Editing Kirk Douglas (section)

==Career==

===Rise to stardom===
Douglas joined the [[United States Navy]] in 1941, shortly after the United States entered [[World War II]], where he served as a [[communications officer]] in [[anti-submarine warfare]] aboard [[PC-461-class submarine chaser|USS ''PC-1139'']].<ref name="MilitaryDouglas">{{cite web|url=https://navy.togetherweserved.com/usn/servlet/tws.webapp.WebApps?cmd=ShadowBoxProfile&type=Person&ID=468480|title=Douglas, Kirk, LTJG|publisher=www.navy.togetherweserved.com|access-date=January 10, 2018}}</ref> He was medically discharged in 1944 for injuries sustained from the premature explosion of a [[depth charge]].<ref name="OsdolLambert1995">{{cite book|author1=Van Osdol, William R.|author2=John W. Lambert|title=Famous Americans in World War II: a pictorial history|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=h1I2K3DydwgC|year= 1995|publisher=Phalanx|isbn=978-1883809065|page=31|quote=Serving in the Pacific as an ensign, he was seriously injured because of a premature depth charge explosion and returned to San Diego. After five months hospitalization, he was granted a medical discharge in 1944.}}</ref> He rose to the rank of [[Lieutenant (junior grade)]].<ref name="MilitaryDouglas" />

After the war, Douglas returned to New York City and found work in radio, theater, and [[Advertising|commercials]]. In his radio work, he acted in network soap operas and saw those experiences as being especially valuable, as skill in using one's voice is important for aspiring actors; he regretted that later the same avenues became no longer available. His stage break occurred when he took over the role played by [[Richard Widmark]] in ''[[Kiss and Tell (play)|Kiss and Tell]]'' (1943), which then led to other offers.<ref name="Thomas, p. 18"/>

Douglas had planned to remain a stage actor until his friend Lauren Bacall helped him get his first film role by recommending him to producer [[Hal B. Wallis]], who was looking for a new male talent.<ref name=Parker>Parker, John (2011). ''Michael Douglas: Acting on Instinct'', London: Headline. e-book, Ch. 2 {{OCLC|1194433483}}<!-- WorldCat does not list ISBN for this edition --></ref> Wallis's film ''[[The Strange Love of Martha Ivers]]'' (1946) with [[Barbara Stanwyck]] became Douglas' debut screen appearance. He played a young, insecure man stung by jealousy, whose life was dominated by his ruthless wife, and who hid his feelings with alcohol. It would be the last time that Douglas portrayed a weakling in a film role.<ref>Smith, Imogen Sara (2011). ''In Lonely Places: Film Noir Beyond the City'', Jefferson, NC: McFarland. p. 103, {{ISBN|978-0786463053}}. {{OCLC|756335120}}</ref><ref>Thomas, p. 33</ref> Reviewers of the film noted that Douglas already projected qualities of a "natural film actor", with the similarity of this role with later ones explained by biographer Tony Thomas:

{{blockquote|His style and his personality came across on the screen, something that does not always happen, even with the finest actors. Douglas had, and has, a distinctly individual manner. He radiates a certain inexplicable quality, and it is this, as much as talent, that accounts for his success in films.<ref name="Thomas, p. 19">Thomas, p. 19</ref>}}

In 1947, Douglas appeared in ''[[Out of the Past]]'' (UK: ''Build My Gallows High''), playing a large supporting role in this classic noir thriller starring [[Robert Mitchum]] and [[Jane Greer]]. Douglas made his Broadway debut in 1949 in ''[[Three Sisters (play)|Three Sisters]]'', produced by [[Katharine Cornell]].<ref>Mosel, ''Leading Lady: The World and Theatre of Katharine Cornell'' {{ISBN|0316585378}}</ref> The month after ''Out of the Past'' was released, ''[[I Walk Alone]]'', the first film teaming Douglas with [[Burt Lancaster]], presented Douglas playing a supporting part quite similar to his role in ''Out of the Past'' in another classic fast-paced noir thriller.

Douglas' image as a tough guy was established in his eighth film, ''[[Champion (1949 film)|Champion]]'' (1949), after producer [[Stanley Kramer]] chose him to play a selfish boxer. However, in accepting the role, he took a gamble, since he had to turn down an offer to star in a big-budget MGM film, ''[[The Great Sinner]]'', which would have earned him three times the income.<ref>Douglas 1988, p. 146.</ref><ref name=Didinger/> [[Melvyn Douglas]] played the third-billed (above the title) part Kirk Douglas passed on. ''The Great Sinner'' flopped.

Film historian Ray Didinger says Douglas "saw ''Champion'' as a greater risk, but also a greater opportunity ... Douglas took the part and absolutely nailed it." Frederick Romano, another sports film historian, described Douglas's acting as "alarmingly authentic":

{{blockquote|Douglas shows great concentration in the ring. His intense focus on his opponent draws the viewer into the ring. Perhaps his best characteristic is his patented snarl and grimace ... he leaves no doubt that he is a man on a mission.<ref name=Romano>Romano, Frederick V. ''The Boxing Filmography: American Features, 1920–2003'', McFarland (2004), p. 31 {{ISBN|978-0786417933}}</ref>}}
[[File:Douglas - Bacall - Horn 1950.jpg|thumb|Douglas and [[Lauren Bacall]] in ''[[Young Man with a Horn (film)|Young Man with a Horn]]'' (1950)]]

Douglas received his first [[Academy Awards|Academy Award]] nomination, and the film earned six nominations in all. ''[[Variety magazine|Variety]]'' called it "a stark, realistic study of the boxing rackets."<ref name=Didinger>Didinger, Ray, and Glen Macnow. ''The Ultimate Book of Sports Movies: Featuring the 100 Greatest Sports Films'', Running Press (2009), p. 260 {{ISBN|0091521300}}</ref>

After ''Champion'' he decided that, to succeed as a star, he needed to ramp up his intensity, overcome his natural shyness, and choose stronger roles. He later stated, "I don't think I'd be much of an actor without vanity. And I'm not interested in being a 'modest actor'".<ref name="Thomas, p. 28">Thomas, p. 28</ref> Early in his Hollywood career, Douglas demonstrated his independent streak and broke his studio contracts to gain total control over his projects, forming his own movie company, [[Bryna Productions]] (named after his mother) in September 1949.<ref name="Thomas, p. 13"/><ref>{{Cite web|date=September 28, 1949|title=Bryna Productions, Inc.|url=https://businesssearch.sos.ca.gov/CBS/SearchResults?filing=&SearchType=CORP&SearchCriteria=bryna&SearchSubType=Keyword|url-status=dead|access-date=May 18, 2021|website=California Secretary of State|archive-date=May 18, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210518160202/https://businesssearch.sos.ca.gov/CBS/SearchResults?filing=&SearchType=CORP&SearchCriteria=bryna&SearchSubType=Keyword}}</ref>

===Peak years of success===
[[File:Douglas Mangano.jpg|thumb|Douglas and [[Silvana Mangano]] in a pause during the shootings of ''[[Ulysses (1954 film)|Ulysses]]'' (1954)]]
Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, Douglas was a major box-office star, playing opposite some of the leading actresses of that era. He portrayed a frontier peace officer in his first western, ''[[Along the Great Divide]]'' (1951). He quickly became very comfortable with riding horses and playing gunslingers, and he appeared in many Westerns. He considered ''[[Lonely Are the Brave]]'' (1962), in which he plays a cowboy trying to live by his own code, his personal favorite.<ref>Thomas, p. 181</ref> The film, written by [[Dalton Trumbo]], was respected by critics but did not do well at the box office due to poor marketing and distribution.<ref name="Thomas, p. 28"/><ref>{{Cite web|date=April 7, 2013|title=TCM – Lonely are the Brave|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCfDJnKtqTc| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170215183511/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCfDJnKtqTc| archive-date=February 15, 2017|access-date=July 19, 2016|website=YouTube}}</ref>

In 1950, Douglas played Rick Martin in ''[[Young Man with a Horn (film)|Young Man with a Horn]]'', based on a novel of the same name by [[Dorothy Baker (writer)|Dorothy Baker]] based on the life of [[jazz]] [[cornet]]ist [[Bix Beiderbecke]]. Composer and pianist [[Hoagy Carmichael]], a friend of the real Beiderbecke, played the sidekick, adding realism to the film and giving Douglas insight into the role.<ref>Thomas, p. 64</ref> [[Doris Day]] starred as Jo, a young woman who was infatuated with the struggling [[jazz]] musician. This was strikingly opposite of the real-life account in Doris Day's autobiography, which described Douglas as "civil but self-centered" and the film as "utterly joyless".<ref>Hotchner, A. E. (1975). Doris Day: Her Own Story. William Morrow and Company, Inc. {{ISBN|978-0688029685}},</ref> During filming, bit actress [[Jean Spangler]] disappeared, and her case remains unsolved. On October 9, 1949, Spangler's purse was found near the Fern Dell entrance to [[Griffith Park]] in Los Angeles. There was an unfinished note in the purse addressed to a "Kirk," which read:
"Can't wait any longer, Going to see Dr. Scott. It will work best this way while mother is away". Douglas, married at the time, called the police and told them he was not the Kirk mentioned in the note. When interviewed via telephone by the head of the investigating team, Douglas stated that he had "talked and kidded with her a bit" on set,<ref name="spangler">{{cite web|title=Disappearance|url=http://www.mariamusikka.com/JeanSpangler_disappearance.htm|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180312083704/http://www.mariamusikka.com/JeanSpangler_disappearance.htm|archive-date=March 12, 2018|access-date=March 11, 2018|website=mariamusikka.com}}</ref><ref name="spangler3">{{cite web|date=October 13, 1949|title=Actor Quizzed on Missing Girl|url=https://cdnc.ucr.edu/cgi-bin/cdnc?a=d&d=SBS19491013.1.1|access-date=March 11, 2018|website=The San Bernardino Daily Sun}}</ref> but that he had never been out with her.<ref name="auto">{{cite web|author=Lyons|first=Arthur|title=The Mysterious Disappearance of Jean Spangler|url=http://www.palmspringslife.com/Palm-Springs-Life/Whispering-Palms/The-Mysterious-Disappearance-of-Jean-Spangler/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150212114937/http://www.palmspringslife.com/Palm-Springs-Life/Whispering-Palms/The-Mysterious-Disappearance-of-Jean-Spangler/|archive-date=February 12, 2015|access-date=February 12, 2015|website=Palm Springs Life}}</ref> Spangler's girlfriends told police that she was three months pregnant when she disappeared,<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=L1uj6s-d44UC&pg=PA332 |page=332 |title=American Murder: Criminals, Crimes, and the Media |author=Mike Mayo |publisher=Visible Ink Press |year=2008|isbn=978-1578592562 }}</ref> and scholars such as Jon Lewis of Oregon State University have speculated that she may have been considering an illegal [[abortion]].<ref>{{cite book|author=Lewis|first=Jon|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=76owDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA59|title=Hard-Boiled Hollywood: Crime and Punishment in Postwar Los Angeles|publisher=Univ of California Press|year=2017|isbn=978-0520284326|page=59}}</ref>

In 1951, Douglas starred as a newspaper reporter anxiously looking for a big story in ''[[Ace in the Hole (1951 film)|Ace in the Hole]]'', director [[Billy Wilder]]'s first effort as both writer and producer. The subject and story was controversial at the time, and U.S. audiences stayed away. Some reviews saw it as "ruthless and cynical ... a distorted study of corruption, mob psychology and the free press."<ref>Sikov, Ed. ''On Sunset Boulevard: The Life and Times of Billy Wilder,'' New York: Hyperion, (1998) pp. 325–26; {{ISBN|0786861940}}</ref> Possibly it "hit too close to home", said Douglas.<ref name=EW>McGovern, Joe. [https://ew.com/article/2015/02/23/kirk-douglas-four-his-greatest-roles "A Life in Film: Kirk Douglas on four of his greatest roles"], ''Entertainment Weekly'', February 23, 2015.</ref> It won a Best Foreign Film award at the [[Venice Film Festival]]. The film's stature has increased in recent years, with some surveys placing it in their Top 500 Films list.<ref>[https://empireonline.com/500/22.asp ''Empire Magazine's'' The 500 Greatest Movies of All Time.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151009124548/http://www.empireonline.com/500/22.asp |date=October 9, 2015 }} ''[[Empire (magazine)|Empire]]''; retrieved March 21, 2013.</ref> [[Woody Allen]] considers it one of his favorite films.<ref name=Chandler>Chandler, Charlotte (2002). ''Nobody's Perfect: Billy Wilder, a Personal Biography'', New York: Applause Books, p. 166 {{ISBN|978-1557836328}}, {{OCLC|932564547}}</ref> As the film's star and protagonist, Douglas is credited for the intensity of his acting. Film critic [[Roger Ebert]] wrote, "his focus and energy ... is almost scary. There is nothing dated about Douglas' performance. It's as right-now as a sharpened knife."<ref>{{cite news|last=Ebert|first=Roger|date=August 12, 2007|title='Ace in the Hole' movie review & film summary (1951)|work=RogerEbert.com|url=http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070812/REVIEWS08/70810003/1023|access-date=January 4, 2011|archive-date=June 5, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605191507/http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070812/REVIEWS08/70810003/1023|url-status=dead}}</ref> Biographer Gene Philips noted that Wilder's story was "galvanized" by Douglas's "astounding performance" and no doubt was a factor when [[George Stevens]], who presented Douglas with the [[AFI Life Achievement Award]] in 1991, said of him: "No other leading actor was ever more ready to tap the dark, desperate side of the soul and thus to reveal the complexity of human nature."<ref name=Phillips>Phillips, Gene (2010). ''Some Like it Wilder: the Life and Controversial films of Billy Wilder'', Univ. Press of Kentucky, p. 141 {{ISBN|978-0813125701}}. {{OCLC|716971755}}</ref>

Also in 1951, Douglas starred in ''[[Detective Story (1951 film)|Detective Story]]'', nominated for four Academy Awards, including one for [[Lee Grant]] in her debut film. Grant said Douglas was "dazzling, both personally and in the part. ... He was a big, big star. Gorgeous. Intense. Amazing."<ref name=Grant>[[Lee Grant|Grant, Lee]]. ''I Said Yes to Everything: a Memoir'', Blue Rider Press (2014) pp. 75, 428–29; {{ISBN|978-0399169304}}</ref> To prepare for the role, Douglas spent days with the New York Police Department and sat in on interrogations.<ref>{{Cite web|date=May 27, 2013|title=TCM – Detective Story Intro [Robert Osborne]|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BVKMID-cNc| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200305100201/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BVKMID-cNc| archive-date=March 5, 2020|access-date=December 17, 2016|website=YouTube}}</ref> Reviewers recognized Douglas's acting qualities, with [[Bosley Crowther]] describing Douglas as "forceful and aggressive as the detective".<ref>[[Bosley Crowther|Crowther, Bosley]]. [https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9805E1DF1438E43BBC4F53DFB767838A649EDE ''Detective Story'' review], ''[[The New York Times]]'', November 7, 1951; accessed December 26, 2007.</ref>
[[File:Douglas - Big Trees - 1952.jpg|thumb|left|With [[Eve Miller]] in ''The Big Trees'' (1952)]]
In ''[[The Bad and the Beautiful]]'' (1952), another of his three Oscar-nominated roles, Douglas played a hard-nosed film producer who manipulates and uses his actors, writers, and directors. In 1954 Douglas starred as the titular character in ''[[Ulysses (1954 film)|Ulysses]]'', a film based on [[Homer]]'s epic poem ''[[Odyssey]]'', with [[Silvana Mangano]] as [[Penelope]] and [[Circe]], and [[Anthony Quinn]] as [[Antinous]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Crowther|first=Bosley|title=Screen: 'Ulysses' Wanders Into Globe; Kirk Douglas Portrays Bewhiskered Hero Silvana Mangano Both Circe and Penelope|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1955/08/18/archives/screen-ulysses-wanders-into-globe-kirk-douglas-portrays-bewhiskered.html|work=The New York Times|date=August 18, 1955|access-date=February 6, 2020}}</ref>

In ''[[20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954 film)|20,000 Leagues Under the Sea]]'' (1954), Douglas showed that in addition to serious, driven characters, he was adept at roles requiring a lighter, comic touch. In this adaptation of the [[Jules Verne]] novel, he played a happy-go-lucky sailor who was the opposite in every way to the brooding Captain Nemo ([[James Mason]]). The film was one of [[Walt Disney]]'s most successful live-action movies and a major box-office hit.<ref name="Thomas, p. 7"/> Douglas managed a similar comic turn in the western ''[[Man Without a Star]]'' (1955) and in ''[[For Love or Money (1963 film)|For Love or Money]]'' (1963). He showed further diversity in one of his earliest television appearances. He was a musical guest (as himself) on ''[[The Jack Benny Program]]'' (1954).<ref>[[List of The Jack Benny Program episodes#Season 5 (1954–1955)|"Jam Session at Jacks'"]], originally telecast on CBS on October 17, 1954.</ref>

In 1955, Douglas was finally able to get his film production company, [[Bryna Productions]], off the ground.<ref name="Thomas, p. 13"/> To do so, he had to break contracts with Hal B. Wallis and [[Warner Bros.]], but he began to produce and star in his own films, starting with ''[[The Indian Fighter]]'' in 1955.<ref>{{cite web|last=Hilmes|first=Michele|title=Kirk Douglas and Bryna Productions|url=http://old.wcftr.commarts.wisc.edu/collections/featured/kirkdouglas/business/index.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150223201449/http://old.wcftr.commarts.wisc.edu/collections/featured/kirkdouglas/business/index.html|archive-date=February 23, 2015|website=Wisconsin Center for Film and Theater Research}}</ref> Through Bryna, he produced and starred in the films ''[[Paths of Glory]]'' (1957), ''[[The Vikings (1958 film)|The Vikings]]'' (1958), ''[[Spartacus (film)|Spartacus]]'' (1960), ''[[Lonely are the Brave]]'' (1962), and ''[[Seven Days in May]]'' (1964).<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tkKWCwAAQBAJ&pg=PA70 |page=70 |title=Conversations with Classic Film Stars: Interviews from Hollywood's Golden Era |author1=James Bawden |author2=Ron Miller |publisher=University Press of Kentucky |year=2016|isbn=978-0813167121 }}</ref> In 1958, Douglas formed the music publishing company [[Peter Vincent Music|Peter Vincent Music Corporation]], a Bryna Productions subsidiary.<ref name="Billboard-1958">{{Cite magazine|date=April 21, 1958|title=Dot Acquires 'Viking' Track|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/50s/1958/Billboard%201958-04-21.pdf|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|pages=5}}</ref> Peter Vincent Music was responsible for publishing the soundtracks of ''The Vikings'' and ''Spartacus''.<ref name="Billboard-1958" /><ref name="LoC-1958">{{Cite book|last=Library of Congress. Copyright Office.|url=http://archive.org/details/catalogofcopyrig3125libr|title=Catalog of Copyright Entries 1958 Music July–Dec 3D Ser Vol 12 Pt 5|date=1958|publisher=U.S. Govt. Print. Off.|others=United States Copyright Office|language=English}}</ref>

While ''Paths of Glory'' did not do well at the box office, it has since become one of the great anti-war films, and it is one of director [[Stanley Kubrick]]'s early films. Douglas, a fluent French speaker,<ref name="Hughes2013">{{cite book|author=Hughes, David|title=The Complete Kubrick|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zf9BYv5DiCwC&pg=PT36|year= 2013|publisher=Random House|isbn=978-1448133215|page=36}}</ref> portrayed a sympathetic French officer during [[World War I]] who tries to save three soldiers from facing a firing squad.<ref name=Monush>Monush, Barry (2003). ''The Encyclopedia of Hollywood Film Actors'', Applause Books, p. 200 {{ISBN|978-1557835512}}, {{OCLC|472842790}}</ref> Biographer Vincent LoBrutto describes Douglas's "seething but controlled portrayal exploding with the passion of his convictions at the injustice leveled at his men."<ref name=LoBrutto>LoBrutto, Vincent (1997). ''Stanley Kubrick: A Biography'', New York: Carroll & Graf Publishers, pp. 105, 135<!-- These page #'s are based on the DeCapro 1997 edition which was previously listed here w/o ISBN --> {{ISBN|978-0786704859}}, {{OCLC|1037232538}}</ref> The film was banned in France until 1976. Before production of the film began, however, Douglas and Kubrick had to work out some large problems, one of which was Kubrick's rewriting the screenplay without informing Douglas first. It led to their first major argument: "I called Stanley to my room ... I hit the ceiling. I called him every four-letter word I could think of ... 'I got the money, based on ''that'' [original] script. Not this shit!' I threw the script across the room. 'We're going back to the original script, or we're not making the picture.' Stanley never blinked an eye. We shot the original script. I think the movie is a classic, one of the most important pictures—possibly the ''most'' important picture—Stanley Kubrick has ever made."<ref name=LoBrutto/>

Douglas played military men in numerous films, with varying nuance, including ''[[Top Secret Affair]]'' (1957), ''[[Town Without Pity]]'' (1961), ''The Hook'' (1963), ''[[Seven Days in May]]'' (1964), ''[[Heroes of Telemark]]'' (1965), ''[[In Harm's Way]]'' (1965), ''[[Cast a Giant Shadow]]'' (1966), ''[[Is Paris Burning? (film)|Is Paris Burning]]'' (1966), ''[[The Final Countdown (film)|The Final Countdown]]'' (1980), and ''[[Saturn 3]]'' (1980). His acting style and delivery made him a favorite with television impersonators such as [[Frank Gorshin]], [[Rich Little]], and [[David Frye]].<ref name="Thomas, p. 24">Thomas, p. 24</ref><ref>{{cite web|date=December 19, 2013|title=Rich Little roasts Kirk Douglasipad|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ej2J4b5rO0Y| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211028/Ej2J4b5rO0Y| archive-date=October 28, 2021|access-date=December 17, 2016|website=[[YouTube]]}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|date=January 13, 2015|title=David Frye Doing Kirk Douglas, LBJ, Rod Steiger & Brando Impersonations|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nI9gJU4k6Y0| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160117103618/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nI9gJU4k6Y0| archive-date=January 17, 2016|access-date=December 17, 2016|website=[[YouTube]]}}</ref>
 
His role as [[Vincent van Gogh]] in ''[[Lust for Life (1956 film)|Lust for Life]]'' (1956), directed by [[Vincente Minnelli]] and based on [[Irving Stone]]'s [[Lust for Life (novel)|bestseller]], was filmed mostly on location in France. Douglas was noted not only for the veracity of van Gogh's appearance but for how he conveyed the painter's internal turmoil. Some reviewers consider it the most famous example of the "tortured artist" who seeks solace from life's pain through his work.<ref>Fairbanks, Brian. ''Brian W. Fairbanks – Writings'', Lulu (2005) e-book</ref> Others see it as a portrayal not only of the "painter-as-hero", but a unique presentation of the "action painter", with Douglas expressing the physicality and emotion of painting, as he uses the canvas to capture a moment in time.<ref>McElhaney, Joe (2009). ''Vincente Minnelli: The Art of Entertainment,'' Detroit: Wayne State Univ. Press. p. 300 {{ISBN|978-0814333075}}. {{OCLC|232002215}}</ref><ref>Niemi, Robert (2006). ''History in the Media: Film and Television'', Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO. p. 296 {{ISBN|978-1576079522}}. {{OCLC|255629433}}</ref>

Douglas was nominated for an Academy Award for the role, with his co-star [[Anthony Quinn]] winning the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor as [[Paul Gauguin]], van Gogh's friend. Douglas won a [[Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama|Golden Globe]] award, although Minnelli said Douglas should have won an Oscar: "He achieved a moving and memorable portrait of the artist—a man of massive creative power, triggered by severe emotional stress, the fear and horror of madness."<ref name="Thomas, p. 7">Thomas, p. 7</ref> Douglas himself called his acting role as Van Gogh a painful experience: "Not only did I look like Van Gogh, I was the same age he was when he committed suicide."<ref>Douglas 1988, p. 266.</ref> His wife said he often remained in character in his personal life: "When he was doing ''Lust for Life'', he came home in that red beard of Van Gogh's, wearing those big boots, stomping around the house—it was frightening."<ref name="Thomas, p. 44">Thomas, p. 44</ref>

In general, however, Douglas's acting style fit well with Minnelli's preference for "melodrama and neurotic-artist roles", writes film historian [[James Naremore]]. He adds that Minnelli had his "richest, most impressive collaborations" with Douglas, and for Minnelli, no other actor portrayed his level of "cool": "A robust, athletic, sometimes explosive player, Douglas loved stagy rhetoric, and he did everything passionately."<ref>[[James Naremore|Naremore, James]] (1993). ''The Films of Vincente Minnelli'', Cambridge Univ. Press, p. 41, {{ISBN|978-0521387705}}, {{OCLC|231580819}}</ref> Douglas had also starred in Minnelli's film ''[[The Bad and the Beautiful]]'' four years earlier, for which he received a Best Actor Oscar nomination.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/The-Bad-and-the-Beautiful|encyclopedia= Encyclopaedia Britannica |title= The Bad and the Beautiful|date=n.d.|last=Pfeiffer|first=Lee}}</ref>

===Financial troubles===
For approximately 15 years and 27 films, Douglas's agent had been Sam Norton, who was compensated with 10% of Douglas's gross earnings. In addition, Norton was partners with Jerome "Jerry" B. Rosenthal in the law firm of Rosenthal & Norton which received an additional 10%.<ref name=Kirk&Anne1>{{cite book |last1= Douglas |first1= Kirk |last2= Douglas |first2= Anne |last3= Newberger |first3= Marcia |year= 2017 |title= Kirk and Anne: Letters of Love, Laughter and a Lifetime in Hollywood |location= Philadelphia |publisher= Running Press |pages= 67, 101, 103, 104, 113, 114, 115, 121, 122 |type= Hardcover |isbn= 978-0-7624-6217-9}}</ref> On the day of his wedding in 1958 his bride Anne had been quietly pulled aside by Norton and been presented by Norton (without Kirk Douglas's knowledge) with a pre-nuptial agreement. She signed the document, but Douglas, because he held Norton as both his best friend and a father figure, was unwilling to get involved in his wife's subsequent attempts to obtain a copy.<ref name= Kirk&Anne1/> Anne Douglas went behind her husband's back, engaging lawyer Greg Bautzer and suing to obtain a copy from Norton successfully. Her distrust of Norton grew, especially as he had been granted power of attorney, and she found that the pre-nuptial agreement meant that she and their children had no claim on Douglas's estate until they had been married for five years. She could also find no documentation to prove Norton's assertion that Douglas was a millionaire. Her suspicions were further aroused when the Broadway play ''A Very Special Baby'' for which Norton had convinced Douglas to guarantee financing, closed after only a week. She shared her concerns first with Greg Bautzer and then [[Edward Lewis (producer)|Edward Lewis]] who advised her to hire Price Waterhouse to investigate her husband's finances.<ref name= Kirk&Anne1/>

Douglas returned from filming ''The Devils Disciple'' in England in late 1958, and was presented with the results of Price Waterhouse's audit which detailed that the 18 months he had recently spent overseas on the advice of Norton did not qualify for a tax-free income break, that the investments he had been advised to make in fact had been channeled through dummy companies owned by his agent. As a result, Douglas had no money and owed the IRS $750,000. Douglas engaged a new lawyer and was able to get Rosenthal & Norton to give up their rights to any interest in his latest film ''The Vikings'' and any of his future income. Norton was dismissed as his agent, but as he had put nearly all of his assets in his wife's name, Douglas was only able to recover $200,000 from him.<ref name= Kirk&Anne1/>

The profits from ''The Vikings'' allowed Douglas to pay off his IRS debt, with his financial future now dependent on the success of ''Spartacus''.<ref name= Kirk&Anne1/>

===''Spartacus'' and mid-career===
[[File:Spartacus - 1960 - poster.png|thumb|''Spartacus'' (1960)]]

In 1960, Douglas played the title role in what many consider his career-defining appearance<ref>{{cite news|last1=Samuelson|first1=Kate|title=3 Things to Know About Kirk Douglas on His 100th Birthday|url=https://time.com/4596395/kirk-douglas-100/|magazine=Time|access-date=April 11, 2017|language=en|date=December 9, 2016}}</ref> as the [[Thracian]] gladiator slave rebel [[Spartacus]] with an all-star cast in ''[[Spartacus (film)|Spartacus]]'' (1960). He was the executive producer as well, which increased the $12&nbsp;million production cost and made ''Spartacus'' one of the most expensive films up to that time.<ref>Thomas, p. 168</ref> Douglas initially selected [[Anthony Mann]] to direct, but replaced him early on with [[Stanley Kubrick]], with whom he had previously collaborated in ''[[Paths of Glory]]''.<ref>Thomas, p. 149</ref>

When the film was released, Douglas gave full credit to its screenwriter, [[Dalton Trumbo]], who was on the [[Hollywood blacklist]], and thereby effectively ended it.<ref name="face"/>{{rp|81}} During a 2012 interview Douglas said, "I've made over 85 pictures, but the thing I'm most proud of is breaking the blacklist."<ref name="Paskin-2012" /> The film's producer, Edward Lewis, and the family of Dalton Trumbo publicly disputed Douglas's claim.<ref>{{Cite web|last1=Meroney|first1=John|last2=Coons|first2=Sean|date=July 5, 2012|title=How Kirk Douglas Overstated His Role in Breaking the Hollywood Blacklist|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2012/07/how-kirk-douglas-overstated-his-role-in-breaking-the-hollywood-blacklist/259111/|access-date=December 27, 2016|website=The Atlantic}}</ref> In the film [[Trumbo (2015 film)|''Trumbo'']] (2015), Douglas is portrayed by [[Dean O'Gorman]].<ref>[https://latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-ca-mn-sneaks-trumbo-dean-ogorman-20151101-story.html "'Trumbo's' Dean O'Gorman plays Kirk Douglas and earns praise from the legend"], ''Los Angeles Times'', October 30, 2015.</ref>

[[File:Kirk Douglas - 1963.jpg|thumb|left|240px|With [[Joan Tetzel]] in the 1963 Broadway play [[One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (play)|''One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest'']]]]

Douglas bought the rights to stage a play of the novel [[One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (play)|''One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest'']] from its author, [[Ken Kesey]]. He mounted a play from the material in 1963 in which he starred and that ran on Broadway for five months. Reviews were mixed. Douglas retained the movie rights due to an innovative loophole of basing the rights on the play rather than the novel, despite Kesey's objections, but after a decade of being unable to find a producer he gave the rights to his son, [[Michael Douglas|Michael]]. In 1975, the [[One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (film)|film version]] was produced by Michael Douglas and [[Saul Zaentz]], and starred [[Jack Nicholson]], as Douglas was then considered too old to play the character as written.<ref name=Valenti/> The film won [[List of Big Five Academy Award winners and nominees|all five major Academy Awards]], only the second film to do so (after ''[[It Happened One Night]]'' in 1934).<ref>Douglas, Edward (2009). ''Jack: A Biography of Jack Nicholson'', HarperCollins, p. 136<!-- Page is based on the "2004 edition, which World Cat does not list. Providing 2009 eBook data from WorldCat --> {{ISBN|978-0061745492}}. {{OCLC|1237159010}}</ref>

Douglas made seven films over four decades with actor [[Burt Lancaster]]: ''[[I Walk Alone]]'' (1947), ''[[Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (film)|Gunfight at the O.K. Corral]]'' (1957), ''[[The Devil's Disciple (1959 film)|The Devil's Disciple]]'' (1959), ''[[The List of Adrian Messenger]]'' (1963), ''[[Seven Days in May]]'' (1964), ''[[Victory at Entebbe]]'' (1976), and ''[[Tough Guys]]'' (1986), which fixed the notion of the pair as something of a team in the public imagination. Douglas was always billed under Lancaster in these movies, but, with the exception of ''I Walk Alone'' and, even more so, ''The List of Adrian Messenger'' (where Lancaster's part is just a [[cameo appearance]], while Douglas plays the film's villain), their roles were usually of a similar size. Both actors arrived in [[Hollywood, Los Angeles|Hollywood]] at about the same time and first appeared together in the fourth film for each, albeit with Douglas in a supporting role. They both became actor-producers who sought out independent Hollywood careers.<ref name="Thomas, p. 44"/>

[[John Frankenheimer]], who directed the political thriller ''[[Seven Days in May]]'' in 1964, had not worked well with Lancaster in the past and originally did not want him in this film. However, Douglas thought Lancaster would fit the part and "begged me to reconsider," said Frankenheimer, and he then gave Lancaster the most colorful role. "It turns out that Burt Lancaster and I got along magnificently well on the picture," he later said.<ref>Armstrong, Stephen B. ed. (2013), ''John Frankenheimer: Interviews, Essays, and Profiles'', Lanham: The Scarecrow Press, p. 166, {{ISBN|978-0810890572}}. {{OCLC|820530958}}</ref>

In 1967 Douglas starred with [[John Wayne]] in the western film directed by [[Burt Kennedy]] titled ''[[The War Wagon]]''.<ref>{{cite news|title=New Double Bill|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1967/08/03/archives/new-double-bill.html|work=The New York Times|date=August 3, 1967|access-date=February 6, 2020|page=0}}</ref>

In [[The Arrangement (1969 film)|''The Arrangement'']] (1969), a drama directed by [[Elia Kazan]] and based upon his [[The Arrangement (novel)|novel of the same title]], Douglas starred as a tormented advertising executive, with [[Faye Dunaway]] as costar. The film did poorly at the box office, receiving mostly negative reviews. Dunaway believed many of the reviews were unfair, writing in her biography, "I can't understand it when people knock Kirk's performance, because I think he's terrific in the picture," adding that "he's as bright a person as I've met in the acting profession."<ref>Hunter, Allan. ''Faye Dunaway'', St. Martin's Press, NY (1986) p. 81</ref> She says that his "pragmatic approach to acting" would later be a "philosophy that ended up rubbing off on me."<ref name=Dunaway>Dunaway, Faye; Sharkey, Betsy (1995). ''Looking for Gatsby: My Life '', Simon & Schuster, p. 193 {{ISBN|978-0684808413}}, {{OCLC|474923659}}</ref>

===Later work===
[[File:Kirk Douglas Tonight Show guest host 1975.JPG|thumb|Douglas in 1975]]

In the 1970s, he starred in films such as ''[[There Was a Crooked Man... (1970 film)|There Was a Crooked Man...]]'' (1970),<ref>{{Cite web|title=AFI{{!}}Catalog|url=http://catalog.afi.com/Film/20738-THERE-WAS-A-CROOKED-MAN?cxt=filmography|access-date=August 6, 2021|website=catalog.afi.com}}</ref> ''[[A Gunfight]]'' (1971),<ref>{{Cite web|title=AFI{{!}}Catalog|url=http://catalog.afi.com/Film/54318-A-GUNFIGHT?cxt=filmography|access-date=August 6, 2021|website=catalog.afi.com}}</ref> ''[[The Light at the Edge of the World]]'' (1971).<ref>{{Cite web|title=AFI{{!}}Catalog|url=http://catalog.afi.com/Film/54363-THE-LIGHT-AT-THE-EDGE-OF-THE-WORLD?cxt=filmography|access-date=August 6, 2021|website=catalog.afi.com}}</ref> and ''[[The Fury (1978 film)|The Fury]]'' (1978).<ref>{{Cite web|title=AFI{{!}}Catalog|url=http://catalog.afi.com/Film/67692-THE-FURY?cxt=filmography|access-date=August 6, 2021|website=catalog.afi.com}}</ref> He made his directorial debut in ''[[Scalawag (film)|Scalawag]].'' (1973),<ref>{{Cite web|title=AFI{{!}}Catalog|url=http://catalog.afi.com/Film/55055-SCALAWAG?cxt=filmography|access-date=August 6, 2021|website=catalog.afi.com}}</ref> and subsequently also directed ''[[Posse (1975 film)|Posse]]'' (1975), in which he starred alongside [[Bruce Dern]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=AFI{{!}}Catalog|url=http://catalog.afi.com/Film/55614-POSSE?cxt=filmography|access-date=August 6, 2021|website=catalog.afi.com}}</ref>

In 1980, he starred in ''[[The Final Countdown (film)|The Final Countdown]]'',<ref>{{Cite web|title=AFI{{!}}Catalog|url=http://catalog.afi.com/Film/56411-THE-FINAL-COUNTDOWN?cxt=filmography|access-date=August 6, 2021|website=catalog.afi.com}}</ref> playing the commanding officer of the aircraft carrier [[USS Nimitz (CVN-68)|USS ''Nimitz'']], which travels through time to the day before the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor. It was produced by his son [[Peter Douglas]]. He also played in a dual role in ''[[The Man from Snowy River (1982 film)|The Man from Snowy River]]'' (1982), an Australian film which received critical acclaim and numerous awards.

In 1986, he reunited with his longtime co-star, [[Burt Lancaster]], in a crime comedy, ''[[Tough Guys]]'', with a cast including [[Charles Durning]] and [[Eli Wallach]]. It marked the final collaboration between Douglas and Lancaster, completing a partnership of more than 40 years.<ref name="NYT-86">Farber, Stephen (November 2, 1986). [https://www.nytimes.com/1986/11/02/movies/lancaster-and-douglas-a-chemistry-lesson.html "Lancaster and Douglas: A Chemistry Lesson"]. ''New York Times''.</ref> That same year, he co-hosted (with [[Angela Lansbury]]) the [[New York Philharmonic]]'s tribute to the 100th anniversary of the [[Statue of Liberty]]. The symphony was conducted by [[Zubin Mehta]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1986-07-05/features/8602090161_1_liberty-weekend-liberty-festivities-great-lawn |title=Liberty Receives Classical Salute |date=July 5, 1986 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150223012824/http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1986-07-05/features/8602090161_1_liberty-weekend-liberty-festivities-great-lawn |archive-date=February 23, 2015 }}</ref>

In 1988, Douglas starred in a television adaptation of ''[[Inherit the Wind (1988 film)|Inherit the Wind]]'', opposite [[Jason Robards]] and [[Jean Simmons]]. The film won two [[Emmy Awards]]. In the 1990s, Douglas continued starring in various features. Among them was ''[[The Secret (1992 film)|The Secret]]'' in 1992, a television movie about a grandfather and his grandson who both struggle with dyslexia. That same year, he played the uncle of [[Michael J. Fox]] in a comedy, ''[[Greedy (film)|Greedy]]''. He appeared as the [[Devil]] in the video for the [[Don Henley]] song "[[The Garden of Allah (song)|The Garden of Allah]]". In 1996, after suffering a severe stroke at age 79 which impaired his ability to speak, Douglas still wanted to make movies. He underwent years of voice therapy and made ''[[Diamonds (1999 film)|Diamonds]]'' in 1999, in which he played an old professional boxer who was recovering from a stroke. It co-starred his longtime friend from his early acting years, Lauren Bacall.<ref>{{cite news|author=Thomas|first=Kevin|date=December 10, 1999|title='Diamonds' Gives Douglas a Chance to Sparkle|work=Los Angeles Times|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1999-dec-10-ca-42365-story.html}}</ref>

In 2003, [[Michael Douglas|Michael]] and [[Joel Douglas]] produced ''[[It Runs in the Family (2003 film)|It Runs in the Family]]'', which along with Kirk starred various family members, including Michael, Michael's son Cameron, and his wife from 50 years earlier, [[Diana Douglas|Diana Dill]], playing his wife. His final feature-film appearance was in the 2004 [[Michael Goorjian]] film ''[[Illusion (2004 film)|Illusion]]'', in which he depicts a dying film director forced to watch episodes from the life of a son he had refused to acknowledge.<ref name="IrishPressAssoc">{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.ie/style/celebrity/celebrity-news/silver-screen-veteran-kirk-douglas-celebrates-100th-birthday-35280687.html |work=The Irish Independent |agency=Press Association |date=December 9, 2016 |title=Silver screen veteran Kirk Douglas celebrates 100th birthday}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |page=192 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AjyGDAAAQBAJ&pg=PA192 |title=Fade to Gray: Aging in American Cinema |author1=Timothy Shary |author2=Nancy McVittie |publisher=University of Texas Press |year=2016|isbn = 978-1477310632}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b8ad3e794 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171103062451/http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b8ad3e794 |url-status=dead |archive-date=November 3, 2017 |work=BFI |title=Illusion (2004)}}</ref> His last screen role was the TV movie ''[[Empire State Building Murders]]'', which was released in 2008.<ref name="IrishPressAssoc"/> In March 2009, at the age of 92, Douglas performed an autobiographical one-man show, ''Before I Forget'', at the [[Center Theatre Group]]'s [[Kirk Douglas Theatre]] in [[Culver City, California]]. The four performances were filmed and turned into a documentary that was first screened in January 2010.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2010-jan-17-la-ig-scene17-2010jan17-story.html|title=Kirk Douglas' 'Before I Forget' movie premieres; South Coast Repertory's 'Ordinary Days' has West Coast opening|last=Olivier|first=Ellen|date=January 17, 2010|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=February 4, 2010}}</ref>

On December 9, 2016, he celebrated [[List of centenarians (actors, filmmakers and entertainers)|his 100th birthday]] at the [[Beverly Hills Hotel]], joined by several of his friends, including [[Don Rickles]], [[Jeffrey Katzenberg]], and [[Steven Spielberg]], along with Douglas's wife Anne, his son [[Michael Douglas|Michael]] and his daughter-in-law [[Catherine Zeta-Jones]]. Douglas was described by his guests as still being in good shape, able to walk with confidence into the Sunset Room for the celebration.<ref>{{cite news|title=Inside Kirk Douglas's intimate 100th birthday celebration|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/12/10/inside-kirk-douglass-intimate-100th-birthday-celebration/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/12/10/inside-kirk-douglass-intimate-100th-birthday-celebration/ |archive-date=January 10, 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|newspaper=The Telegraph|date=December 10, 2016|agency=Associated Press}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

Douglas appeared at the [[75th Golden Globe Awards|2018 Golden Globes]] with his daughter-in-law [[Catherine Zeta-Jones]], a rare public appearance in the final decade of his life.<ref>{{cite web|last=Johns|first=Gibson|date=January 8, 2018|title=Kirk Douglas, 101, Makes a Rare Public Appearance at the 2018 Golden Globes|url=http://www.closerweekly.com/posts/kirk-douglas-golden-globes-2018-150742|website=Aol}}</ref> He received a standing ovation and helped Zeta-Jones present the award for "Best Screenplay – Motion Picture".<ref>{{cite web|last=Birkinbine|first=Julia|date=January 7, 2018|title=Kirk Douglas, 101, made a very rare public appearance at the 2018 Golden Globes|url=https://www.aol.com/article/entertainment/2018/01/07/kirk-douglas-golden-globes-appearance/23326728/|website=Closer Weekly}}</ref>