Kirk Douglas

The elderly warm the cockles of my heart, yes... but Issur Danielovitch Demsky, a.k.a. Mr. Kirk Douglas, captures it. From "Young Man with a Horn" to "Lust for Life" to "The Vikings" to "Spartacus" and beyond... Actor, Director, Producer, Writer... Much respect, sir for your body of work and for grabbing life by the tail and hanging on for such a glorious ride.

The following is a letter written for Vanity Fair entitled,
"Speaking Up: Kirk Douglas Responds".

 

 Tongue-Tied: A self-portrait by Kirk Douglas for Vanity Fair.

I was very moved by Christopher Hitchens’s article on his bout with esophageal cancer, which caused him to lose his voice [“ Unspoken Truths ,” June].

Fifteen years ago, I suffered a stroke, which caused me to lose my speech. Now, what does an actor who can’t talk do? Wait for silent pictures to come back? I work with a speech therapist twice a week. Open your mouth wide—stick out your tongue as far as you can and hold it. Massage your cheeks and lips, etc. I do my exercises daily, usually in the morning while my wife, Anne, is driving me to the office. Once, we stopped at a red light, and I had my tongue stuck out as far as I could. Over my shoulder, I could see a driver sticking his tongue out at me. We both maintained our positions until the light turned green.

We take speech for granted. We think of something to say and we just say it. Not I. I have to go through my exercises, condition my facial muscles, work my tongue, etc. It’s a lot of work.

Sometimes when I’m in a crowded restaurant with friends, I think of a witty thing to say, but when I realize what a struggle it would be to say it, I keep my mouth shut. If I have to speak in public, I am terrified. I tell my wife, “I don’t think I’ll be able to talk tonight.” She laughs. “Kirk, when they put a mike in front of you, you will talk.” And I do.

With hard work, my speech was getting better. But a stroke taught me a lot. I discovered the magic of silence. It talked to me. I sat in my room and listened with my eyes shut. When I opened them, I saw Anne standing there—beautiful. I made another discovery:

Romance begins at 80

And I ought to know.

I live with a girl

Who will tell you so.

I sit by her bath

As she soaks in the tub.

Then help her out

For a strong towel rub.

She likes that a lot

But before I tire,

It’s time to pour the wine

And start lighting the fire.

As the fire crackles,

We talk of the past.

We met over 50 years ago.

Did you think it would last?

The glasses are empty.

The ashes are red.

“Thanks for a lovely evening

But it’s time for bed.”

When you get to 90,

Cherish the memories you had.

Those are the only things

That can make you feel glad.

Without making a sound, I walked in my garden, admiring the roses—God’s creation. I’d never really seen the color of roses, so subtle, so beautiful. I looked up and saw the tall palm trees swaying gently, their fronds tinted by the setting sun. It was magical. It made me want to write what I could not say:

God walks beside me

In the open air.

Of course, I can’t see Him, but

I’m sure He’s there.

Together, we admire the green grass,

The roses in bloom.

Tomorrow that red one

Will decorate my room.

Together we admire His palm trees,

Tinted silver by the setting sun.

A sudden breeze carries

God away

As the light is fading at the end of day.

I sit there very lonely

Until it’s hard to see.

So, I get up and—

He is inside of me!

I am happy to know that God

Is everywhere,

In the boiling sun, the pouring rain, and in

The night air.

Look for Him, He is your friend, too.

But if you don’t find Him, He will find you.

Fifteen years have passed. I’m still working on my speech, sticking out my tongue, but I’m happy:

Soon I will be 95—

That is if I’m still alive.

I ask my friend who is 98,

“What do you think of our inevitable fate?”

He smiles and turns away.

“I think of life,” I hear him say.

Here's imdb's list of Kirk's films... Do yourself a favor and get watchin'!

IMDB.com: Kirk Douglas