Michael Douglas biography & trivia

*    Michael Douglas was born on 25th September 1944 in New Brunswick, U.S.A.

*    His birth name is Michael Kirk Douglas and he prefers to use Michael Douglas in short for his film credits.

*    His father Kirk Douglas is an actor, producer & author, his mother Diana Dill is an actress. Michael Douglas is the eldest among the four children. Joel Douglas is his younger brother, Peter Douglas & Eric Douglas are his half-brothers from stepmom Anne Buydens.

*    He has dual citizenship, U.S. citizenship by birth and Bermudian citizenship through his mother.

*    Michael Douglas attended ‘The Allen-Stevenson School’, New York City, ‘The Choate Preparatory School’ Wallingford, ‘University of California’ Santa Barbara and ‘The American Place Theatre’ New York City.

*    He has a Bachelors degree in drama from University of California.

*    He started his acting career with ‘Cast a Giant Shadow’ in 1966, he later appeared in Hail, Hero!, Summer tree etc. But he gained popularity after the TV show “The Streets of San Francisco” during 1972-1976. His next venture The China Syndrome in 1979 opposite Jane Fonda & Jack Lemmon was a huge hit.

*    In 1980 decade he appeared in several blockbuster hits like ‘Romancing the Stone’ in 1984 with Kathleen Turner and Danny DeVito, Fatal Attraction in 1987 opposite Glenn Close, Wall Street in 1987 alongside Charlie Sheen and Daryl Hannah for which he won Academy Award, Golden Globe Award and National Board of Review Award, The War of the Roses in 1989 alongside Kathleen Turner and Danny DeVito, Black Rain in 1989 alongside Andy García and Ken Takakura.

*    In 1990 decade Douglas worked for hits like Basic Instinct in 1992 opposite Sharon Stone for which he earned nomination for ‘MTV Movie Award – Best Performance’, Disclosure in 1994 opposite Demi Moore, Falling Down in 1993, The American President in 1995, The Ghost and the Darkness in 1996, The Game in 1997, A Perfect Murder in 1998 with Gwyneth Paltrow and Viggo Mortensen.

*    In 2000 decade Douglas delivered few hits including Traffic in 2000 Don Cheadle and Benicio del Toro, Wonder Boys in 2000 with Tobey Maguire and Frances McDormand, Don’t Say a Word in 2001 opposite Sean Bean and Brittany Murphy, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps in 2010 did above average business with mixed reviews all over the world, the film could not meet the expectations like Wall Street 1987 movie, Douglas earned nomination for ‘Golden Globe Award – Best Supporting Actor’.

*    In 1971 he started dating actress Brenda Vaccaro and their relationship lasted after six years, in 1977 he married Diandra Luker, the daughter of an Austrian diplomat, the couple have a son Cameron, born in 1978, the couple got divorce in 1995. Later Douglas started to date Catherine Zeta-Jones and married her on 18th November 2000, both of them are born on 25th September but 25 years apart, the couple have two children, Dylan Michael born in 2000 & Carys Zeta born in 2003.

*    In 1997 while playing golf Douglas hit New York caddie James Parker in the groin and James Parker lost a testicle, he sued Douglas for $25 million later the matter was settled out of court.

*    Douglas & Zeta-Jones were harassed stalker Dawnette Knight and a police case was registered against her and she was imprisoned for three years in 2004.

*    From 2010 Douglas is suffering from ‘throat cancer’ resulted from heavy smoking & he is undergoing chemotherapy treatment.

Michael Douglas interview excerpts

“I was fortunate to grow up and watch how my father behaved – how Tony Curtis, Burt Lancaster, and Frank Sinatra where at the house all the time. You see stars with their insecurities and how they conduct themselves, so I think that’s kept me level. But I am really impressed with watching Matt Damon, Clooney, Brad and all of these guys and how they deal with all this.”

“My priorities have completely changed, my marriage and my families come certainly before my career.”

“‘I’m the kind of person when they’re sick, I just curl up, I don’t like a lot of fuss and no attention. I just like to get on with it. So I got on with it.”

“Everybody’s private life has been exposed ever since tabloid journalism began. I’ve never had a problem with it. But paying people to spy, that’s really tasteless.”

Michael Douglas movies list and all new films 2012 2013