Critics called this actor the man of the era. And there is not the slightest exaggeration in this. Kirk Douglas represented both positive characters and outright scoundrels on the screen. On his account there are more than a hundred paintings and more than a dozen novels, the author of which is the actor.
Childhood and youth
At the beginning of the twentieth century, millions of people moved to the American continent in search of a better life. Natives of Russia, Gershl and Brian Danilevichi, settled in the suburbs of New York in 1910. Not to say that they immediately got rich, but hard work and striving for the best allowed them to achieve material success. The future actor and writer was born on December 9, 1916. He became the first and only son of an immigrant family. In addition to him, six more sisters eventually appeared in the house. In the process of adaptation, the parents changed their first and last name in the American manner.
Kirk Douglas grew up physically strong and intelligent boy. From an early age, he had to work to bring at least some money into the house. He sold newspapers, delivered pizza, and unloaded vegetable trucks at the market. At home, he often gave impromptu performances in front of family and neighbors. The boy got the dream of becoming an actor after he visited Broadway and watched musicals. At school, Douglas studied well. I had time to do boxing and moonlight as a security guard in the parking lot. After graduating from school, he entered the famous Academy of Dramatic Arts.
Creative way
When World War II broke out, Douglas went to the reception center to volunteer for the military. But he was refused due to poor eyesight. Then Kirk found a method to restore the sharpness of the eyes and began to work hard. Two months later, he passed the draft board and received a referral to the Pacific Fleet. In 1944, after being wounded, Douglas was demobilized and returned to his peaceful pursuits. He was immediately offered to participate in productions on his native Broadway. After a while, the ambitious actor felt cramped in his familiar environment and he left for Hollywood.
Douglas performed his first role in a film on the big screen in the drama Martha Ivers's Strange Love. The producers noticed the textured actor and offered him a lucrative engagement. In subsequent years, Kirk did not remain out of work, but starred mainly in secondary roles. And in the early 50s, the films "Ace in the Sleeve", "Detective Stories", "Lust for Life", in which the actor plays the main roles, were released one by one. The title role in the film "Spartacus" brought Douglas worldwide fame.
Recognition and privacy
Kirk Douglas not only acted in films, but also directed. His painting "The Squad" won a special prize at the Berlin Film Festival. The actor received an Oscar in 1996 for creative and moral efforts in the cinematic community. In the last years of his life, the actor wrote several biographical and adventure books.
The actor's personal life has developed without tragedies and dramas. He was married twice. In each marriage, two children were born. They all followed in their father's footsteps and became actors. Kirk Douglas passed away in February 2020 at one hundred and four years of age.
