Legendary star Kirk Douglas promised to leave his $80 million fortune to charity.
In 2015, he told The Hollywood Reporter: “My wife is very smart. Fifty years ago she set up a trust, and it’s been growing ever since. So recently [in 2012] I said, ‘How much money do we have in that?’ And she said, ‘$80 million.’ I said, ‘What?!’”
Anne Buydens also told the publication: “He said, ‘I want to give it away.’ And that’s exactly what’s happening.”
The article said at that time that the beloved couple had pledged $50 million to be distributed through their Douglas Foundation, which helps “those who cannot otherwise help themselves.”
Some of the recipients are Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Culver City’s Kirk Douglas Theater, a movie theater restored as a live performance venue; Westwood’s Sinai Temple, which houses Anne and Kirk Douglas Childhood Center, and St. Lawrence University.
After Douglas’s death on February 5, his son, Michael Douglas, said in a statement: “It is with tremendous sadness that my brothers and I announce that Kirk Douglas left us today at the age of 103.
“To the world he was a legend, an actor from the golden age of movies who lived well into his golden years, a humanitarian whose commitment to justice and the causes he believed in set a standard for all of us to aspire to.
“But to me and my brothers Joel and Peter he was simply Dad, to Catherine, a wonderful father-in-law, to his grandchildren and great grandchild their loving grandfather, and to his wife Anne, a wonderful husband.
“Kirk’s life was well lived, and he leaves a legacy in film that will endure for generations to come, and a history as a renowned philanthropist who worked to aid the public and bring peace to the planet.
“Let me end with the words I told him on his last birthday and which will always remain true. Dad- I love you so much and I am so proud to be your son.”
During his career, Douglas was nominated for three Academy Awards. He was also presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1981 and an Oscar for Lifetime Achievement in 1998.
He started in The Vikings, 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea, The Indian Fighter, Spartacus, and many more movies.
What’s your take on this? Let us know in the comments section and SHARE this post with your friends and family!
Replaced!