Kirk Douglas passed away at 103 years old on Feb 5, 2020. He was possibly one of the most influential actors of his generation, and could always make audiences laugh or cry. At the time of his death, Celebrity Net Worth estimated Douglas’s net worth at around $60 million.
The 103-year-old actor suffered from a stroke in 1996, but he had maintained a healthy lifestyle since then. He is survived by his wife, Anne Buydens, and his children.
Douglas is listed as number 17 on the American Film Institute’s list of the greatest male screen actors in American film history. He starred in over 50 movies and appeared on a number of TV shows throughout his career.
Here’s what you need to know about Douglas’s net worth:
1. He Began Acting in the 1940s
The Strange Love of Martha Ivers. He continued to star in two movies in 1947, three
movies in 1948, and at least two movies in each of the following years until 1956.
It’s important to note that actors in those days did not get paid the same large sums
that actors get paid now, but Douglas was able to make a fortune anyway.In a 2014
article, Douglas cited The Strange Love of Martha Ivers, Champion, Ace in the Hole,
The Bad and The Beautiful, Act of Love, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, The1946 when he
portrayed Walter O’Neil in The Strange Love of Martha Ivers. He continued to star in
two movies in 1947, three movies in 1948, and at least two movies in each of the
following years until 1956. It’s important to note that actors in those days did not
get paid the same large sums that actors get paid now, but Douglas was able to make a
fortune anyway.In a 2014 article, Douglas cited The Strange Love of Martha Ivers,
Champion, Ace in the Hole, The Bad and The Beautiful, Act of Love, 20,000 Leagues
Under the Sea, The Indian Fighter, Lust for Life, Paths of Glory, Spartacus, Lonely are
the Brave, and Seven Days in May among some of the films he was most proud of
throughout his acting career.His most recent acting credit was in a TV movie called
Empire State Building Murders. He played Jim Kovalski.
2. He Owned a $3.5 Million Home in Palm Springs
GettyFilm actor Kirk Douglas and the Indian actress Mehtab rest at the Lido beach.In April 2016, Architectural Digest took a look inside the previous home of the legendary actor. Douglas’s family lived in the home for over 42 years, and it sold for around $3.5 million dollars after they moved out.The home backs up to Leonardo DiCaprio’s house and features a tennis court and pavilion, which was built in 1976 and showcased a number of vintage Douglas movie posters. The back yard also featured a pool and picturesque mountain views.The house contained five bedrooms, eight bathrooms, an open living/dining room with beamed ceilings, a kitchen with a breakfast bar and a fireplace, all within 4,000 square feet.
3. His Son Michael Has a Higher Net Worth
Michael Douglas, Kirk’s son, has an estimated net worth of $300 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. Michael makes his money by acting, directing and producing.
Michael owns a real estate portfolio including assets around the globe; one of those properties is a 250-acre estate on the coast of Spain called S’Estaca. He bought the property in 1990 for $3.5 million. The property was listed for sale in June 2019 for $32 million. He narrated the video for the property sale, which can be viewed above.
When asked if he ever felt competitive with Michael, Kirk Douglas told The Guardian he did not.
“I am so proud of Michael because he never followed my advice,” he said. “I wanted him to be a doctor or lawyer, and the first time I saw him in a play I told him he was terrible. But then I saw him a second time and I said: ‘You were wonderful!’ And I think he is very good in everything he’s done.”
4. He and His Wife Donated Most of Their Fortune
Anne Douglas and actor Kirk Douglas arrive to The Heart Foundation Gala at Hollywood Palladium on May 10, 2012 in Hollywood, California.In 2015, the Hollywood Reporter reported that Kirk and Anne Douglas were giving away their fortune. At the time, they had amassed $80 million and planned to give back to a number of causes. Early on in their marriage, Anne Douglas set up a trust to ensure they would share a stable future together.In 2012, Douglas asked her how much was in the fund, and when she told him it was $80 million, he told her he wanted to give it away.They gave the money to scholarship funds at St. Lawrence University, Westwood’s Sinai Temple, Culver City’s Douglas Theatre, The Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles (there, they used the money to purchase a surgery robot that they named Spartacus), the construction of 408 school playgrounds in L.A. and the Anne Douglas Center for Women, a homeless shelter.They also donated more than $37 million to build Harry’s Haven, a specialized unit for people suffering from Alzheimer’s and related forms of dementia. It is located on the Woodland Hills campus and now includes the Kirk Douglas Care Pavilion.
5. He Produced, Directed and Wrote Movies
Scott Gries/Getty Images(L to R) Kirk Douglas, Michael Douglas and Cameron Douglas arrive at the New York premiere of “It Runs In The Family” at the Loews Lincoln Square Theater April 13, 2003.At the time of his death, Douglas had 32 total production credits. These were movies or shows that he worked on behind the camera. His first production credit was in 1955, when he had the credit on a movie titled The Indian Fighter. Two of those credits are director credits; he made his directorial debut with the 1973 movie Scalawag, and then he followed up that credit in 1975 with his film Posse, which Douglas also had a writing credit on. He was also a writer on Kirk Douglas: Before I Forget. In 1996, he was given the Academy Honorary Award for having spent 50 years in the motion picture community, and he is credited with helping Hollywood end its blacklist in 1960. Douglas has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
