Hollywood Remembers Kirk Douglas, ‘One of the Most Iconic Actors of His Time’

By J. Kim Murphy

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Hollywood paid tribute to Kirk Douglas, one of the enduring figureheads of its Golden Age, following news of the actor’s death on Wednesday.

The star of classics such as “Spartacus,” “Paths of Glory,” “Ace in the Hole” and “Out of the Past” died at 103 years old.

Director Steven Spielberg was among those who paid tribute to Douglas’ life and work.

“Kirk retained his movie star charisma right to the end of his wonderful life and I’m honored to have been a small part of his last 45 years,” Spielberg said in a statement. “I will miss his handwritten notes, letters and fatherly advice, and his wisdom and courage — even beyond such a breathtaking body of work — are enough to inspire me for the rest of mine.”

Ron Meyer, the vice chairman of NBCUniversal, the studio behind “Spartacus,” also remembered the actor.

“I’ve personally known the Douglas family for over 40 years. Kirk was an extraordinary man, dedicated husband and father, a loving grandfather, and one of the most iconic actors of his time,” he said. “He will always hold a special place in our studio’s history and the hearts of all of us here at Universal.”

Filmmaker and actor Rob Reiner honored Douglas’ breaking of the blacklist, remembering when the star hired ousted screenwriter Dalton Trumbo to pen “Spartacus.”

Danny DeVito remembered Douglas as a “Scalawag,” recalling the 1973 pirate film of the same name that Douglas directed and starred in.

Jason Alexander declared Douglas “got better with every passing day.”

Bruce Campbell declared Douglas “a pillar of Hollywood has fallen.”

Mitzi Gaynor, one of Douglas’ former co-stars in the Golden Age of Hollywood, thanked him for “sharing your amazing talent with all of us.”

See more tributes below.