Michael Douglas Read online

  One Night at McCool’s 2001—Universal (Focus Features). Producers: Michael Douglas, Allison Lyon Segan, Veslemoey Ruud Zwart, Whitney Green. Director: Harald Zwart. Screenplay: Stan Seidel. With Michael Douglas, Liv Tyler, Matt Dillon, Paul Reiser, John Goodman, Andrew Dice Clay (billed as Andrew Silverstein).

  The In-Laws 2003—Warner Bros. Producers: Andrew Bergman, Bill Gerber, Elie Samaha, Bill Todman Jr., Joel Simon. Director: Andrew Fleming. Screenplay: Andrew Bergman, Nat Mauldin, Ed Solomon. With Michael Douglas, Albert Brooks, Candice Bergen, Ryan Reynolds.

  It Runs in the Family 2003—MGM. Producers: Michael Douglas, Marcy Drogin, Jesse Wigutow. Director: Fred Schepisi. Screenplay: Jesse Wigutow. With Michael Douglas, Kirk Douglas, Cameron Douglas, Diana Douglas, Rory Culkin, Bernadette Peters.

  You, Me, and Dupree 2006—Universal Pictures. Producers: Mary Parent, Scott Stuber, Owen Wilson. Director: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo. Screenplay: Mike LeSieur. With Matt Dillon, Owen Wilson, Kate Hudson, Michael Douglas, Seth Rogen, Amanda Detmer.

  The Sentinel 2006—Twentieth Century Fox (Regency Studios). Producers: Michael Douglas, Marcy Drogin, Arnon Milchan. Director: Clark Johnson. Screenplay: George Nolfi, from a novel by Gerald Petievich. With Michael Douglas, Kiefer Sutherland, Eva Longoria, Martin Donovan, Kim Basinger.

  King of California 2007—Millennium Films. Producers: Randall Emmett, George Furla, Avi Lerner, Michael London, Alexander Payne, John Thompson, Vance Owen. Director: Mike Cahill. Screenplay: Mike Cahill. With Michael Douglas, Evan Rachel Wood, Willis Burks II.

  Ghosts of Girlfriends Past 2009—New Line Cinema. Producers: Brad Epstein, Jonathan Shestack, Marcus Viscidi. Director: Mark Waters. Screenplay: Jon Lucas, Scott Moore. With Michael Douglas, Matthew McConaughey, Jennifer Garner, Emma Stone, Noureen DeWulf, Breckin Meyer, Lacey Chabert, Christina Milian.

  Beyond a Reasonable Doubt 2009—Foresight Unlimited, RKO Pictures, Signature Pictures. Producers: Faisal S. M. Al Saud, Stephanie Caleb. Director: Peter Hyams. Screenplay: Peter Hyams, Douglas Morrow (1956 screenplay). With Michael Douglas, Jesse Metcalfe, Amber Tamblyn, Joel David Moore, Orlando Jones.

  Solitary Man 2009—Millennium Films. Producers: Steven Soderbergh, Moshe Diamont, Danny Dimbort, Joe Gatta. Director: Brian Koppelman, David Levien. Screenplay: Brian Koppelman. With Michael Douglas, Jenna Fischer, Jesse Eisenberg, Mary-Louise Parker, Imogen Poots, Susan Sarandon, Danny DeVito.

  Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps 2010—Twentieth Century Fox. Producers: Edward R. Pressman, Eric Kopeloff. Director: Oliver Stone. Screenplay: Allan Loeb, Stephen Schiff. With Michael Douglas, Shia LaBeouf, Josh Brolin, Carey Mulligan.

  Haywire 2012—Relativity Media. Producer: Gregory Jacobs. Director: Steven Soderbergh. Screenplay: Lem Dobbs. With Gina Carano, Ewan McGregor, Michael Fassbender, Channing Tatum, Michael Angarano, Antonio Banderas, Michael Douglas.

  Behind the Candelabra 2013 (scheduled)—HBO Productions. Producers: Jerry Weintraub, Gregory Jacobs. Director: Steven Soderbergh. Screenplay: Richard LaGravenese. With Michael Douglas, Matt Damon.

  As Executive Producer

  Running 1979—Universal.

  Starman 1984—Columbia.

  Radio Flyer 1992—Columbia.

  Eyes of an Angel 1994—Trans World Entertainment (with others).

  The Ghost and the Darkness 1996—Paramount.

  Face/Off 1997—Paramount.

  The Rainmaker 1997—Paramount.

  The Husband I Bought 2001—Hit and Run Productions/IAC Holdings.

  Godspeed 2001—MGM.

  As Assistant Director

  (ALL FILMS STARRING KIRK DOUGLAS)

  Lonely Are the Brave 1962—Universal.

  The Heroes of Telemark 1965—Columbia.

  Cast a Giant Shadow 1966—United Artists.

  OTHER FILM WORK

  (ALL FILMS STARRING KIRK DOUGLAS)

  Spartacus 1960—Universal Pictures. Gofer.

  Lonely Are the Brave 1962—Universal Pictures. Assistant film editor,

  DOCUMENTARIES

  Still Life, aka Family Life, 1990—Universal.

  One Day in September, aka Ein Tag im September 1999—Sony Pictures Classics. Narrator.

  Get Bruce aka Get Bruce! 1999—Miramax. Himself.

  Forever Hollywood 1999—Esplanade Productions/American Cinémathèque. Himself.

  In Search of Peace—Part One: 1948–1967, aka In Search of Peace 2001—Seventh Art Releasing. Narrator.

  Direct Order 2003—Scott Miller and Co. Narrator.

  Declaration of Independence 2003—Declaration of Independence, Inc. Himself.

  Tell Them Who You Are 2005—ThinkFilm. Himself.

  … A Father … A Son … Once Upon a Time in Hollywood 2006 (DVD release)—HBO. Directed by Lee Grant.

  TELEVISION

  The Experiment 1969. CBS Playhouse. Scientist (billed as M. K. Douglas).

  The Albatross 1971. “Medical Center.” CBS.

  The Hitchhiker 1971. “The F.B.I.” ABC.

  When Michael Calls 1972. ABC. Craig.

  The Streets of San Francisco. 1972–76. ABC. Inspector Steve Keller.

  Will & Grace 2002. NBC. Detective Gavin Hatch.

  Liberty’s Kids: Est. 1776 2002. Voice of Patrick Henry.

  Freedom: A History of Us 2002. Benjamin French and Benjamin Franklin.

  Phineas and Ferb 2011. Voice of Waylon.

  NBC Nightly News 2007–present. Announcer.

  AWARDS

  ACADEMY AWARDS

  1976 Won Best Picture (with Saul Zaentz) for One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975), the first film in forty-one years to sweep the major categories of best picture, director, actor, actress, and screenplay.

  1988 Won Best Actor in a Leading Role for Wall Street (1987)

  AMERICAN CINÉMATHÈQUE GALA TRIBUTE

  1993 Won American Cinematheque Award

  AMERICAN FILM INSTITUTE, USA

  2009 Won Life Achievement Award

  BAFTA AWARDS—BRITISH ACADEMY OF FILM AND TELEVISION ARTS

  1989 Nominated for Best Actor for Fatal Attraction (1987)

  2001 Nominated for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role for Wonder Boys (2000)

  BLOCKBUSTER ENTERTAINMENT AWARDS

  1999 Nominated for Favorite Actor—Suspense—for A Perfect Murder (1998)

  2001 Nominated for Favorite Actor—Drama—for Traffic (2000)

  CHICAGO FILM CRITICS ASSOCIATION AWARDS

  2001 Nominated for Best Actor for Wonder Boys (2000)

  CÉSAR AWARDS (FRANCE)

  1998 Won Honorary César

  DALLAS FORT WORTH FILM CRITICS ASSOCIATION AWARDS

  2010 Nominated for Best Actor for Solitary Man (2009)

  DAVID DI DONATELLO AWARDS

  1988 Won Best Foreign Actor for Wall Street (1987)

  1990 Nominated for Best Foreign Actor for The War of the Roses (1989)

  EMMY AWARDS

  1974 Nominated for Best Supporting Actor in Drama for The Streets of San Francisco (ABC)

  1975 Nominated for Outstanding Continuing Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for The Streets of San Francisco (ABC)

  1976 Nominated for Outstanding Continuing Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for The Streets of San Francisco (ABC)

  2002 Nominated for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series, Will & Grace (NBC)

  GENIE AWARDS

  1980 Nominated for Best Performance by a Foreign Actor for Running (1979)

  GOLDEN GLOBES, USA

  1970 Nominated for Most Promising Newcomer—Male—for Hail, Hero! (1969)

  1975 Nominated for Best TV Actor—Drama—for The Streets of San Francisco (1972)

  1988 Won for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture—Drama—for Wall Street (1987)

  1990 Nominated for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture—Comedy/Musical—for The War of the Roses (1989)

  1996 Nominated for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture—Comedy/Musical—for The Am
erican President (1995)

  2001 Nominated for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture—Drama—for Wonder Boys (2000)

  2004 Won Cecil B. DeMille Lifetime Achievement Award

  2011 Nominated for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture for Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps (2010)

  HASTY PUDDING THEATRICALS, USA

  1992 Won Man of the Year

  ITALIAN NATIONAL SYNDICATE OF FILM JOURNALISTS

  1988 Won for Best Foreign Actor for Wall Street (1987)

  KANSAS CITY FILM CRITICS CIRCLE AWARDS

  1988 Won for Best Actor for Wall Street (1987)

  KARLOVY VARY INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

  1998 Won Special Prize for Outstanding Contribution to World Cinema

  LAS VEGAS FILM CRITICS SOCIETY AWARDS

  2000 Nominated for Sierra Award for Best Actor for Wonder Boys (2000) and Traffic (2000)

  LONDON CRITICS CIRCLE FILM AWARDS

  2001 Nominated for ALFS Award for Actor of the Year for Wonder Boys (2000)

  LOS ANGELES FILM CRITICS ASSOCIATION AWARDS

  2000 Won for Best Actor for Wonder Boys (2000)

  MTV MOVIE AWARDS

  1992 Won Best On-Screen Duo for Basic Instinct (1992) with Sharon Stone

  1993 Nominated for Best Male Performance for Basic Instinct (1992)

  NATIONAL BOARD OF REVIEW, USA

  1987 Won for Best Actor for Wall Street (1987)

  2007 Won Career Achievement Award

  ONLINE FILM CRITICS SOCIETY AWARDS

  2001 Nominated for Best Actor for Wonder Boys (2000)

  PGA AWARDS—PRODUCERS GUILD OF AMERICA

  2009 Won Lifetime Achievement Award for Motion Pictures

  PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARDS, USA

  1988 Won for Favorite Motion Picture Actor

  PHOENIX FILM CRITICS SOCIETY AWARDS

  2001 Nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Wonder Boys (2000)

  RAZZIE AWARDS

  1993 Nominated for Worst Actor for Basic Instinct (1992) and Shining Through (1992)

  SAN SEBASTIÁN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

  1997 Won Donostia Lifetime Achievement Award

  SATELLITE AWARDS

  2001 Won for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture—Comedy or Musical—for Wonder Boys (2000)

  2010 Nominated for Best Actor in a Motion Picture—Drama—for Solitary Man (2009)

  SCREEN ACTORS GUILD AWARDS

  2001 Won Best Actor—Outstanding Performance by the Cast of a Theatrical Motion Picture—for Traffic (2000), with Steven Bauer, Benjamin Bratt, James Brolin, Don Cheadle, Erika Christensen, Clifton Collins Jr., Benicio Del Toro, Miguel Ferrer, Albert Finney, Topher Grace, Luis Guzmán, Amy Irving, Thomas Milian, D. W. Moffett, Dennis Quaid, Peter Riegert, Jacob Vargas, Catherine Zeta-Jones

  SHOWEST CONVENTION, USA

  1979 Won Special Award for Star/Producer of the Year

  SOUTHEASTERN FILM CRITICS ASSOCIATION AWARDS

  2001 Won Best Actor for Wonder Boys (2000); tied with Javier Bardem for Before Night Falls (2000)

  TAORMINA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

  2004 Won Taormina Arte Award

  THE EUGENE O’NEILL THEATER CENTER

  2012 Won Twelfth Annual Monte Cristo Award for his achievements and contributions to the American and international theater community

  MICHAEL DOUGLAS’S TOP 10

  DOMESTIC BOX OFFICE GROSSES

  1. Fatal Attraction (1987) $157 million

  2. Traffic (2000) $124 million

  3. Basic Instinct (1992) $118 million

  4. The War of the Roses (1989) $84 million

  5. Disclosure (1994) $83 million

  6. Romancing the Stone (1984) $76 million

  7. The Jewel of the Nile (1985) $75 million

  8. You, Me and Dupree (2006) $75 million

  9. A Perfect Murder (1998) $68 million

  10. The American President (1995) $60 million

  MICHAEL DOUGLAS’S TOP 10

  OPENING WEEKEND GROSSES (NORTH AMERICA)

  OPENING WEEKEND TOTAL GROSS

  1. Don’t Say a Word $17.1 million $102.0 million

  2. A Perfect Murder $16.6 million $67.6 million

  3. Basic Instinct $15.1 million $117.7 million

  4. The Game $14.3 million $48.3 million

  5. Disclosure $10.1 million $83.0 million

  6. The American President $10.0 million $60.1 million

  7. The War of the Roses $9.68 million $86.0 million

  8. Black Rain $9.67 million $46.2 million

  9. The Ghost and the Darkness $9.2 million $38.6 million

  10. Falling Down $8.7 million $40.9 million

  BIBLIOGRAPHY

  Bart, Peter. Infamous Players: A Tale of Movies, The Mob (and Sex). New York: Weinstein Books, 2011.

  Brode, Douglas. The Films of Jack Nicholson. Rev. ed. Secaucus, NJ: Citadel, 1999.

  Darrid, Diana Douglas. In the Wings: A Memoir. New York: Barricade Books, 1999.

  Douglas, Kirk. The Ragman’s Son: An Autobiography. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1988.

  Durgnat, Raymond. The Strange Case of Alfred Hitchcock. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 1982.

  Edelman, Rob, and Amy L. Unterburger, eds. International Dictionary of Films and Filmmakers, vol. 3: Actors and Actresses. 3rd ed. Farmington Hills, MI: St. James Press, 1997.

  Grant, Lee (director)…. A Father … A Son … Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Produced by HBO, 2005.

  Goldberg, Wendy, and Betty Goodwin. Marry Me!: Courtships and Proposals of Legendary Couples. Los Angeles: Angel City Press, 1994.

  Goldman, William. Which Lie Did I Tell? New York: Random House, 2000.

  Kinn, Gail, and Jim Piazza. The Academy Awards: The Complete Unofficial History. New York: Black Dog and Leventhal, 2002.

  McDougal, Dennis. Five Easy Decades. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley, 2008.

  New York Times. Guide to the Best 1,000 Movies Ever Made. New York: New York Times Company, 2004.

  Parker, John. Michael Douglas: Acting on Instinct. London: Headline, 1994.

  Phillips, Julia. You’ll Never Eat Lunch in This Town Again. New York: Random House, 1991.

  Sanello, Frank. Naked Instinct. Secaucus, NJ: Carol, 1997.

  Thomson, David. The New Biographical Dictionary of Film. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2002.

  NOTES

  INTRODUCTION

  1 “[My father] told me …” Michael Douglas, quoted in Rick Lyman, “Mr. Douglas, the Younger, Comfortable in His Prime, Can Pick His Spots,” New York Times, February 1, 2001 (quote slightly abbreviated).

  2 “Every kid …” Michael Douglas, Playboy interview, February 1986.

  3 “Christ, I saw my father as a gladiator …” Ibid.

  4 “had some inkling …” and “Yes, I liked women …” Diana Douglas and Kirk Douglas, respectively, in Grant, dir.,… A Father … A Son.

  5 “When Diana and I were having an intense argument …” Kirk Douglas, The Ragman’s Son, 132.

  6 “I think my earliest memory …” Michael Douglas in Grant, dir., … A Father … A Son.

  7 “Michael … was showing …” Darrid, In the Wings, 153.

  8 “walked in and kissed Diana …” Kirk Douglas, The Ragman’s Son, 145.

  9 “capable of playing characters …” Thomson, New Biographical Dictionary of Film, 247–49.

  10 “I went into theater because …” Michael Douglas, in Fred Schruers, “The Rolling Stone Interview,” Rolling Stone, January 14, 1988.

  PART ONE: PARENTS

  CHAPTER 1

  1 “As an actor, it was …” Michael Douglas, in Grant, dir.,… A Father … A Son.

  2 “I have always suspected …” Kirk Douglas, The Ragman’s Son, 15.

  3 “always with one pretty girl …” Darrid, In the Wings, 67.

  4 “to the tinsel of Hollywood …” Ibid., 72.

  CHAPTER 2

  1 “I didn’t grow up in Beverly Hills …” Michael Doug
las, quoted in Bob Thomas’s syndicated column, which appeared in Hollywood Citizen-News, April 18, 1969.

  2 “As a child, he was very shy …” Kirk Douglas, Hollywood Reporter, January 23, 2004.

  3 “His deep, dark Russian depressions …” Darrid, In the Wings, 110.

  4 “No, Mommy! No, Mommy!… It’s okay, Mikey, it’s okay …” Ibid., 129–30.

  5 “that was Auntie Irene …” Darrid, In the Wings, 145.

  6 “core of sensitivity that he guarded …” Diana Douglas, quoted by Sean Macaulay, Times (London), January 22, 2001.

  7 “I was very shocked …” Michael Douglas, interviewed by Stephen Galloway, Hollywood Reporter, January 23, 2004.

  CHAPTER 3

  1 “I was able to watch my father …” Michael Douglas, interviewed by Simi Horwitz, Back Stage West, September 13, 2007.

  2 “Now the family is together …” Kirk Douglas, The Ragman’s Son, 205.

  3 “a talented but stubborn prick …” Confidential source does not wish to be identified.

  4 “The first girl I ever kissed …” Michael Douglas, quoted in Parker, Michael Douglas, 36.

  5 “skinny little fourteen-year-old …” Darrid, In the Wings, 230.

  6 “took more time than …” Kirk Douglas, The Ragman’s Son, 306.

  7 “You can’t sue God” Kirk Douglas, The Ragman’s Son, 230.

  PART TWO: CONNECTICUT TO SANTA BARBARA …

  CHAPTER 4

  1 “I think having a famous father …” Kirk Douglas, quoted in People, April 16, 1979.