Kirk Douglas was once one of Hollywood's top heartthrobs and was known for
pursuing women. But he opted to spend the most of his life with Anne
Douglas, née Buydens, his wife of 65 years. On February 5, 2020, Kirk, who
was 103 years old, passed away, leaving Anne a widow. At the age of 102,
Anne passed away on April 29 at her home in Beverly Hills, more than a year
after Harry had passed away.
Kirk and Anne had a marriage that lasted 65 years despite facing adultery,
sickness, and even the death of their child. Theirs was a love that would
endure the ages.
The two were at the time associated with separate persons when they first
met in 1953 while working on the Paris set of "Act of Love." Kirk was
secretly engaged to Italian actress Pier Angeli while Anne was already
divorced from actor Diana Dill and married to Albert Buydens.
Kirk and Anne made the choice to be married "spontaneously," but fate had
other plans for them. As a result, they would go on to have a long and happy
marriage. Peter Douglas and Eric Douglas, the couple's other two children,
were born later. Michael and Joel were two more sounds that Kirk had from
his former union with Diane Douglas.
Kirk had accumulated wealth during his life as a result of his prosperous
work, but he did not leave it to his four children. Kirk has joined the
ranks of many celebrities who want to leave their riches to charity instead
of their family, which may seem weird given that many parents try to leave
something behind for their children after their demise.
In the book "Kirk and Anne: Letters of Love, Laughter, and a Lifetime in
Hollywood," which the two co-authored in 2017, Kirk discussed the start of
his relationship with Anne on the job. He penned the following, via The
Hollywood Reporter:
She ultimately consented to work with me for a trial period and made it
plain that our connection would only be for business purposes.
In the meanwhile, Anne had a comment to make:
"We spoke for hours, and throughout that time I got the strangest sense in
my heart that I may start to fall for this man. I didn't want to since I had
witnessed far too many young girls have passionate relationships with
visiting Hollywood stars, including Dean Martin, Marlon Brando, and Cary
Grant. After the movie was finished, the men went back to their wives and
children."
But what was destined to happen would happen. Very soon after, at the end
of 1953, Kirk called off his engagement to Pier Angeli, and by the spring of
1954, after a year of working together and pursuing a difficult
relationship, he and Anne made the impulsive decision to get married in Las
Vegas.
Peter Douglas, their son, was born the next year, and Eric Douglas, their
son, was born in 1958. They would have a marriage that would continue for
more than 60 years, which is highly uncommon in the entertainment world. In
a statement to PEOPLE in 2021, Michael Douglas discussed Anne and
said:
"Anne wasn't only a stepmother; she was also never "wicked." Particularly
our father, she brought out the best in all of us. Without Anne's assistance
and collaboration, Dad would never have had the career he had. She was
cherished by Catherine, me, and the kids; we shall never forget her."
After his acting career began to wane in the 1980s, Kirk concentrated on
his work as a goodwill ambassador for the US State Department and charitable
endeavors. He was honored with the French Legion of Honor in 1985, the
Jefferson Award for civic service in 1983, and the Presidential Medal of
Freedom in 1981.
Anne ended up dying in April 2021, while Kird went away in February 2020.
Hollywood suffered a great loss with their demise, as did the Douglas family
members who had adored and valued Kirk and Anne. The late Hollywood great
was well renowned for being very giving, and his kindness endures even
today.
Kirk reportedly wanted the Douglas Foundation to donate $50 million to a
number of nonprofits. Kirk and his wife Anne Buydens established The Douglas
Foundation in 1964, which is "dedicated to assisting individuals who would
not otherwise be able to help themselves."
Scholars at his alma institution St. Lawrence University, Sinai Temple in
Los Angeles, the Kirk Douglas Theatre in Culver City, and Children's
Hospital Los Angeles are just a few of the organizations that will benefit
from his donation.
The Mirror also revealed that none of the money Michael's father left
behind went to him. Given that Michael is a well-known actor in his own
right and is thought to be worth $300 million, it was undoubtedly
unnecessary for him.
According to the Daily Star, Kirk's other sons have also achieved success
on their own and are independent of the enormous inheritance. The source
claims that Peter is a prominent film and television producer who is worth
$15–$20 million.
Joel, Michael's half-brother and full sibling, is also a successful
Hollywood film and television producer who has collaborated with Michael on
blockbuster movies including "Romancing The Stone" and "Jewel Of The Nile."
The classic movie "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest," which is reputedly
worth $12 million, was also produced by Joel.
Regrettably, Eric, an actor and stand-up comedian, passed away in 2004 at
the age of 46 from a heroin overdose. The incident that affected Kirk and
Anne's lives was incredibly devastating. In addition to overcoming numerous
obstacles in their personal life, the pair also had to deal with Anne's
fight with breast cancer and Kirk's battle with depression following a
stroke.
According to the Daily Star, Kirk and Michael also struggled to get along
for a while. Even yet, Michael had resisted addressing Kirk as "dad" in
public.
But as time passed, Kirk and Michael were able to make amends and grew even
closer. Following Kirk's demise, Michael honored his father in a touching
Instagram post, writing:
He was an actor from the golden era of cinema who lived long into his years
of retirement and a humanitarian whose dedication to justice and the causes
he supported set a standard for all of us to aspire to. To the world, he was
a legend.
But he was just Dad to me and my brothers Joel and Peter, a lovely
father-in-law to Catherine, a devoted grandpa to his grandkids and
great-grandchildren, and a beautiful husband to his wife Anne, he
said.
He stated, "Let me finish by repeating what I said to him on his previous
birthday and which will always be true. I adore you so much, Dad, and I'm
honored to be your son."
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