The First One Hundred Years Of Kirk Douglas

December 9, 2016 — #IamSpartacus, birthday, Kirk Douglas, Spartacus

Kirk Douglas

Kirk Douglas celebrates his 100th birthday today. He is not only a piece of cinema history, but has portrayed historical roles, the most famous of which was Spartacus.  He wrote a warning recently to the American people.  He shared the wisdom of his perspective as a boy who joined the navy after Pearl Harbor to fight.  He is married to a woman who was born in Belgium. They have both been shocked by the rhetoric of the recent election and the resulting prevailing unrest and distrust.  They have direct experience with the dangers of extremism and hate based politics.  He opposed the Hollywood blacklists, and lived to tell about it.

I urge you to read his entire statement.  Here is an excerpt to tempt you to do so:

“Until now, I believed I had finally seen everything under the sun. But this was the kind of fear-mongering I have never before witnessed from a major U.S. presidential candidate in my lifetime.

I have lived a long, good life. I will not be here to see the consequences if this evil takes root in our country. But your children and mine will be. And their children. And their children’s children.

All of us still yearn to remain free. It is what we stand for as a country. I have always been deeply proud to be an American. In the time I have left, I pray that will never change. In our democracy, the decision to remain free is ours to make.

My 100th birthday is exactly one month and one day after the next presidential election. I’d like to celebrate it by blowing out the candles on my cake, then whistling “Happy Days Are Here Again.”

As my beloved friend Lauren Bacall once said, “You know how to whistle don’t you? You just put your lips together and blow.”

I wish Kirk and his friends a very festive day.  His doctor promised him a shot of vodka if he made it to 100 years.  He plans to take the offer at an afternoon party for 150 or so of his closest friends.  Cheers to a happy birthday!  Twitter is all a twee with #IamSpartacus today in tribute.

movie star