Kirk Douglas, Hollywood acting legend known for his role in 1960 classic Spartacus, in which he played the titular character, has died at the age of 103.
The actor died on Wednesday at his home in Beverly Hills, California. He is survived by his wife of 65 years Anne Buydens and his three sons Michael, Joel, and Peter.
His son and acting icon, Michael Douglas, confirmed the news of his father’s death in an emotional statement on his Instagram page. 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.
“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.”
Douglas, born Issur Danielovitch of Russian-Jewish ancestry in New York, made more than 90 films in a career that stretched seven decades.
Hit movies such as Spartacus and The Vikings made him one of the biggest box office stars in the 1950s and 1960s.
He was nominated for an Oscar for best actor in 1959 for his role as boxer Midge Kelly in Champion.
He also earned two Oscar nominations as a producer for The Bad And The Beautiful in 1953 and Lust For Life in 1957.
But he wait almost 50 years before receiving the golden statuette, which he picked up for lifetime achievement. He never won a competitive Oscar.
