Hollywood actor Kirk Douglas has died.
He was 103.
The Spartacus star’s death was confirmed by his son, actor Michael Douglas, in a statement posted on his social media pages.
“It is with tremendous sadness that my brothers and I announce that Kirk Douglas left us today at the age of 103,” read the statement. “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.”
Douglas is survived by his sons Michael, Joel and Peter, as well as his wife of 65 years, Anne Buydens.
“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,” Michael continued.
Considered to be one of the last remaining superstars of Hollywood’s golden age, Douglas had suffered a severe stroke in 1996 that left him on a difficult road to recovery.
His large repertoire of films included The Bad and the Beautiful (1952), Lust for Life (1956) and Ace in the Hole (1951) — but the film for which he would arguably be best known for was the 1960 epic Spartacus.
“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. #KirkDouglas,” finished Michael’s statement.
More to come