Summary

• Kirk Douglas had a remarkable career spanning over 90 films in different genres, showcasing his explosive acting style.
• Films like "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" and "Paths of Glory" highlighted Douglas's versatility and star power in Hollywood.
• Douglas portrayed iconic characters like Spartacus and Vincent van Gogh, earning critical acclaim and recognition for his performances.

Kirk Douglas was one of the most acclaimed and important Hollywood stars of the 20th century whose vast and varied career included countless incredible movies. Following his acting debut in 1946, Douglas quickly made a name for himself as a talented actor, and by the 1950s became one of the most important and interesting leading men in showbusiness. Having appeared in more than 90 films that showcased his explosive acting style, the legacy of Douglas was unmatched in the realm of filmmaking.

Having lived to the ripe old age of 103, before he died in 2020, Douglas stood as the last remanent of an earlier age of filmmaking in Hollywood. With a career that included biopics, film noirs, melodramas, sci-fi, Westerns, and many more, Douglas came from a transformative time in movie history when actors could try anything and weren’t as pigeonholed by expectations. The long career of Douglas included collaborations with acclaimed directors like Stanley Kubrick and Douglas best films have truly stood the test of time.

10 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea (1954)

Kirk Douglas as Ned Land

Kirk Douglas teamed up with Walt Disney to play Ned Land in an adaptation of Jules Verne’s science fiction adventure classic 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea in 1954. An incredible feat of special effects for its time, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea was one of the first films ever made in CinemaScope and filmed entirely in Technicolor. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea proved that Walt Disney Productions had major potential outside of animation, and Douglas served as the perfect live-action star for this fantastical children's adventure.

With an incredible ensemble cast that also featured James Mason as Captain Nemo and Petter Lorre as Conseil, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea was mostly remembered for its iconic fight against a giant squid. A marvel for both its epic special effects and beautifully shot cinematography, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea was a genre film that went above and beyond when it came to old-fashioned adventurous fun. A large part of its success was due to the magnificent appeal of Douglas, leading to 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea standing on one of Disney’s best live-action efforts.

9 Gunfight At The O.K. Corral (1957)

Kirk Douglas as Doc Holliday

As just one of many famous actors to play Doc Holliday, Kirk Douglas tackled the Western genre in Gunfight at the O.K. Corral in 1957. Joined by Burt Lancaster as Marshal Wyatt Earp and Lee Van Cleef in a minor role, Gunfight at the O.K. Corral was based on the actual event in 1881 which was widely regarded as the most famous gunfight to ever occur in the Old West. While Gunfight at the O.K. Corral took many liberties with the truth, it still expertly showcased Douglas’s rapidly increasing star power.

While Gunfight at the O.K. Corral may not live up to the very best stories based on the real-life outlaws of Holliday and Earp, Douglas together with Lancaster made an undeniably charming team and in terms of pure entertainment the film worked well. A story of friendship and revenge that culminated in the epic shootout, Gunfight at the O.K. Corral was a pure Western that came together well in its final climax. While Douglas may have had more impressive roles, Gunfight at the O.K. Corral was one of his more fun endeavors.

8 Out Of The Past (1947)

Kirk Douglas as Whit Sterling