The movie actor who starred in ‘Telemark’ celebrates his 100th birthday

Actor Kirk DouglasRjukan januay 1965.Actor Kirk Douglas.Photo: Sverre A. Børretzen / Aktuell / Scanpix

Actor Kirk Douglas has turned 100 years old. He is perhaps best known for the title role as the rebellious slave in ‘Spartacus’, but also played a ‘heavy water’ saboteur in the movie, ‘Heroes of Telemark’.

‘Telemark’, released in 1965, is the Hollywood version of the sabotage action against a ‘Hydro heavy water’ plant at Rjukan during the Second World War.

But of all Douglas’ many starring roles, it is ‘Spartacus’ that is most hailed today, according to the BBC.

During a career spanning many decades, the American actor, who passed the 100 year anniversary on Friday, received numerous awards.

In 1996, he won an honorary Academy Award, and despite the fact that he’d suffered a stroke, and thus lost his ability to speak (a few months earlier), he’d managed to train himself so that he could hold a brief acceptance speech.

‘I was just going to say thank you, but I see 1,000 people and feel I must say something more, which I have now done’, he said, before raising the statuette, thanking his sons and turning to his wife, Anne Buydens, and saying he loved her.

Kirk Douglas is the father of four children, including the actor Michael Douglas.

 

Source: NTB scanpix / Norway Today