOF-STAR-DOUGLAS
Credit: VALERIE MACON/AFP/Getty Images
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