ET’s Thea Andrews sat down with Kirk Douglas this week to celebrate his 91st birthday in an interview to air on Friday, December 7th.
Douglas opened up about the depression he felt after suffering a stroke,
“I had suicidal impulses. Let’s face it, anyone who can’t talk is just waiting for silent pictures to come back. I’ll have something bright to say and think, ‘to hell with it,’ it takes too much effort to say it. I find myself funny, thank God.”
When asked if he would make another movie,
“I’d do it! I’m still a young guy! I would like to make a movie with my son Michael.”
On his relationship with son Michael, Douglas tells ET,
“I think (when he was young) I was too wrapped up in making picture after picture. I once asked him, ‘Michael, was I a good father?’ And he took a long pause and said, ‘ultimately.’”
Douglas goes on to say,
“Michael never asked me for anything. I’d say, ‘Michael, I’m your father. You can ask me for money. He never asked me for anything. One birthday he gave me a birthday present, a car, and on the steering wheel I saw a note that said, ‘Dear Dad, you always say I never asked you for anything. You gave me a lot. Love, Michael.’”
Despite the challenges he faces daily, Douglas remains optimistic,
“I never expected to be 91. At 91 you can finally reveal yourself!”
Still married to his wife Anne of 53 years, he insists that romance begins at 80 and keeping a sense of humor is vital,
“My wife says ‘for a guy that can’t talk, you sure have a lot to say!’”
His secret to a lasting marriage?
“Only one secret, make sure you find the right girl. The rest falls in line.”
There is one steadfast rule in the Douglas household,
“No one ever calls me grandpa. It’s Papi. Never grandpa.”
Posted Thursday, December 6th, 2007 at 12:12pm
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