Pumanaw na ang legendary Hollywood actor na si Kirk Douglas, sa edad na 103, nitong February 5 (February 6 sa Pilipinas).
Namatay si Kirk sa tahanan nito sa Beverly Hills, California, U.S.A.
Si Kirk ang ama ng Oscar-winning actor na si Michael Douglas, 75.
Bukod kay Michael, naulila rin ni Kirk ang kanyang second wife na si Anne Buydens at mga anak na sina Joel at Peter.
Sina Michael at Joel ay mga anak ni Kirk sa kanyang unang asawa, si Diana Dill.
Sa pamamagitan ng isang statement, inanunsiyo ni Michael ang pagkamatay ng kanyang ama.
Nakasaad dito: “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 PagJoel 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.”
Ang tinutukoy na "Catherine" ni Michael ay ang kanyang asawa, ang aktres na si Catherine Zeta-Jones, na nag-post din sa Instagram bilang pag-alala sa namayapang father-in-law.
Pagpapatuloy pa ng statement ni Michael: “Kirk's life was well lived, and he leaves a legacy in film that will endure for generations to come, and a history as a renowned philanthropist who worked to aid the public and bring peace to the planet.
“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.”
KIRK DOUGLAS, A HOLLYWOOD LEGEND
Si Kirk ay isinilang sa New York City noong December 9, 1916.
Anim na dekada ang itinagal ng kanyang acting career.
Tatlong beses siyang na-nominate sa Academy Awards for Best Actor: Champion (1949), Bad & the Beautiful (1952), at Lust for Life (1956).
Ngunit mas tumatak sa maraming film lovers ang kanyang pagganap sa titular role na Spartacus (1960), na itinuturing na Hollywood classic.
Noong January 28, 1996, sa edad na 79, na-stroke si Kirk na naging dahilan upang maapektuhan ang kanyang pagsasalita.
Sumailalim siya sa speech-language therapy sa loob ng maraming buwan.
Nanumbalik ang kanyang pananalita, pero limitado ito.
Huling napanood si Kirk sa pelikulang Illusion noong 2004.
Ang kanya namang huling acting role ay sa TV movie na Empire State Building Murders.