Michael Douglas: A Biography
When his efforts failed, he sold the rights to his son, who in turn produced the second film in Hollywood history to win Academy Awards in all five major categories: From this triumph, Douglas went on to both produce and star in some of the biggest box-office hits of the next two decades. Douglas coproduced and costarred in The China Syndrome , a taut thriller set in a nuclear power plant that was ironically and fortuitously released the same week as the real-life nuclear crisis at Three Mile Island. He appeared with Kathleen Turner and Danny DeVito in the highly successful action-adventure Romancing the Stone and its sequel, The Jewel of the Nile , and again teamed with the same costars for the popular dark comedy The War of the Roses In the same year, Douglas delivered an Oscar-winning performance as a ruthless, morally empty financier in Wall Street He like his father was one of the few actors to build a successful career out of portraying less-than-virtuous characters.
Basic Instinct , a film as controversial as it was successful, was in the same genre as Fatal Attraction and served to pigeonhole Douglas as an actor specializing in violent or sexual fare. Such films as Black Rain , Falling Down , and Disclosure added to this characterization.
Endeavouring to change his image, Douglas starred in the romantic comedy The American President , in which he portrayed a widowed chief executive. Douglas starred alongside his father, Kirk, and his son, Cameron, in It Runs in the Family , about three generations of a dysfunctional Manhattan family. He later played a secret service agent wrongly accused of being part of an assassination attempt in The Sentinel , and in King of California he portrayed a patient recently released from a mental hospital who is looking for gold underneath a discount store.
Douglas reprised the role of Gordon Gekko in Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps , a sequel set in amid the global financial crisis. Douglas again displayed his comic skills as a curmudgeonly realtor in the romantic comedy And So It Goes He then produced and starred in the critically panned thriller Beyond the Reach , in which he hammed it up as a psychotic big-game hunter who, after accidentally shooting a man, turns the only witness into his next quarry. In Douglas returned to television, appearing as an aging actor turned acting teacher in the Netflix series The Kominsky Method.
In Douglas announced that he had been diagnosed with advanced throat cancer; the following year he announced that the disease was in remission. He revealed in that he had actually been suffering from tongue cancer but had misrepresented his condition because it was known that the surgical treatment of tongue cancer was sometimes disfiguring. He had worried that public knowledge of that possibility would affect his career prospects.
He was ultimately treated with chemotherapy and radiation rather than surgery. We welcome suggested improvements to any of our articles. You can make it easier for us to review and, hopefully, publish your contribution by keeping a few points in mind. Your contribution may be further edited by our staff, and its publication is subject to our final approval. Unfortunately, our editorial approach may not be able to accommodate all contributions. Our editors will review what you've submitted, and if it meets our criteria, we'll add it to the article.
View all 6 comments. Jan 16, Ed rated it liked it. These early chapters were interesting because I knew the least about them. Like all filmographies, not every Douglas movie requires intense examination but he breezes over or dismisses a few unforgivably. Maybe I was less into this than other bios because I knew more about Douglas than the others. Douglas is an award winning actor and producer who had his share of ups and downs yet always managed to capture attention. One of the few second-generation kids to grow up and become a movie star, Michael Douglas has managed to emerge from the long shadow of his father.
The struggle to become his own man in an unforgiving environment is only a part of this biography. For more reviews and bookish posts please visit http: Sep 14, Evelyn rated it it was ok. This book isn't something of too much importance. If I were someone who was obsessed with Michael Douglas or otherwise engaged with his life, and if I refused to read anything other than technical writing, this would be the book for me.
As another reviewer said, it reads like an extended Wikipedia article. There's not very much life in this book- everything is very detached, even for a biography. Was this book just complied from a heap of research done on the Internet then slapped together in ch This book isn't something of too much importance. Was this book just complied from a heap of research done on the Internet then slapped together in chronological order? Apr 02, Barry Hammond rated it liked it.
Eliot does a good job covering both the body of work and Douglas' personal life and how the two relate to each other, not to mention the strong influence of his father, Kirk, on both aspects. Douglas both rebelled again this influence and come to reflect it in his own life. It's a complex study of a complex life and well worth reading for either fans of the man or people who admire cinema in general. Sep 12, Tony rated it liked it Shelves: An interesting story, but it read like an extended Wikipedia entry - not a lot of character or personality in the writing.
This was a GoodReads ARC, and since it hadn't gotten the final edits yet, I was a bit distracted by the errors still in the book, but I don't expect those to make it to the final printing. Oct 14, Jen rated it it was ok. This read more like a list of Hollywood producers, actors, directors, movies; like movie credits.
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If you are looking for a biography that reads like fiction plot this is not the book for you. I did learn about movies and the discipline of acting but didn't learn much about Michael Douglas the person. Jan 08, Judith rated it liked it. Over and over every detail. Aug 26, Alana rated it really liked it. Really enjoyed this book. Jul 21, Susan Davis rated it really liked it.
Michael Douglas: A Biography
Aside from my interest in Douglas' career and work as an artist, I have always been curious about the family overall after meeting his youngest brother Eric, who died tragically in I had seen Eric in a play in West Hollywood where he eerily reminded me of his father, Kirk, dressed in a military uniform. He took a group of us to dinner afterward, anxious to find out what we really thought of his performance. While one would have thought that all he was looking for was praise, it quickly bec Aside from my interest in Douglas' career and work as an artist, I have always been curious about the family overall after meeting his youngest brother Eric, who died tragically in While one would have thought that all he was looking for was praise, it quickly became obvious to me that he really wanted the truth.
He came around to each person individually at the table, quietly asking for specifics on what we liked and what we thought could have been done better. With undeniable magnetism, he looked each one of us in the eye, listening intently - obviously taking in and considering our comments. At the end of the evening, we all piled into his father's brown old school Mercedes which was in immaculate condition.
Checking the glove compartment, he said "Let's see what daddy has to listen to!!
The pedigree of Eric and how he was raised was more than evident, even as we raced down the Freeway in Los Angeles at 2 a. It turned out to be an unforgettable evening. I'd forgotten just how ground breaking some of the movies that Michael Douglas has been involved with actually were. I've always liked his work as an actor, but his work as a producer is even more impressive in some ways.
The details in the book describe just how he managed to overcome being the son of an iconic actor - by being himself, true to who he is and following his own instincts. While Michael Douglas' work has never risen to the level of critical appreciation as actors such as Pacino, Hoffman and DeNiro, he has still been acknowledged with multiple awards over the course of his career.
More than many actors of his particular generation, Douglas has navigated the challenging landscape of the complex and vulnerable male, managing to create sympathetic characters who, despite their flaws, still appeal to audiences. The book is a comprehensive and complete exploration of all of the phases of Douglas' life including his very earliest years, relationship with parents, rebel hippie years and the slow but steady connection to Hollywood, beginning as a stage assistant with his father and subsequent ascent to producer and actor.
Additionally, his personal relationships with women are also addressed, in a strikingly honest way. Since Douglas himself probably signed off in some way on this book - his willingness to expose the details of his life in this way only speak to his dedication to his art. It is through books like this that up and coming actors and filmmakers can learn the most valuable lessons - about the life and business of being an artist. Eliot is a great storyteller who has taken the life of an extraordinary, well known artist and provided a fascinating, multi-faceted perspective for readers.
Sep 14, Fox rated it did not like it Shelves: I won this book from the GoodReads First Reads program. Normally I enjoy reading biographies, even if the person I am reading about is one that doesn't terribly interest me. I've seen several Michael Douglas films, but generally am not enamored with his acting. I do, however, enjoy reading about Hollywood politics and what goes into the creating of different films. Likewise, I enjoy biographies in general and find it interesting how different people structure them and go about writing them.
Unfortunately, this was not a book I enjoyed. A good biographer takes a backseat to the subject of the story, just like a good ghostwriter is absent from the writing itself and instead mimics the voice of the one who's story they're telling. In Michael Douglas Marc Eliot injected a bit too much of himself and his admiration of the actor therein described. The book would have been better served if the writer had definitively chosen some aspect of the subject's character and how it developed over time, rather than bemoaning the fate of those famous people with famous father's attempting to emerge from their shadow.
A son's suicide was only a paragraph of the book, forgotten in the next chapter in favor of a relationship. Movie synopses made up the bulk of the book, along with ample complaints about trying to overcome a father's shadow.
Michael Douglas - biography, photo, personal life, news, filmography - 24SMI
No one focus fatherhood, responsibility, becoming one's own self, etc. Biographies need a focus, even though life often fails to have just one Sep 12, India Celeste rated it liked it. Overall I enjoyed the book. The reason I have it 3 stars is because at times it seems the author injected much of his own opinions of the events and films that occurred.
What I did enjoy about the book is that it was very easy to read and I liked th Overall I enjoyed the book. What I did enjoy about the book is that it was very easy to read and I liked the overall laid-back tone in which it was written. It was also a very real portrait of what people go through in life when it comes to maintaining marriages, professional commitments, setbacks, and unmet expectations.
I'd recommend this book for people who love behinds the scenes comments tart about films, are interested in Michael in general, or are generally non-traditionalists who may be struggling with establishing their own identity. There is much here to take away from how someone like Michael handled his own challenges in those areas. Jun 23, Patty rated it liked it.
This is a straight-ahead film star biography, but with seemingly strong sources it provides a frank portrayal of the actor-producer who despite his best efforts, followed in the positive and negative footsteps of his famous father. The younger Douglas grew up with a mostly absentee father, living mostly with his mother, but provided for by his father's wealth. A child of the 60s, he dabbled in drugs, lived in a commune, worked at a car wash and barely scraped through college but showed a flair f This is a straight-ahead film star biography, but with seemingly strong sources it provides a frank portrayal of the actor-producer who despite his best efforts, followed in the positive and negative footsteps of his famous father.
A child of the 60s, he dabbled in drugs, lived in a commune, worked at a car wash and barely scraped through college but showed a flair for the jobs his father provided on film sets. Soon Michael was scoring at auditions, took a film project his father could never get green lit One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and turned it into an Oscar-winner, and, like his father, married a very young classy woman and cheated on her virtually from the get-go.
Readers get the impression that Michael Douglas still has not yet scrambled out from under the looming shadow of his father whose own ego seems monumental, even in old age but maturity and marriage to Catherine Zeta-Jones has provided him with a stronger sense of contentment in his senior years. Dec 14, Tiffany rated it really liked it. A Biography," by Marc Eliot offers a fascinating and in depth look into one of Hollywood's greatest actors.
I was impressed by the extent of details on his personal life, including his climb out of his father's shadow. His personal life is on display for the world to read, as well as the numerous Hollywood movies he played on, the studios he worked for, actors he worked with, etc.. The author even gives a comprehensive look at movies that included Douglas - going into detail on "Michael Douglas: The author even gives a comprehensive look at movies that included Douglas - going into detail on his strengths and weaknesses, as well as other actors, and the films profits and losses.
The most interesting part of the book for me was the tumultuous relationship with his first wife Diandra, and their four year long separation that finally ended in divorce. If you want a thorough look into Michael Douglas's life, or a glimpse into Hollywood, then this is the book for you. Thank you Goodreads first reads for the awesome book! Aug 16, Hal rated it liked it. This was an OK bio of Michael Douglas.
Michael Douglas
Not that much revealed that probably wasn't known about him in the general press. Much credit should be given to him for making his own mark in a tough business stepping out from the shadow of his famous father. Kirk certainly was not the nurturing kind that he tried to excise in his seeming admiration for Michael This was an OK bio of Michael Douglas. Kirk certainly was not the nurturing kind that he tried to excise in his seeming admiration for Michael in the later years.
Michael's own short comings are there for all to see but no one is perfect. Hanging on to a marriage that was wrong from the start for so many years. His relationship with his own son that sees him now serving prison time for drugs that he cannot seem to shake.
The womanizing through most of his life. And the liberal cause celeb who lives in extravagance that few can imagine. Jun 05, John rated it it was ok. His film career has had its share of ups and downs. He conquered box offices and the hearts of movie-goers and his leading lady with Romancing the Stone , thrilled us with Fatal Attraction and made us squirm in Basic Instinct , yet lent his big Hollywood name to a number of box office disasters within the last decade.
Read my full review at TheCelebrityCafe.