Family tree of Kirk DOUGLAS
Actor, Director, Philanthropist
Born Issur DANIELOVITCH
American actor, producer, director, philanthropist and author
Born on December 9, 1916 in Amsterdam, New York , United States
Died on February 5, 2020 in Beverly Hills, California , United States
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His father's brother, who immigrated earlier, used the surname Demsky, which Douglas's family adopted in the United States.:2 Douglas grew up as Izzy Demsky and legally changed his name to Kirk Douglas before entering the United States Navy during World War II.
... Douglas was born Issur Danielovitch in Amsterdam, New York, the son of Bryna "Bertha" (née Sanglel; 1884–1958) and Herschel "Harry" Danielovitch (c. 1884–1950; citations regarding his exact year of birth differ). His parents were Jewish immigrants from Chavusy, Mogilev Region, in the Russian Empire (present-day Belarus), and the family spoke Yiddish at home.
His father's brother, who immigrated earlier, used the surname Demsky, which Douglas's family adopted in the United States.:2 Douglas grew up as Izzy Demsky and legally changed his name to Kirk Douglas before entering the United States Navy during World War II.
Douglas first wanted to be an actor after he recited the poem The Red Robin of Spring while in kindergarten and received applause.
Growing up, Douglas sold snacks to mill workers to earn enough to buy milk and bread to help his family. Later, he delivered newspapers and during his youth he had more than forty jobs before becoming an actor. He found living in a family with six sisters to be stifling: "I was dying to get out. In a sense, it lit a fire under me." In high school, after acting in plays, he then knew he wanted to become a professional actor.
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Geographical origins
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