Kirk Douglas

Kirk Douglas or Issur Danielovitch Demsky was an American actor, producer and director who rose from the ghettos to become a super star in American cinema. His parents were very poor Jewish immigrants from Chavusy, located in present day Belarus. Kirk was a very keen student and athlete. He was fond of acting and at a very young age realized that getting a scholarship for acting would be the road to salvation from his poor and wretched condition. He had enough talent to get enrolled at the ‘American Academy of Dramatic Arts’ which opened the door to fame and riches. He has acted in a large number of movies including serious works, thrillers, westerns and comedies. His gravelly voice, dimpled chin, steely and penetrating gaze helped him to play roles which were very compelling and brought him rave reviews. He acted in seven films with Burt Lancaster who is another American film legend. He portrayed in a variety of roles ranging from an opportunistic and untrustworthy character to a rebellious and unsavory character. He was been nominated for the Oscar many times.