01of 11The Douglas Family ArchivesCourtesy The Douglas FoundationNext year,The Douglas Foundationturns 60 — and in celebration, trusteeMichael Douglasis going back in time. The actor’s dadKirkand stepmother Anne started the organization in 1964 when Kirk’s Bryna films includingThe VikingsandSpartacusturned a profit; since then, $118 million has been disbursed to worthy causes. DespiteKirk’s death in 2020andAnne’s in 2021, the foundation keeps giving.“When we finished the heartbreaking task of assembling the contents of Anne’s private archive, we had over 10,000 items — photos, correspondence, awards and scrapbooks saved over seven decades,” Michael tells PEOPLE. “We knew we had a treasure trove we should make available to family, friends, fans and students of film history. They were a golden couple who lived through the best of the Golden Age of Hollywood, and well beyond it. Theirs was a 66-year union of two people who found fulfillment and joy in each other and sharing good fortune with others.“They were at home wherever they went: the White House for private time with President Kennedy and Jackie; sleeping in the Lincoln Bedroom when President Johnson and Lady Bird were in residence; traveling to 40 countries at their own expense to create goodwill for America at the behest of the State Department; and embracing humanitarian causes and giving charity where they could do the most good. My father called these efforts ‘selfish’ because he said they made Anne and him feel so good.“Michael is sharing a handful of the photos with PEOPLE; here, he dances with Hayley Mills at his 16th birthday party at his family estate in Beverly Hills.
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The Douglas Family Archives
Courtesy The Douglas Foundation
Next year,The Douglas Foundationturns 60 — and in celebration, trusteeMichael Douglasis going back in time. The actor’s dadKirkand stepmother Anne started the organization in 1964 when Kirk’s Bryna films includingThe VikingsandSpartacusturned a profit; since then, $118 million has been disbursed to worthy causes. DespiteKirk’s death in 2020andAnne’s in 2021, the foundation keeps giving.
“When we finished the heartbreaking task of assembling the contents of Anne’s private archive, we had over 10,000 items — photos, correspondence, awards and scrapbooks saved over seven decades,” Michael tells PEOPLE. “We knew we had a treasure trove we should make available to family, friends, fans and students of film history. They were a golden couple who lived through the best of the Golden Age of Hollywood, and well beyond it. Theirs was a 66-year union of two people who found fulfillment and joy in each other and sharing good fortune with others.
“They were at home wherever they went: the White House for private time with President Kennedy and Jackie; sleeping in the Lincoln Bedroom when President Johnson and Lady Bird were in residence; traveling to 40 countries at their own expense to create goodwill for America at the behest of the State Department; and embracing humanitarian causes and giving charity where they could do the most good. My father called these efforts ‘selfish’ because he said they made Anne and him feel so good.”
Michael is sharing a handful of the photos with PEOPLE; here, he dances with Hayley Mills at his 16th birthday party at his family estate in Beverly Hills.
02of 11Quiet on the SetCourtesy The Douglas FoundationAt the Disney Studio, where Kirk and a seal take a break from shooting20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.as Anne looks on. The following Saturday, May 29, 1954, the couple flew to Las Vegas to be married.
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Quiet on the Set
At the Disney Studio, where Kirk and a seal take a break from shooting20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.as Anne looks on. The following Saturday, May 29, 1954, the couple flew to Las Vegas to be married.
03of 11Family TiesArthur ZinnA teenaged Michael hangs with his parents poolside at their Canon Drive estate in Beverly Hills.
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Family Ties
Arthur Zinn
A teenaged Michael hangs with his parents poolside at their Canon Drive estate in Beverly Hills.
04of 11Cooking Up Some FunCourtesy The Douglas FoundationFamily friend Frank Sinatra gets to work in the kitchen alongside his “sous chef,” Kirk.
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Cooking Up Some Fun
Family friend Frank Sinatra gets to work in the kitchen alongside his “sous chef,” Kirk.
05of 11Shining StarsCourtesy The Douglas FoundationKirk dances with a distracted Elizabeth Taylor at a party in Rome celebrating the first anniversary ofSpartacus.
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Shining Stars
Kirk dances with a distracted Elizabeth Taylor at a party in Rome celebrating the first anniversary ofSpartacus.
06of 11Take the CakeCourtesy The Douglas FoundationSurprise! Kirk pops out of a birthday cake to surprise his wife at her birthday party.
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Take the Cake
Surprise! Kirk pops out of a birthday cake to surprise his wife at her birthday party.
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Moment in Time
Annie Liebovitz/The Douglas Foundation
08of 11Growing UpChristopher BriscoeKirk and Anne enjoy time with Michael, Catherine Zeta-Jones and kids Dylan, Carys and Cameron in 2007.
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Growing Up
Christopher Briscoe
Kirk and Anne enjoy time with Michael, Catherine Zeta-Jones and kids Dylan, Carys and Cameron in 2007.
09of 11Away We GoCourtesy The Douglas FoundationKirk rides the new slide with a child at opening-day ceremonies for one of the 408 Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) refurbished playgrounds the Douglas Foundation financed over a 10-year period. The family auctioned off a great portion of their art collection at Christie’s in 2000 to pay for these multi-million dollar projects.
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Away We Go
Kirk rides the new slide with a child at opening-day ceremonies for one of the 408 Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) refurbished playgrounds the Douglas Foundation financed over a 10-year period. The family auctioned off a great portion of their art collection at Christie’s in 2000 to pay for these multi-million dollar projects.
10of 11Life of AchivementCourtesy The Douglas FoundationKirk and Anne pose with his Lifetime Achievement Oscar at home in Beverly Hills. It was his first appearance after suffering his stroke.
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Life of Achivement
Kirk and Anne pose with his Lifetime Achievement Oscar at home in Beverly Hills. It was his first appearance after suffering his stroke.
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Making Memories
Mikel Healey
Kirk died at age 103 in 2020, while Anne followed him one year later, at age 102.
Enjoy more photos from the family’s history atdouglasfoundation.org.
source: people.com
