Kirk Douglas, an iconic star who reconnected to Judaism after near-fatal crash – The Times of Israel
Posted By admin on February 9, 2020
LOS ANGELES (JTA) Kirk Douglas, the legendary actor who portrayed legions of tough guys and embraced his Jewish heritage later in life, died at his home in Beverly Hills on Wednesday. He was 103.
Over a career that spanned 87 films 73 big screen features and 14 on television the blond, blue-eyed Douglas, dimpled chin thrust forward, was often cast as the toughest guy around, vanquishing hordes of Romans, Vikings and assorted bad guys.
Thrice nominated for an Academy Award and a recipient of an Oscar for lifetime achievement and a Presidential Medal of Freedom, Douglas evolved from an egocentric and promiscuous young man into a multi-talented actor, director, author, philanthropist and student of Torah who left a deep imprint on both Hollywood and the Jewish people.
Get The Times of Israel's Daily Edition by email and never miss our top storiesFree Sign Up
Douglas also was the author of 11 books, ranging from personal memoirs and a Holocaust-themed novel for young readers to a collection of poetry dedicated to his wife.
Douglas was born Issur Danielovitch in 1916 in the upstate New York town of Amsterdam, the son of an illiterate Russian-Jewish immigrant who supported his six daughters and one son as a rag picker and junk man.
A chance to escape came shortly after his bar mitzvah, when the Sons of Israel Synagogue offered to underwrite his rabbinical studies. Douglas firmly declined, declaring that he would become an actor. He held fast to that ambition while attending Saint Lawrence University on a wrestling scholarship and during World War II service in the US Navy.
Portrait of American actor Kirk Douglas as he poses with his hands in his pockets, 1950. (Photo by PhotoQuest/Getty Images via JTA)
His first movie role came in 1946, when he played Barbara Stanwycks husband in The Strange Love of Martha Ivers. Douglas received favorable reviews, but his career wouldnt really take off until three years (and six films) later, when he portrayed Midge Kelly, a ferocious and amoral boxer in Champion. The performance earned him an Academy Award nomination for best actor.
With increasing fame and fortune, Douglas showed little interest in Jewish practice, though there were exceptions.
I always fasted on Yom Kippur, he told a reporter. I still worked on the movie set, but I fasted. And let me tell you, its not easy making love to Lana Turner on an empty stomach.
In his later years, Douglas would come to embrace his Jewishness, a shift he dates to a near-fatal collision in 1991 between his helicopter and a stunt plane in which two younger men died. The crash compressed his spine by three inches. While lying in a hospital bed with excruciating back pain, he started pondering the meaning of his life.
I came to believe that I was spared because I had never come to grips with what it means to be Jewish, he said.
Douglas embarked on an intensive regime of Torah study with a number of young rabbis and celebrated a second bar mitzvah at age 83, telling the Hollywood luminaries crammed into the 200-seat chapel at Sinai Temple for the occasion: Today, I am a man.
Neither of his two wives the late actress Diana Dill and Anne Buydens, whom he married in 1954 were Jewish, and none of his children were raised in the faith. But his oldest son, the actor-director Michael Douglas, has reconnected with Judaism and won the 2015 Genesis Prize, a $1 million award recognizing Jews of great accomplishment who exhibit Jewish values.
In 2014, at Douglas 50th wedding anniversary, Buydens startled the guests by announcing that she had converted to Judaism.
Kirk has been married to two shiksas and its about time he married a nice Jewish girl, she proclaimed.
Kirk Douglas as Spartacus in Stanley Kubricks film of the same name. (Screen capture)
During the 1950s and 60s, Douglas ranked consistently as one of Hollywoods top male stars for his single-minded focus on his craft, while also squeezing in Broadway and television appearances. He was also known for egocentricity in a town with no shortage of oversize egos and for bedding an endless string of women, from movie queens to casual pickups.
In the 1950s, he starred in 23 movies. He earned best actor Oscar nominations for The Bad and the Beautiful and Lust for Life. And in 1953, he starred as a Holocaust survivor in The Juggler, the first Hollywood feature to be filmed in Israel.
He opened the decade of the 1960s with Spartacus, perhaps his most enduring movie, in which he played the leader of a slave rebellion in ancient Rome. The film won four Oscars, though none for Douglas.
But Douglas did distinguish himself for insisting that writer Dalton Trumbo, who had been blacklisted as a communist for a decade but continued to write under a pseudonym, be credited onscreen despite dire warnings that such a provocation would end his own Hollywood career. Douglas was honored for that stance in 2011 by the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival.
In 1996, Douglas suffered a stroke that left him speechless. He fell into a deep depression that nearly led him to take his own life.
A few months later, he made his first public appearance to accept a lifetime achievement achievement Oscar.
Most stars of his stature are shaped out of mythic clay, the director Steven Spielberg said in presenting Douglas with award. Kirk Douglas never chose that. He doesnt have a single character that makes him unique. Instead he has a singular honesty, a drive to be inimitable.
Whether hes dealing with a character on screen or with the all-too-real effect of a recent stroke, courage remains Kirk Douglas personal and professional hallmark, Spielberg said.
Through rigorous speech therapy, Douglas taught himself to speak again slowly, with a slight slur. He later published a book about the experience titled My Stroke of Luck.
A Palestinian boy looks as Hollywood legend Kirk Douglas plays at a playground in the Arab quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem, July 17, 2000. (Eyal Warshavsky/AP)
Among his other books are Lets Face It, which proclaimed that romance begins at 80; I Am Spartacus!, focusing on making the film and breaking the blacklist; and Climbing the Mountain, which traced his search for spirituality and Jewish identity.
In 2014, at 98, he published his first book of poetry, Life Could Be Verse, in which he expressed his enduring love for his wife as well as his heartbreak at the death of his youngest son, Eric, who died of a self-induced drug overdose.
Along with his wife, Douglas has given over $100 million to charitable causes in the United States and Israel. The couple have established nearly 400 playgrounds in poorer sections of Los Angeles and Jerusalem, an Alzheimers hospital unit, and a theater facing the Western Wall featuring films on the history of Judaism and Jerusalem.
In 1981, Douglas received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, Americas highest civilian award, from President Jimmy Carter.
Along with his wife and son Michael, Douglas is survived by sons Peter and Joel Douglas, seven grandchildren Cameron, Dylan, Carys Zeta, Kelsey, Jason, Tyler and Ryan and a sister, Ida Sahr of Schenectady, New York.
View post:
Kirk Douglas, an iconic star who reconnected to Judaism after near-fatal crash - The Times of Israel
- 64 Hours In An Ice Cube [Last Updated On: January 27th, 2010] [Originally Added On: January 27th, 2010]
- Jewish Rabbi admits Islam is the oldest religion - Video [Last Updated On: January 31st, 2010] [Originally Added On: January 31st, 2010]
- Israel investigation [Last Updated On: February 25th, 2010] [Originally Added On: February 25th, 2010]
- EU-Egypt meet on Israel settlement [Last Updated On: March 15th, 2010] [Originally Added On: March 15th, 2010]
- Dogs Do Amazing Tricks [Last Updated On: March 16th, 2010] [Originally Added On: March 16th, 2010]
- Israel approves 100 Jerusalem homes [Last Updated On: March 24th, 2010] [Originally Added On: March 24th, 2010]
- Israel closes West Bank for Passover [Last Updated On: March 29th, 2010] [Originally Added On: March 29th, 2010]
- Legless Dog [Last Updated On: March 31st, 2010] [Originally Added On: March 31st, 2010]
- Fiddler On the Roof Interviews [Last Updated On: May 2nd, 2010] [Originally Added On: May 2nd, 2010]
- Fiddler on the Roof Interview: Part Two - Deborah Grausman [Last Updated On: May 13th, 2010] [Originally Added On: May 13th, 2010]
- Obama Oil Spill press conference - Cable Network Production audio feed accidentally picked up [Last Updated On: May 27th, 2010] [Originally Added On: May 27th, 2010]
- Israel rejects NPT resolution [Last Updated On: May 30th, 2010] [Originally Added On: May 30th, 2010]
- Axelrod and the jews behind Obama [Last Updated On: May 30th, 2010] [Originally Added On: May 30th, 2010]
- Israel condemned over ship action [Last Updated On: May 31st, 2010] [Originally Added On: May 31st, 2010]
- Israel perpetró agresiones contra Flotillas de ayuda humanitaria propalestina [Last Updated On: June 1st, 2010] [Originally Added On: June 1st, 2010]
- Hace un año que NN.UU. exige desbloqueo y retiro de tropas de Gaza. Israel hace [Last Updated On: June 1st, 2010] [Originally Added On: June 1st, 2010]
- Liga Árabe denuncia actitud desafiante de Israel [Last Updated On: June 1st, 2010] [Originally Added On: June 1st, 2010]
- Activistas propalestina proponen boicot contra Israel [Last Updated On: June 1st, 2010] [Originally Added On: June 1st, 2010]
- Primer Ministro turco califica a Israel como Estado terrorista [Last Updated On: June 1st, 2010] [Originally Added On: June 1st, 2010]
- Consejo de Seguridad ONU repudió agresión a Flotilla pero no condenó a Israel [Last Updated On: June 1st, 2010] [Originally Added On: June 1st, 2010]
- Analista peruano opina que el tema de Israel gravitará en la reunión entre [Last Updated On: June 1st, 2010] [Originally Added On: June 1st, 2010]
- Ian Bremmer "Vastly More Concerned About North Korea" vs. Israel-Gaza [Last Updated On: June 2nd, 2010] [Originally Added On: June 2nd, 2010]
- Israel reitera que no permitirá que ningún barco llegue a Gaza [Last Updated On: June 5th, 2010] [Originally Added On: June 5th, 2010]
- Raw Video: Israel seizes new Gaza-bound aid ship [Last Updated On: June 5th, 2010] [Originally Added On: June 5th, 2010]
- Rachel Corrie flotilla: Israel releases new images [Last Updated On: June 5th, 2010] [Originally Added On: June 5th, 2010]
- Legendary White House reporter's Israel gaffe [Last Updated On: June 7th, 2010] [Originally Added On: June 7th, 2010]
- Helen Thomas, a Hero for Telling the Truth [Last Updated On: June 8th, 2010] [Originally Added On: June 8th, 2010]
- Israel Soldiers are random shooting to civils on aid ship mavi marmara [Last Updated On: June 10th, 2010] [Originally Added On: June 10th, 2010]
- Find Israel t-shirts, funny Jewish t-shirts and Krav Maga T-shirts [Last Updated On: June 17th, 2010] [Originally Added On: June 17th, 2010]
- Israel t-shirts, funny Jewish t-shirts and Krav Maga T-shirts [Last Updated On: June 17th, 2010] [Originally Added On: June 17th, 2010]
- A Day in the Life of Israel Miller – Turning Dreams to Reality [Last Updated On: June 30th, 2010] [Originally Added On: June 30th, 2010]
- Ofensiva de EE.UU. e Israel contra Irán detonará pronto guerra nuclear: Fidel [Last Updated On: July 5th, 2010] [Originally Added On: July 5th, 2010]
- Dancing soldiers video goes viral in Israel [Last Updated On: July 5th, 2010] [Originally Added On: July 5th, 2010]
- Should Israel Apologize for Flotilla Raid? [Last Updated On: July 6th, 2010] [Originally Added On: July 6th, 2010]
- We Love You Israel! [Last Updated On: July 7th, 2010] [Originally Added On: July 7th, 2010]
- San Remo's Mandate: Israel's 'Magna Carta' - CBN.com [Last Updated On: July 9th, 2010] [Originally Added On: July 9th, 2010]
- Israel anuncia que devolverá, con condiciones, barcos de la flotilla humanitaria [Last Updated On: July 26th, 2010] [Originally Added On: July 26th, 2010]
- Ahmadinejad says US, Israel to attack [Last Updated On: July 27th, 2010] [Originally Added On: July 27th, 2010]
- Meshaal rechaza cualquier diálogo directo o indirecto con Israel [Last Updated On: August 2nd, 2010] [Originally Added On: August 2nd, 2010]
- Israel mata a tres soldados libaneses y a periodista durante ataque en frontera [Last Updated On: August 3rd, 2010] [Originally Added On: August 3rd, 2010]
- Continúa tensión tras enfrentamientos de tropas en frontera entre Israel y [Last Updated On: August 4th, 2010] [Originally Added On: August 4th, 2010]
- Trouble Brewing for Israel? [Last Updated On: August 5th, 2010] [Originally Added On: August 5th, 2010]
- Marquis Laughlin Travels to Israel, The Holy Land [Last Updated On: August 5th, 2010] [Originally Added On: August 5th, 2010]
- Nasrallah presents Israel 'evidence' [Last Updated On: August 10th, 2010] [Originally Added On: August 10th, 2010]
- Travel To Israel [Last Updated On: August 11th, 2010] [Originally Added On: August 11th, 2010]
- Israel's Top Cities [Last Updated On: August 11th, 2010] [Originally Added On: August 11th, 2010]
- Israel's Top Attractions [Last Updated On: August 11th, 2010] [Originally Added On: August 11th, 2010]
- Will Israel Launch Strike Against Iran Nuclear Plant? [Last Updated On: August 18th, 2010] [Originally Added On: August 18th, 2010]
- Negociaciones de paz entre Palestina e Israel generan reacciones en distintos [Last Updated On: September 2nd, 2010] [Originally Added On: September 2nd, 2010]
- Inicia segunda ronda de negociaciones de paz entre Israel y Palestina [Last Updated On: September 15th, 2010] [Originally Added On: September 15th, 2010]
- Barry Segal: Vision for Israel - CBN.com [Last Updated On: October 14th, 2010] [Originally Added On: October 14th, 2010]
- World's Biggest Rocking Horse [Last Updated On: October 21st, 2010] [Originally Added On: October 21st, 2010]
- Israel reanuda construcción de asentamientos en territorio palestino [Last Updated On: October 21st, 2010] [Originally Added On: October 21st, 2010]
- Sirios víctimas de minas antipersonas que Israel dejó en el Golán [Last Updated On: November 10th, 2010] [Originally Added On: November 10th, 2010]
- The Samson Option explodes one of the world’s most closely guarded secrets—the secret of Israel’s atomic arsenal. [Last Updated On: January 21st, 2016] [Originally Added On: November 19th, 2010]
- Brush Fires Rage on in Israel [Last Updated On: December 4th, 2010] [Originally Added On: December 4th, 2010]
- Robot Surgeon Comes to Israel [Last Updated On: December 25th, 2010] [Originally Added On: December 25th, 2010]
- Jewish Professor: Israel is a client state to the US in the region [Last Updated On: January 1st, 2011] [Originally Added On: January 1st, 2011]
- Jewish American Heritage Month » B'nai B'rith International ... [Last Updated On: April 3rd, 2011] [Originally Added On: April 3rd, 2011]
- Rep. Wasserman Schultz Recognizes Jewish American Heritage Month 2009 [Last Updated On: May 16th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 16th, 2011]
- Why I Left Judaism [Last Updated On: May 16th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 16th, 2011]
- DEFAMATION - Theatrical Trailer [Last Updated On: May 16th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 16th, 2011]
- Recognizing Jewish American Heritage Month [Last Updated On: May 16th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 16th, 2011]
- Cast of "House" visits Israel [Last Updated On: May 17th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 17th, 2011]
- Surviving the Holocaust: Zanne Farbstein's Story [Last Updated On: May 17th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 17th, 2011]
- Anti-Defamation League ADL Part 2 [Last Updated On: May 17th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 17th, 2011]
- JAKE TAPPER on Washington's "Middle East Week." [Last Updated On: May 17th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 17th, 2011]
- Elie Wiesel honored with first US Holocaust award [Last Updated On: May 17th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 17th, 2011]
- Anti-Defamation League ADL Part 1 [Last Updated On: May 17th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 17th, 2011]
- Marking Jewish American Heritage Month [Last Updated On: May 18th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 18th, 2011]
- Arab Spring not good for Israel [Last Updated On: May 18th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 18th, 2011]
- Eye for Eye? Gazans 'blackmailed' to spy for Israel [Last Updated On: May 18th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 18th, 2011]
- Ann Coulter Insults Judaism [Last Updated On: May 18th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 18th, 2011]
- The Holocaust that changed the world [Last Updated On: May 18th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 18th, 2011]
- Christian Anti-Defamation League: "Bashing" [Last Updated On: May 18th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 18th, 2011]
- Cool Facts about Israel [Last Updated On: May 19th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 19th, 2011]
- Gaza: The Killing Zone - Israel/Palestine [Last Updated On: May 20th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 20th, 2011]
- Hatikva-The National Anthem of Israel [Last Updated On: May 20th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 20th, 2011]
- Harel Skaat - Milim (Israel) [Last Updated On: May 20th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 20th, 2011]
- Canadian PM: I Will Defend Israel 'whatever the cost' [Last Updated On: May 20th, 2011] [Originally Added On: May 20th, 2011]
Comments