By Famous Film Families will be a feature exploring the famous film families of Hollywood, from the Barrymores to the Sheens and the Coppolas to the Hustons. Each column will cover famous members of one movie family and some of their choice roles. If you dig deep enough, you will unearth some pretty strange roots in these family trees. And, somehow, everyone is related to Kevin Bacon.
This week, we tackle the Douglases, or the Douglai, as we will now call them.
Famous Film Families will be a feature exploring the famous film families of Hollywood, from the Barrymores to the Sheens and the Coppolas to the Hustons. Each column will cover famous members of one movie family and some of their choice roles. If you dig deep enough, you will unearth some pretty strange roots in these family trees. And, somehow, everyone is related to Kevin Bacon.
This week, we tackle the Douglases, or the Douglai, as we will now call them.{{page_break}}
Kirk Douglas
We start with the patron, Kirk Douglas, who is probably the most talented actor in the family. Kirk had a mug made for the screen; his face commanded attention and could convey with ease the emotions of triumph, loss, and frustration like few of his generation. Douglas’ best roles included the titular Spartacus, the underrated Ace In The Whole, and a slew of political or military dramas that he lent his talents to. Kirk Douglas had a brief marriage to Diana Douglas, who has no less than 75 acting credits on IMDB. For those keeping track at home, that’s two.
Michael Douglas
Next is son number one, Michael Douglas. He recently reprised his role as Gordon Gecko in Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps, a character so filled with greed and ambition its surprising he needed sustenance to survive. If he dined at all, it was probably on dodo eggs.
Check out Michael in Wall Street and The Game. And watch One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest, apparently Michael produced it and brother Joel got a Production Manager credit for it.
Catherine Zeta-Jones
Michael’s beautiful wife Catherine Zeta-Jones is, by the power of marriage, a Douglai as well (strong work, Michael).
Ms. Zeta-Jones was hot in everything from Entrapment to Traffic and even High Fidelity. There is something about her that defies the “can be hot, beautiful, or cute, but not all three” mantra. It helps that she ages quite well on screen, and even made an appearance in the Ocean’s trilogy.
The Douglas grandson, Cameron, is…Oh wait, I’ve been told not to mention him, he isn’t acting right now…
On the fringe of this tree, although impressive in his own right, is Michael’s brother Joel. Joel Douglas has a pretty extensive resume on the other side of the camera, having six producer credits, three production management credits, and even some assistant director credits under his belt.
If for some reason you can’t get enough Douglai, there is a movie called, ironically, It Runs In the Family. There are four Douglai in that movie, together. If that isn’t enough Douglai for you, Nurse Ratched has an opening in her ward.
Thanks to our lovely Siobhan Watters, for her carefully crafted family tree.