- Has a street named after him near Palm Springs International Airport: Kirk Douglas Way. (2004)
- His youngest son, Eric, who struggled with longtime drug and alcohol abuse, was found dead in a New York apartment. (July 7, 2004)
- Urges today's Hollywood stars to pay a visit to their aging predecessors in a heartfelt trade paper advertisement. (July 3, 2004)
- Douglas and wife Anne on May 23, 2004 said "I do" for the second time in 50 years at a hilltop mansion, renewing the marriage vows the couple first took when they eloped to Las Vegas in 1954.
- Says actors should take great satisfaction in just being nominated for an Academy Award and not worry so much about winning.
- Was so inspired by his son's fairytale wedding to Catherine Zeta-Jones that he's planning to step down the aisle again himself - Douglas celebrates the 50th anniversary of his wedding to wife Anne next year, and he confesses he's planning to mark the occasion by asking her to renew their vows. (January 30, 2003)
- Douglas is making a cameo in HBO's PANCHO VILLA as Senator Albert Fall, the politician who took the fall in the Teapot Dome scandal. (October 29, 2002)
- Receive the UCLA medal
- Suffered a stroke. (1995)
- Ranked #53 in Empire (UK) magazine's The Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time list. (October 1997)
- Earned $50,000 for saying the only English word at the end of a 1980s Japanese TV commercial: COFFEE.
- Kirk has celebrated his Bar Mitzvah twice. Once when he was obviously 13 years old and the other time when he was 83 years old.
- Has been given an educational honor - a high school has been named after him. WEST GRANADA HIGH SCHOOL's name was changed to KIRK DOUGLAS HIGH SCHOOL Wednesday in recognition of the 83-year-old SPARTACUS (1960) actor.
- Received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1981. This is the highest U.S. honor a civillain can receive.
- Speaks German (fluently, but not accent-free).
- Survived a helicopter crash on 23 February 1991 in which two people were killed. He was left with a debilitating back injury.
- As a passionate Zionist, wanted the history of SPARTACUS depicted to parallel the story of the Jewish people, but screenwriter Dalton Trumbo was more interested in Communist themes.
- As co-producer of SPARTACUS with Bryna Productions, he insisted on hiring Hollywood Ten blacklisted screenwriter, Dalton Trumbo to adapt the film. Douglas also hired blacklisted character actor, Peter Brocco, to play a supporting role.
- His trumpet licks in YOUNG MAN WITH A HORN (1950) were performed by Harry James.
- Stanley Kubrick was brought in as director of SPARTACUS (1960) after Kirk Douglas had a major falling out with the original director, Anthony Mann.
- Possessed the rights of ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST (1975) for a long time, before his son Michael Douglas finally started the project.
- Nominated for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series at Emmy Awards for Touched by an Angel (2000)
- Nominated for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series at Emmy Awards for Tales from the Crypt (1992)
- Nominated for Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for TV at Golden Globe Awards for AMOS (1986)
- Nominated for Best Foreign Actor at BAFTA Awards for LONELY ARE THE BRAVE (1963)
- Nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role at Academy Awards for LUST FOR LIFE (1957)
- Nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role at Academy Awards for THE BAD AND THE BEAUTIFUL (1953)
- Nominated for Best Motion Picture Actor - Drama at Golden Globe Awards for DETECTIVE STORY (1952)
- Nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role at Academy Awards for CHAMPION (1950)
Quotes- On competing for Oscar: "Whatever happens, you are all winners. Keep that in mind as you sit in the audience with a weak smile, applauding someone else who has won your Oscar."
- "I've finally gotten away from Burt Lancaster. My luck has changed for the better. I've got nice-looking girls in my films now."
- "I've made a career of playing sons of bitches."
- "In order to achieve anything you must be brave enough to fail."
- "Can you imagine what it was like for someone who had played a tough guy to be totally helpless? I couldn't even talk at first - was I supposed to wait for the return of silent movies? You can't stop drooling, and if you can talk at all, no one can understand you. It's easy to wallow in self pity. I was so depressed that I almost committed suicide."
- "Remember that things could be worse, never give up, laugh at yourself and others."
- "Virtue is not photogenic. What is it to be a nice guy? To be nothing, that's what. A big fat zero with a smile for everybody."
- "Making movies is a form of narcissism."
- "People are always talking about the old days. They say that the old movies were better, that the old actors were so great. But I don't think so. All I can say about the old days is that they have passed."
Awards- Berlin International Film Festival: Honorary Golden Berlin Bear (2001)
- PGA Golden Laurel Awards: Milestone Award (2001)
- Wine Country Film Festival: Lifetime Achievement Award (2000)
- Golden Boot Awards: Golden Boot (1999)
- Screen Actors Guild Awards: Life Achievement Award (1999)
- Hollywood Film Festival: Lifetime Achievement Award (1997)
- Academy Awards: Honorary Award for 50 years as a creative and moral force in the motion picture community (1996)
- American Cinema Foundation: Carl Foreman Prize (1996)
- ShoWest Convention: Lifetime Achievement Award (1994)
- Writers Guild of America: Meltzer Award (1991)
- American Film Institute: Life Achievement Award (1991)
- National Board of Review: Career Achievement Award (1988)
- César Awards: Honorary Award (1980)
- Golden Globe Awards: Cecil B. DeMille Award (1968)
- San Sebastián International Film Festival: Best Actor, THE VIKINGS (1958)
- Golden Globe Awards: Best Motion Picture Actor - Drama, LUST FOR LIFE (1957)
- New York Film Critics Circle Awards: Best Actor, LUST FOR LIFE (1956)
- Golden Apple Awards: Most Cooperative Actor (1949)
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