Kirk Douglas (1916–2020)

This couple’s book chronicles the ardent, if sometimes stormy, relationship between two strong personalities. Kirk is the son of a hard-drinking Jewish immigrant ragman and junk collector, Anne is the daughter of a prosperous German family. During his 60- year film career, Kirk was frequently away for long periods on location shoots and they wrote to each other constantly. Anne kept every letter, both ways, and preserved them in their wine cellar. Letters include facts about Kirk’s show more infidelities with various movie queens as well as affairs of fellow stars, sparing few graphic details. The couple also wrote about their friendship with U.S. presidents and their wives – from The Kennedy’s and Johnson’s to the Reagan’s and the Obama’s.
After 49 years of marriage, Anne decided on her own, to convert to Judaism. At their 50th wedding anniversary celebration, she announced, “Kirk has been married to two shiksas. It’s time he got a nice Jewish girl.”
The couple takes particular pride in their Douglas Foundation which has contributed some $120 million for charitable projects, among them numerous playgrounds in the U.S. and Israel. show less

A very enjoyable book - not only did the Douglas' share their letters to each other during their courtship and marriage, they also shared letters sent and received from folks such as Frank Sinatra, Tony Curtis, Henry Kissinger, Barack Obama, the Kennedy's, and many others. The book also contained numerous photos. I thank the Douglas' for sharing their memories. It is too bad that letter writing has gone by the wayside in these days of texting and twittering. The anticipation of getting the show more letter, holding it, reading it and re-reading it is a very special feeling that cannot be replicated with electronic communication. show less

I really enjoyed this candid memoir. Kirk recalls his movies (Paths to Glory, Lust for Life being among his faves) and striving for artistic success. Stage (playacting) seems to have been at his heart and beyond his reach. Promiscuity, poor business decisions (trusting the wrong accountant) and dysfunctional relationship with his father are among the personal details he reveals. Coming around through the interesting filming details (no fear in doing his own stunts, John Wayne's fragile show more masculinity) he lands where he long wanted: a better father than he had and proud of his sons he is on good terms with.

There is a lot hear about the McCarthy-era blacklisting "The Unfriendly Ten" and Dalton Trumbo. Reading of this red-baiting, feels similar to today's what, woke-baiting? Antifa-baiting?

This is one of the memoirs of this era that points out there was a Communist and non-Communist Left, generally at war with each other. show less

Interesting (if short) life story of Kirk Douglas. Many pictures and poems in addition to the text, which is in his own words. Much of it skips over the top of his life, mentioning famous names and movies and other topics of general interest without going into any depth, but there are some small gems. I already knew that his father was a hard-drinking ragman, but who knew that his mother found him in a gold box in the backyard? - that's the story she told him anyway when he asked about the show more birds and the bees. Worth a read. show less