Person in history
Kirk Douglas
Kirk Douglas, American actor (born 1916)
Life at a glance
- Died
- 2020 · February 5
Their story
Who they were
Kirk Douglas was an American actor and filmmaker. After an impoverished childhood, he made his film debut in The Strange Love of Martha Ivers (1946) with Barbara Stanwyck. Douglas soon developed into a leading box-office star throughout the 1950s, known for serious dramas, including westerns and war films. During his career, he appeared in more than 90 films and was known for his explosive acting style. He was named by the American Film Institute the 17th-greatest male star of Classic Hollywood cinema.
Early life
Early life and education Douglas' college graduation photo from St. Lawrence University in 1939 Kirk Douglas was born Issur Danielovitch [ a ] on December 9, 1916, in Amsterdam, New York , the fourth of seven children and the only son of Bryna "Bertha" [ b ] ( née Sanglel; 1884–1958) and Herschel "Harry" Danielovitch [ c ] (1884–1954). [ 1 ] His parents were Russian-Jewish immigrants from Chavusy , Mogilev Governorate , in the Russian Empire (present-day Belarus ). [ 2 ]
Why this date
Kirk Douglas appears on our February 5 calendar for 2020 as a death entry.
Sources
Cite this page
“Kirk Douglas”, What's On This Date, https://whatsonthisdate.com/app/people/kirk-douglas, accessed October 25, 2026.
Cite the underlying source as well — the source links above go to the record this entry is adapted from.
Questions about Kirk Douglas
When did Kirk Douglas die?
February 5 2020.
Who else was born on this day?
The date page lists everyone we hold for that calendar day.
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