Getty Catherine Zeta-Jones and father-in-law Kirk Douglas
Legendary Hollywood actor Kirk Douglas who’s appeared in nearly 100 movies throughout his career, passed away on February 5. He was 103 years old.
Douglas’ daughter-in-law Catherina Zeta-Jones, 50, shared a tribute to the late Spartacus star, with whom she shared an incredibly close relationship since marrying his son Michael Douglas, 75, in 2000.
The Academy Award-winning actress shared with her 3.2 million follows on Instagram: “To my darling Kirk, I shall love you for the rest of my life. I miss you already. Sleep tight…”
Zeta-Jones, who shares two children with Michael, twins Carys and Dylan, regularly posted tributes to her father-in-law. In November, she shared a throwback video of him with actress Lana Turner from the film The Bad and the Beautiful, for which he was nominated for an Oscar in 1953. She wrote, “I love you Pappy!”
In October, Zeta-Jones shared a sweet black and white photo with Douglas on Instagram. She simply captioned it, “Kisses for Kirk.”
In an interview with Indiewire’s Christian Blauvelt, Zeta-Jones talked about her affection for Douglas, and how she and Michael made sure to Facetime with him every night at 9: 15 p.m.
Michael Douglas Shared a Heartfelt Statement On Behalf Of The Entire Family Dynasty
Kirk Douglas’son wrote on Instagram, “It is with tremendous sadness that my brothers and I announce that Kirk Douglas left us today at the age of 103,” Michael, who followed his father’s footsteps into the industry, said in a statement: “To the world, he was a legend, an actor from the golden age of movies who lived well into his golden years, a humanitarian whose commitment to justice and the causes he believed in set a standard for all of us to aspire to.”
“But to me and my brothers Joel and Peter he was simply Dad, to Catherine, a wonderful father-in-law, to his grandchildren and great-grandchild their loving grandfather, and to his wife Anne, a wonderful husband.”
Michael ended his heartfelt message by saying, “Kirk’s life was well-lived, and he leaves a legacy in film that will endure for generations to come, and a history as a renowned philanthropist who worked to aid the public and bring peace to the planet. Let me end with the words I told him on his last birthday and which will always remain true. Dad- I love you so much and I am so proud to be your son.”
Douglas was one of the famous actors during the Golden Age of Hollywood. In 1996, he was given an honorary Academy Award for his half-century of accomplishments in movies. Throughout his career, the Spartacus star was nominated for three Oscars. In 1957, Douglas was nominated for Lust for Life, again in 1953 for The Bad and the Beautiful, and finally in 1950, for Champion.
The Douglas family had recently celebrated the patriarch’s birthday in December. Michael shared on Instagram, “Happy birthday Dad! You are a living legend and your entire family sends you all the love in their hearts! #KirkDouglas #103”
Douglas had been in good health since suffering a stroke in 1996. He is survived Anne Buydens his wife of 65 years and his children Michael, Joel, and Peter. His youngest son Eric Douglas died at age 46 in 2004.
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