Michael Douglas was a devoted son to his father Kirk Douglas, who has passed away aged 103.
Kirk, best known for the 1960 historical epic Spartacus, rose to prominence in the golden age of Hollywood.
While Kirk tried to discourage his children from pursuing acting careers, Michael followed in his footsteps, carving out his own prolific career in film and television and winning two Oscars.
Michael, who announced Kirk’s death in an emotional statement, frequently spoke about his influence on him as an actor and his wise advice.
Here are some of Michael’s best quotes on his late father…
On the best advice his father ever gave him
Michael told Entertainment Tonight his father would tell him: “Whatever you do in life, just do it to your utmost ability.
“Do it with full commitment, and then, screw it. If it doesn’t work out, move on. But, you know, you left it with the idea that there is nothing more you could have done.”
Hollywood legend: Kirk Douglas – In pictures
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Paths of Glory (1957)
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Spartacus (1960)
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Kirk Douglas pictured in 1962
AP
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Kirk Douglas and his wife Anne pose at Roissy Charles-de-Gaulle airport near Paris in 1978
AFP via Getty Images
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Rosalind Russell fends off the advances of her admirer Kirk Dougla, in the RKO film Mourning Becomes Electra in 1947
Getty Images
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Harry James and Kirk Douglas playing trumpets during filming for The Champion
Getty Images
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Kirk Douglas stars as Midge Kelly in Champion (1949)
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Doris Day and Kirk Douglas in Young Man With A Horn (1950)
Warner Bros
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American actors Burt Lancaster (left) and Kirk Douglas rehearsing their song and dance act in preparation for “Night of 100 Stars ” at the London Palladium in 1953
PA
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Kirk Douglas and the Indian actress Mehtab at the Venice Film Festival in 1953
AFP via Getty Images
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Martine Carol (1920 – 1967) with Kirk Douglas, Gina Lollobrigida and her husband Milko Skofic at a benefit party in the Sporting Club in Monte Carlo, Monaco (1955)
Getty Images
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Kirk Douglas in Lust for Life (1956)
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Kirk Douglas looks at a world globe with two of his sons, Joel (center) and Michael Douglas (circa 1956)
Getty Images
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Kirk Douglas and Burt Lancaster in Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (1957)
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Kirk Douglas and his wife Anne with Tony Curtis in 1957
PA
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Kirk Douglas admires a special award that he was given by members of his family in 1957 whilst on stage hooting of Paths of Glory
AFP via Getty Images
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Kirk Douglas in Paths of Glory (1957)
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Kirk Douglas in Paths of Glory (1957)
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Kirk Douglas poses for photographers in 1957
DPA/AFP via Getty Images
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Kirk Douglas in Top Secret (1957)
Getty Images
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Janette Scott, Burt Lancaster, Kirk Douglas and Sir Laurence Olivier on the set of The Devil’s Disciple (1958)
PA
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Spartacus (1960)
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Spartacus (1960)
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Kirk Douglas and British actress Jean Simmons are pictured during the filming of Spartacus in 1960
AFP via Getty Images
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Kirk Douglas plays in Spartacus (1960)
AFP via Getty Images
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Elizabeth Taylor dancing with Kirk Douglas at a party in Rome for the film Spartacus in 1961
Getty Images
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Seven Days in May (1964)
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Kirk Douglas with his wife Anne Buydens and their son Peter Vincent Douglas in 1963
Getty Images
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Brigitte Bardot with Kirk Douglas
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Kirk Douglas and wife Anne at the Western Ball in Hollywood
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Kirk Douglas and Sophia Loren
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Richard Harris and Kirk Douglas during a scene in The Heroes of Telemark (1965)
PA
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Kirk Douglas and John Wayne in The War Wagon (1967)
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Kirk Douglas and John Wayne in The War Wagon (1967)
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Kirk Douglas his wife Anne and their two children Erick and Peter in Monaco (1967)
AFP via Getty Images
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Kirk Douglas and his wife Anne attending the 1969 premiere of “Hello Dolly” in Los Angeles
AP
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A Gunfight (1971)
PA
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Kirk Douglas, left, and Michael Douglas in New York in 1976
AP
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Farrah Fawcett pictured with Kirk Douglas
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Kirk Douglas and Farrah Fawcett-Majors at Shepperton Studios, during filming for the sci-fi thriller Saturn 3 in 1979
PA
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Kirk Douglas is accompanied by French actresses Jeanne Moreau (L), and Leslie Caron, during the Cannes International Film Festival in 1980
AFP via Getty Images
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Michael Douglas applauds his father US actor Kirk Douglas during the 57th Annual Academy Awards, in Hollywood, California in 1985
AFP via Getty Images
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Kirk Douglas with his wife Anne in 1988
PA
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Kirk Douglas with copies of his autobiography The Ragman’s Son at Harrods in 1988
PA
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Kirk Douglas accepts the 1996 Lifetime Achievement Award at the 68th Annual Academy Awards in Los Angeles
AP
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1999 – US actor Kirk Douglas raises his arms after receiving a Life Achievement Award at the Screen Actors Guild Awards show
AFP via Getty Images
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Paths of Glory (1957)
2/46
Spartacus (1960)
3/46
Kirk Douglas pictured in 1962
AP
4/46
Kirk Douglas and his wife Anne pose at Roissy Charles-de-Gaulle airport near Paris in 1978
AFP via Getty Images
5/46
Rosalind Russell fends off the advances of her admirer Kirk Dougla, in the RKO film Mourning Becomes Electra in 1947
Getty Images
6/46
Harry James and Kirk Douglas playing trumpets during filming for The Champion
Getty Images
7/46
Kirk Douglas stars as Midge Kelly in Champion (1949)
8/46
Doris Day and Kirk Douglas in Young Man With A Horn (1950)
Warner Bros
9/46
American actors Burt Lancaster (left) and Kirk Douglas rehearsing their song and dance act in preparation for “Night of 100 Stars ” at the London Palladium in 1953
PA
10/46
Kirk Douglas and the Indian actress Mehtab at the Venice Film Festival in 1953
AFP via Getty Images
11/46
Martine Carol (1920 – 1967) with Kirk Douglas, Gina Lollobrigida and her husband Milko Skofic at a benefit party in the Sporting Club in Monte Carlo, Monaco (1955)
Getty Images
12/46
Kirk Douglas in Lust for Life (1956)
13/46
Kirk Douglas looks at a world globe with two of his sons, Joel (center) and Michael Douglas (circa 1956)
Getty Images
14/46
Kirk Douglas and Burt Lancaster in Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (1957)
15/46
Kirk Douglas and his wife Anne with Tony Curtis in 1957
PA
16/46
Kirk Douglas admires a special award that he was given by members of his family in 1957 whilst on stage hooting of Paths of Glory
AFP via Getty Images
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Kirk Douglas in Paths of Glory (1957)
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Kirk Douglas in Paths of Glory (1957)
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Kirk Douglas poses for photographers in 1957
DPA/AFP via Getty Images
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Kirk Douglas in Top Secret (1957)
Getty Images
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Janette Scott, Burt Lancaster, Kirk Douglas and Sir Laurence Olivier on the set of The Devil’s Disciple (1958)
PA
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Spartacus (1960)
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Spartacus (1960)
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Kirk Douglas and British actress Jean Simmons are pictured during the filming of Spartacus in 1960
AFP via Getty Images
25/46
Kirk Douglas plays in Spartacus (1960)
AFP via Getty Images
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Elizabeth Taylor dancing with Kirk Douglas at a party in Rome for the film Spartacus in 1961
Getty Images
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Seven Days in May (1964)
28/46
Kirk Douglas with his wife Anne Buydens and their son Peter Vincent Douglas in 1963
Getty Images
29/46
Brigitte Bardot with Kirk Douglas
30/46
Kirk Douglas and wife Anne at the Western Ball in Hollywood
31/46
Kirk Douglas and Sophia Loren
32/46
Richard Harris and Kirk Douglas during a scene in The Heroes of Telemark (1965)
PA
33/46
Kirk Douglas and John Wayne in The War Wagon (1967)
34/46
Kirk Douglas and John Wayne in The War Wagon (1967)
35/46
Kirk Douglas his wife Anne and their two children Erick and Peter in Monaco (1967)
AFP via Getty Images
36/46
Kirk Douglas and his wife Anne attending the 1969 premiere of “Hello Dolly” in Los Angeles
AP
37/46
A Gunfight (1971)
PA
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Kirk Douglas, left, and Michael Douglas in New York in 1976
AP
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Farrah Fawcett pictured with Kirk Douglas
40/46
Kirk Douglas and Farrah Fawcett-Majors at Shepperton Studios, during filming for the sci-fi thriller Saturn 3 in 1979
PA
41/46
Kirk Douglas is accompanied by French actresses Jeanne Moreau (L), and Leslie Caron, during the Cannes International Film Festival in 1980
AFP via Getty Images
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Michael Douglas applauds his father US actor Kirk Douglas during the 57th Annual Academy Awards, in Hollywood, California in 1985
AFP via Getty Images
43/46
Kirk Douglas with his wife Anne in 1988
PA
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Kirk Douglas with copies of his autobiography The Ragman’s Son at Harrods in 1988
PA
45/46
Kirk Douglas accepts the 1996 Lifetime Achievement Award at the 68th Annual Academy Awards in Los Angeles
AP
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1999 – US actor Kirk Douglas raises his arms after receiving a Life Achievement Award at the Screen Actors Guild Awards show
AFP via Getty Images
On his father’s “third act”
Kirk was nearly killed in a 1991 helicopter crash, suffered a stroke in 1996 and lost his son Eric to an accidental drug overdose in 2004.
Speaking at his father’s 100th birthday party in 2016, Michael said: “One of the things that I find most incredible about dad is the third act of his life.
“After all he accomplished in his professional career and what he’s given for his country, at the point in his life where he’s faced adversity, losing a son, having a helicopter crash, having a stroke, and what he’s accomplished in this third act in his life, I find quite extraordinary.”
On joining his father on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame
“I thank you for your advice, your inspiration and I’ll say it simply with all my heart: I’m so proud to be your son.”
On his father not finding him funny
Last year Michael was nominated for an Emmy for comedy The Kominsky Method, but admitted Kirk was puzzled by the recognition.
He said: “And I’m really savouring the fact – because my father doesn’t think I’m very funny – I’m really enjoying the fact he can’t get over this when he looks at the other people I’m with.
“He loves a good laugh, I do my best but I’m not going to be winning any award from him.
On announcing his father’s death
“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.”
Additional reporting by Press Association