Born as Issur Danielovitch on December 9, 1916 in Amsterdam, New York, actor Kirk Douglas is known for his distinctive voice, strapping physique and cleft chin. The son of Russian Jewish immigrants, Douglas grew up poor. He worked odd jobs to pay for his college, and to support himself while studying acting at the American Academy of Dramatic Art. He had no idea, at that time, what his future had in store: In 1950s and '60s, Douglas was one of the most popular leading men in cinema.
After serving in the U.S. Navy during World War II − and a brief career on the Broadway stage − Douglas made his first Hollywood film, The Strange Love of Martha Ivers (1946), co-starring with Barbara Stanwyck. Three years later, he gave a breakthrough performance as a boxer who stops at nothing to make it to the top in Champion (1949). He amazed audiences and critics alike with his portrayal of Midge Kelly in the film, which earned him his first Academy Award nomination.
In addition to his critical acclaim, Douglas became a big box-office draw. Douglas's work in Spartacus as a Roman slave who leads an uprising − the film's title character − is considered to be one of his signature roles.
In the 1970s, Douglas tried his hand at directing, but met with little success. Around the same time, his acting career stalled. While one phase of Douglas's life was slowing down, another was just beginning. In 1989, he shared his life story in the best-selling autobiography, The Ragman's Son. He also showed a talent for fiction writing, with such works as Dance with the Devil (1990) and The Gift (1992). One of his nonfiction works, Climbing the Mountain: My Search for Meaning (1997), was published shortly after Douglas experienced a nearly fatal stroke, in 1995.
(Adapted from http://www.biography.com/people/kirkdouglas- 9278036?page=1)
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