Looking Back At The Late Kirk Douglas's Memorable Movies Including 'Spartacus' And 'Champion'

Feb 06, 2020 by apost team

Kirk Douglas, one of the last remaining actors of the Golden Age of Hollywood, has passed away Wednesday at the remarkable age of 103.

On the day of his passing, we can look back at his life and the most memorable roles he played.

Taking a dive into Douglas' 90+ listings on his IMDb page, one legendary role early in his career is still a standout — as the titular Roman slave in "Spartacus." In this Kubrick-directed classic, that Douglas executive produced, Spartacus starts a rebellion in a gladiatorial school. Life ended up imitating art as Douglas rebelliously added the name of blacklisted screenwriter Dalton Trumbo to the credits much to the chagrin of communist-scared Hollywood.

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Before he was a real-life film producer he played one in "The Bad and the Beautiful," (1952) opposite Lana Turner. The film tells the story of one man's life as he ruthlessly climbs up the ladder in Hollywood, told through the eyes of his peers. For his leading man talent, he was nominated for an Oscar.

Another Oscar nomination came for the role of a lifetime as Vincent Van Gogh in "Lust for Life" (1956). He looked just like the famously tortured artist and was perfect in portraying his obsession with art. However, his first-ever nomination came for a role that might be seen as the opposite of a sensitive painter.

It was for the movie "Champion," (1949), where Douglas first got the nod from the Academy Awards. The chiseled, cleft-chinned tough guy was a shoo-in for the role of Midge Kelly in the black and white film. The range of characters that Douglas played is clearly a testament to his incredible talent.

Thanks for taking the journey into some of the late Kirk Douglas's career highlights. Now that you know about his legendary status, pass this on to others who might not.