Actor, producer. Born on September 25, 1944, in New Brunswick, New Jersey, educated at Black Fox Military Academy; Choate; University of California. The son of Kirk Douglas, he entered the industry in the mid-60s as an assistant director, but later in the decade turned to acting on TV, on the stage, and in films. He made an auspicious start as a producer (in collaboration) with One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, a film that captured all five top Oscars, including Best Picture, for 1975. In the early 80s, playing a succession of heroes, he developed into a popular movie star. Later in the decade, he demonstrated a capacity of greater depth and wider range (particularly in playing characters of problematic morality) in such films as Fatal Attraction (1986), Wall Street (1987), and Falling Down (1993). He won an Academy Award as Best Actor for his portrayal of a greedy, ruthless inside trader in Wall Street.
