He was the son of an illiterate immigrant Russian-Jewish ragpicker and junkman. Raised in poverty, longing for his father’s approval, Issur Danielovitch went on to become a legendary Hollywood star—Kirk Douglas. Here, in his own words, is the story of his life: his acting triumphs in Sparticus, Lust for Life, The Vikings, Paths of Glory, and Champions (to name a few); his fabled love affairs (among them, Joan Crawford, Marlene Dietrich, and Pier Angeli); his long, happy marriage to Anne Buydens and tales of his four sons who sometimes do outrageous imitations of their famous father—all at once!
In fascinating insider’s detail, Kirk Douglas recalls more than forty years of Hollywood, from breaking the blacklist to his epic confrontations with studio bosses. With a cast of characters that includes scores of renowned show business personalities, The Ragman’s Son is the passionate, vivid, lusty life of Kirk Douglas: man, actor, lover, husband, father—and enduring star.