Lessons on Success and Failure from Acting Legend Kirk Douglas

In this episode, I discuss lessons on success and failure that I've learned from studying the life of movie star and acting legend Kirk Douglas. Kirk Douglas was born Issur Danielovitch on December 9, 1916. He had an impoverished childhood with immigrant parents and six sisters, but was able to break through with hard work with a brief start on Broadway. His father was abusive and an alcoholic. He had more than forty jobs before he became an actor and starred in 95 different acting roles throughout his career.

I grew up watching many of his westerns and films and enjoyed his devotion to making such entertaining productions.

He made many mistakes throughout his life with affairs and bad business decisions, but lived a long and full life even after he had a severe stroke in 1996. He wrote a book about his experiences called My Stroke of Luck to help others know how to treat those with family members who suffered from a stroke. He lived another 24 years after this stroke and learned how to speak again. He is buried next to his youngest son Eric who died from an overdose of alcohol and drugs in 2004. There will likely never be another actor quite like him who was so prolific or who was instrumental in changing the studio system by setting up his own production company. I am one who has enjoyed learning from his life and who has enjoyed many of his films. I hope you enjoy these stories and lessons from his life.