You only turn 100 years old once and Kirk Douglas did just that on December 9, 2016. The centenarian of the cinema is an American actor, producer, director, and author. One of the last living people of the industry’s Golden Age, Douglas was born Issur Danielovitch in Amsterdam, New York in 1916. His parents were Jewish immigrants from Chavusy, Mogilev Region, in the Russian Empire (present-day Belarus). The family spoke Yiddish at home. Kirk Douglas appeared in more than 90 movies during a 64-year acting career.
Here, Douglas is seen being interviewed by journalist David Horowitz in 1949. It was the year Douglas starred in “Champion” for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor.
Ralph Buntyn is executive vice president and associate editor of United Israel World Union. A historian and researcher, his many articles and essays have appeared in various media outlets.