Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • NPR

    Kirk Douglas, Hollywood Tough Guy And 'Spartacus' Superstar, Dies At 103

    by Bob Mondello Feb 05, 2020 4 minutes
    In 1960, Douglas produced and starred in his most well-known film, <em>Spartacus</em>. The film cost more than $12 million and began the dissolution of the Hollywood blacklist when Douglas insisted that screenwriter Dalton Trumbo receive on-screen credit for his work.

    Kirk Douglas, the self-described "ragman's son" who became a global Hollywood superstar in the 1950s and '60s, died on Wednesday. He was 103. Douglas was often cast as a troubled tough guy in films, most famously as a rebellious Roman slave named Spartacus. Off-screen, he was devoted to family and to humanitarian causes.

    His son Michael Douglas announced the actor's death: "To the world he was a legend. ... But to me and my brothers Joel and Peter he was simply Dad."

    "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

    You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

    More from NPR

    NPR2 min readAmerican Government
    U.S. Bans Noncompete Agreements For Nearly All Jobs
    The Federal Trade Commission has voted to ban employment agreements that typically prevent workers from leaving their companies for competitors, or starting competing businesses of their own.
    NPR2 min read
    Gaza Solidarity Protests Sweep U.S. Colleges; SCOTUS Tackles Starbucks Union Case
    Tensions are high as campus protests over the war in Gaza stretch across the U.S. The Supreme Court will hear a case about pro-union Starbucks employees.
    NPR6 min readCrime & Violence
    What's At Stake As The Supreme Court Hears Idaho Case About Abortion In Emergencies
    The Supreme Court will consider the question: Should doctors treating pregnancy complications follow state or federal law if the laws conflict? Here's how the case could affect women and doctors.

    Related Books & Audiobooks