Biography for
Michael Douglas (I)

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Date of Birth

25 September 1944, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA

Birth Name

Michael Kirk Douglas

Height

5' 10" (1.78 m)

Mini Biography

Michael Douglas is one of the few actors who actually appears to be a walking paradox. A household name, an estimated worth of over $200 million, a father (Kirk Douglas) who was one of the world's biggest film stars in the 1950s and 1960s, and a wife whose father is younger than he is, Douglas has indeed gained fame and acclaim. His parents (Kirk and wife Diana Douglas) parents divorced when he was six, and he went to live with his mother and her new husband.

Only seeing Kirk on holidays, Michael attended Eaglebrook school in Deerfield, Massachusetts, where he was about a year younger than all of his classmates. Deciding he wanted to be an actor in his teenage years, Michael often asked his father about getting a "foot in the door". Kirk was strongly opposed to Michael pursuing an acting career, saying that it was an industry with many downs and few ups, and that he wanted all four of his sons to stay out of it. Michael, however, was persistent. When he started his career in the early 1970s people were all too ready to tag him as "the next Kirk Douglas". He defied all those critics by accepting sensitive, quiet, hippie-type roles, a far cry from the macho, leading-man, all-American hero parts that his father was most famous for. It didn't earn Michael much credibility, but it earned him his own identity.

His first real break came on the TV series "The Streets of San Francisco" (1972) opposite screen veteran Karl Malden. Michael gained quite a following on this show, and left it to produce One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975). His own life was never brilliant either. He had dreams of acting alongside brother Joel Douglas, the one brother out of his three to which he was closest (he would only see Peter Douglas and the late Eric Douglas when he visited his father), but Joel wanted no part of the acting his family was famous for. Michael married the young Diandra Douglas (b. Diane Luker in 1958) in 1977, and they had one son together, Cameron. The marriage failed, as Diandra claimed that she was sick of his womanizing, absenteeism, and not being "a proper father to Cameron".

In the 1980s Michael tried his hand at comedies, the most successful being Romancing the Stone (1984), its sequel The Jewel of the Nile (1985), and The War of the Roses (1989), in which he co-starred with Danny DeVito and Kathleen Turner. It was in the 1990s, though, in which he gained the most notorious aspects of his reputation. He starred in Basic Instinct (1992), a thriller, heavy on sex and violence, that was a worldwide hit. Having played a similar role in Fatal Attraction (1987), it did indeed appear that he was being typecast in "man against woman" type roles, and pictures like Disclosure (1994) did nothing to dissuade that opinion. He finally tried to break away from this image with The American President (1995) and The Ghost and the Darkness (1996), yet when he started dating Catherine Zeta-Jones, 25 years his junior, this image continued, even after their marriage.

After two children with Jones, Michael is trying to settle down to become a more "family-oriented" actor. The comedy Wonder Boys (2000) and the Douglas-clan movie It Runs in the Family (2003) were only minor hits, and it appears Michael is again looking for a career change. Trying his hand now at light-hearted comedies, like the re-make of The In-Laws (2003/I), he hopes to break away from his past reputation.

IMDb Mini Biography By: James Briggs

Spouse

Catherine Zeta-Jones	(18 November 2000 - present) 2 children
Diandra Douglas	(20 March 1977 - June 2000) (divorced) 1 child

Trade Mark

Often plays very successful, in control business executives and political figures

Trivia

Son of Kirk Douglas and Diana Douglas.

Named a United Nations Messenger of Peace. His mission: to focus worldwide attention on nuclear disarmament and human rights. [1998]

Ranked #74 in Empire (UK) magazine's "The Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time" list. [October 1997]

Roomed with Danny DeVito when first starting out.

Graduated with a B.A. from U.C. Santa Barbara along with singer Jack Johnson and actor Ossie Beck. [1968]

Brother of Joel Douglas.

Half-brother of Peter Douglas and Eric Douglas.

Graduated from the University of California.

Graduate of Choate Rosemary Hall.

His second son and first child with Catherine Zeta-Jones, a boy named Dylan Michael, was born on 8th August about 6 p.m. at Cedars-Sinai Medical Centre near Beverly Hills. The baby weighed in at 7 pounds and seven ounces and measured 21-1/2 inches. He met Catherine at the Deauville Film Festival in France in August 1998; they began dating in March 1999 and got engaged on New Year's Eve 1999.

Father of Cameron Douglas.

Has two sons: Cameron Morrell (b. 13 December 1978), with Diandra Luker, and Dylan Michael (b. 8 August 2000), with Catherine Zeta-Jones.

Attended Eaglebrook School in Deerfield, MA.

Michael is exactly 25 years older than his wife, Catherine Zeta-Jones. The two of them share a birthday, September 25th.

Is of Russian-Jewish, Scottish, and Irish heritage.

As of 2002, he and Sir Laurence Olivier are the only two people in history to win Oscars for both Best Picture and Best Actor (although Olivier won them simultaneously for the same film).

Initially turned down the role of Judge Wakefield in Traffic (2000). He later accepted only after the script underwent extensive re-writes.

Daughter Carys Zeta Douglas with Catherine Zeta-Jones; Carys was born the 20th April of 2003, at Valley Hospital in Ridgewood, New Jersey.

In 1975, quit the show "The Streets of San Francisco" (1972) to produce the film One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975).

Thursday, December 11, 2003, he was host, together with wife Catherine Zeta-Jones, at the 2003 Annual Nobel Peace Prize Concert in Olso Spectrum in Oslo, Norway.

In addition to Catherine Zeta-Jones, he also shares a birthday with Will Smith, Heather Locklear, Michael Madsen, Barbara Walters and the late Christopher Reeve.

Has worked with three actors who share roles with his father. Kirk Douglas played Doc Holliday in Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (1957). Val Kilmer played the part in Tombstone (1993) and then appeared with Michael in The Ghost and the Darkness (1996). Dennis Quaid also played Holliday in Wyatt Earp (1994) and appeared with Michael in Traffic (2000). Kirk played Ulysses (Odysseus) in Ulisse (1954), based on The Odyssey. Michael appeared in Don't Say a Word (2001) with Sean Bean, who played Odysseus in Troy (2004).

Five days after completing Black Rain (1989/I), he started filming The War of the Roses (1989).

In 1980, he was involved in a serious skiing accident, which sidelined his acting career for three years.

In September 1992, he underwent treatment for alcohol and substance abuse at Sierra Tucson Center.

Was named to Quigley Publications' Top 10 Poll of Money-Making Stars six times between 1985 and 1995, hitting a high of #2 in 1987. Surprising, despite a career that has spanned seven decades, his father, Kirk Douglas, never made the list, the annual poll of movie exhibitors that ranks the top stars in terms of box-office drawing power.

He and The China Syndrome (1979) co-stars Jane Fonda and Jack Lemmon have all won Oscars for leading roles. Douglas won for Wall Street (1987), Fonda for Klute (1971), and Lemmon for Save the Tiger (1973).

Stepson of Anne Buydens.

Turned down the role of Oliver in Love Story (1970) despite being offered 10% of the gross.

He endorsed Rep.Richard Gephardt (D-MO) in the 2004 Democratic primaries.

His performance as Gordon Gekko in Wall Street (1987) is ranked #25 on Premiere Magazine's 100 Greatest Movie Characters of All Time.

He has been active in handgun control since John Lennon's murder in December 1980.

Reason for being born in New Brunswick, N.J.: His parents (who had a small apartment in Greenwich Village, N.Y.) were visiting his mother's sister (who was married to one of the founders of Johnson & Johnson which is headquartered in New Bruswick) when he arrived prematurely.

September 2007 - has residences in both New York City and Bermuda.

Mother is Bermudian.

Personal Quotes

I'm not a big filmophile. I don't watch movies a lot for a hobby. I spend all my time watching sporting events. Because, opposed to movies, you can never tell how they're going to end.

[on "Inside the Actors Studio" (1994), answering an actor's question about whether to move from NYC to L.A.] "Don't go to L.A. unless there's work. It's one of the most frustrating and depressing places to be an actor. The problem is that it has no center. I would try to do something here first."

When you're making pictures out of heartfelt passion, it hurts when someone calls them a calculated business move.

I'm impressed with the people from Chicago. Hollywood is hype, New York is talk, Chicago is work.

[on wife Catherine Zeta-Jones] "She is not only beautiful but also very deep and we understand each other extremely well. I love her above all. Catherine is the woman of my life. A dream."

I don't know about Brad Pitt, leaving that beautiful wife to go hold orphans for Angelina [Angelina Jolie]. I mean, how long is that going to last? I mean, don't ask me what happened with Renée Zellweger. I don't know how you get married for four months. And Julia [Julia Roberts] with Lyle [Lyle Lovett].

From the moment I met Catherine [wife Catherine Zeta-Jones] and we formed our family, I was a new man, very different from the one I used to be. This is the result of my everyday life with her, of the intense love we have for each other, of the great need for each other that we have, and of the great respect that we have for one another. There is a time when you become sarcastic, you lose the passion, and, when you are blessed again, and you have the fortune to love somebody the way I love my wife, you understand that you have to nurture your partner and not take everything for granted. What a marvelous gift!

[1980] "The exciting thing about making movies today is that everything is up for grabs. And you had better grab."

Revenge is a very good motivation if you can direct it. It's healthy. Very healthy.

Wonder Boys (2000) was a huge disappointment personally. I loved the movie and we didn't even get critically acknowledged as far as awards go. I thought it was a f** king disgrace. I'll be honest - it really hurt my confidence. It was a punch in the gut. In fact, it was my father who helped me through it. His favorite movie is Lonely Are the Brave (1962). Nobody saw that when it came out, nobody's seen it since. My father's disappointment in that movie helped me get over mine.

When my daughter Carys wants to get married I'll be as rough with the guy as Catherine's [wife Catherine Zeta-Jones] dad was when he checked me out. He gave me the once over and then some.

Having a little girl is incredible. I tell you it's an insight. I think guys who have sisters have a big advantage, understanding the female psyche.

As soon as I met Catherine [Catherine Zeta-Jones] I told her I wanted to have babies with her, and the moment I found out that she had the same birthday as me - tadaah! Then when I discovered she loved golf, I realized all my fantasies had come true. I've lucked out at this time in my life. I just lucked out. I'm so impressed by her intelligence, sense of humor and work ethic.

Times have changed and sex sells. Around 1990, I voluntarily went into rehab because I was drinking too much and some smart ass editor said, 'Oh another boring story about an actor going to rehab. Let's give him sex addiction.' Then it became 'Self-confessed sex addict!'

My life does take a bit of work. I certainly know how much guys like Catherine [Catherine Zeta-Jones], and well deserved. She's fantastic and beautiful inside and out, she's a talented, talented actress, really good mom and a heck of a wife.

I was there the night John Lennon was shot, three blocks away. It left a lasting impression on me. It motivated me to do whatever I could to lobby for small-arms control.

I admire Albert Finney very much, his performances always look so effortless. And of course, my good friend Jack Nicholson, who lives life to the full, and who never ever does things by halves. He's a real hero!

When you are a second-generation success, you are provided for. And that certainly was a big opportunity. But you don't have that 'rags-to-riches story', which is always a much more dramatic story to plot. Your success is not one that is as easily accepted by the people outside. Or they don't really have an appreciation of what you have accomplished. As a producer, my successes came fairly early in my career; as an actor, they came much later. Winning the Academy Award for Wall Street (1987) really helped me to finally overcome that 'second generation' thing. It's hard for people, no matter how generous and gracious they are, to really allow you any slack. They say, 'Oh it must have been hard to be Kirk Douglas' son,' but they don't really want to accept it. You grow up in this business and all that means is that you don't get the joy of succeeding. If you succeed, it's expected. If you look around you can see that there are hardly any second-generation people that have succeeded at all. It's a minefield of disasters, of broken careers and self-destruction out there. The public's perception is that you didn't have to do anything. So if you succeed, it's just assumed. If you don't get success, you're an asshole like everybody else.

[1998] "I create challenges by the roles I take. I'm sort of proud of the fact that I'm not really typecast. People are always trying to get a handle on what you do. With me either it's my sex trilogy - Fatal Attraction (1987), Basic Instinct (1992) and Disclosure (1994) - or my businessman trilogy - Wall Street (1987), The Game (1997) and this picture I'm doing now called A Perfect Murder (1998). I've been fortunate that, within those categories, I've been able to choose different types of roles, and I am proud that the audience has been able to accept me in whatever type of role I play. They are not the typical 'movie star' roles. They're more ambivalent characters. Sometimes they are morally depraved. They are not the outright positive type of images that you attribute to selecting a 'star' type role. And the pictures themselves are more oddball. I've been very fortunate in that area, too. I've taken chances and so far the audiences have basically condoned those choices. They have allowed me to do those different types of roles. I do pictures for myself, because I figure if I like them, some other crazy people out there might like them, too. You know, once you've gained your confidence and done some bizarre, strange films with some roles that have been successful, it gives you the confidence to go out there and take more chances."

Actors are paid to be selfish and self-involved.

Those British film certificates explained in full: "Oh, I get it, it's simple. PG means the hero gets the girl, 15 means that the villain gets the girl, and 18 means everybody gets the girl."

(On his career and his favorite films) I always say you work as hard on your failures as your successes. I like my track record, I like my batting average. I got a real good batting average. A lot of movies. Not a lot of grand-slam home-runs, lot of singles, doubles, triples. Lot of hits, you know? Small but kind of ultimately worked out. Kind of fiduciary responsibilities and budgets. The ones that stick out are the ones nobody wanted to make, from Falling Down to Fatal Attraction, things like that. Or ones that were so bizarre. War of the Roses, Wonder Boys.

(On if he enjoys working on indie films) It's challenging, and as I say, it makes you go back to being much more instinctual and not overly planning or overly preparing. You do your homework before and just go, but it's really sort of where the pictures lie that you just wanna do. You try to mix it up anyway. You always try to get a commercial picture or so-called "commercial" film in there from time to time, mixed up with an independent or a smaller or a character piece. So yeah, I'm pretty flexible. I enjoy it, I really do. It's something I like and am passionate about.

(On researching his characters) With Black Rain, I spent a lot of time with homicide detectives, and I spent a lot of time with different brokers on Wall Street. It helps get the rhythm of the piece and the tone, and how overplayed or underplayed it might be. That's also the magic of movies: You get to hang out and live these different lives. I think a certain amount of that helps the verisimilitude.

King of California was just, I thought, a really great, fresh, original kind of script. I loved the tone, the mix of tragedy, comedy, and drama, and that it was a good part. Kind of a challenge, and I was excited to work on it.

Salary

Traffic (2000)	$10,000,000
A Perfect Murder (1998)	$20,000,000
The Game (1997)	$20,000,000
Disclosure (1994)	$12,000,000
Basic Instinct (1992)	$15,000,000

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