Kirk Douglas was born Issur Danielovitch on December 9, 1916, in Amsterdam, NY. Douglas was the son of poor Russian immigrants. He worked as a waiter to put himself through St. Lawrence University. Kirk made his Broadway debut in 1941.

In 1943, Douglas enlisted in the U.S. Navy, and he served as a communications officer in anti-submarine warfare during World War II.

After the war, Douglas returned to Broadway and then appeared in his first movie in 1946 (The Strange Love of Martha Ivers). Kirk filmed four movies in Israel including The Juggler and Cast a Giant Shadow. Some of his other films include: Paths of Glory, Spartacus, and Tough Guys. Douglas also appears in a new film called Diamonds.