Legendary Hollywood actor Kirk Douglas passes away at 103

Kirk Douglas, renowned actor and father of Hollywood actor Michael Douglas, who had a decorated career spanning over six decades, passed away on Wednesday (local time). He was 103.

Michael told People magazine, "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 setting a standard of us all to aspire to."

Michael concluded, "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."

Kirk Douglas became a superstar even before the term was coined, as he had more than than 92 acting credits, including some 75 movies. In 1950, he received the first Academy Award nomination for 'Champion' and was nominated again in 1953 for 'The Bad and the Beautiful' and once more in 157 for his performance in the biopic 'Lust for Life' as Vincent Van Gogh.

He was also awarded an honorary Oscar for 50 years as a creative and moral force in the motion picture community in the year 1996.

In his autobiography 'The Ragman's Son, Douglas', Douglas was told to be born the poor son of an illiterate Russian-Jewish immigrant.

Douglas, who was then known as Izzy, had 40 jobs growing up in New York, including newsboy, before acting in high school plays sent him on the course that would eventually make him a household name. He studied at Manhattan's American Academy of Dramatic Arts. His first role movie role was in 'The Strange Love of Martha Ivers' opposite Barbara Stanwyck in 1946.

Douglas never wanted his son to follow in his footsteps, as he earlier told People, "I didn't want Michael to be an actor, I wanted him to be a lawyer or a doctor, as many fathers. But he's a good actor, he's my favourite actor.