On Air Now
The Evening Show with Dan O'Connell 7pm - 10pm
Steven Spielberg pays tribute to Kirk Douglas
6 February 2020, 06:00 | Updated: 6 February 2020, 11:34
The director will miss the legendary actor's "letters and fatherly advice".
Director Steven Spielberg has paid tribute to Kirk Douglas after the Hollywood icon died away on Wednesday (5 February) aged 103.
The 73-year-old filmmaker paid an emotional tribute to the late Spartacus star and revealed the Hollywood legend has been a big inspiration on his own career.
In a statement to the Hollywood Reporter, he said: "Kirk retained his movie star charisma right to the end of his wonderful life and I'm honoured to have been a small part of his last 45 years.
"I will miss his handwritten notes, letters and fatherly advice, and his wisdom and courage -- even beyond such a breathtaking body of work -- are enough to inspire me for the rest of mine."
Tributes came after son Michael had confirmed his father's passing.
He 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."
As well as Spartacus, Kirk was known for the likes of 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea, Lust For Life (in which he played Vincent Van Gogh) and The Bad and the Beautiful, shooting more than 90 movies in his career.
Halloween star Jamie Lee Curtis also offered some kind words following Kirk's death, as she opened up on growing up watching him on screen, sharing a photo of her father Tony with the late star.
She wrote on Instagram: "'I love you Spartacus, like the father I never had.' Antonius
"I did have a father and he LOVED you as the world loved you. Your passion. Talent. Politics. Family. Art. Strength.
"I grew up with the Douglas boys. My love to Anne and all his family from mine."
