Kirk Douglas "Kirk Douglas's talent begins in the soles of his feet and ends in the spirit that can vault beyond the stars. " These words of tribute from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts sum up the essence of the man. A lifetime of achievement - which includes 82 films, nine plays, six books, and a host of other contributions to his art, his country and his fellowmen - speaks for itself. Born December 9, 1916 in Amsterdam, New York, the son of illiterate Jewish- Russian immigrants, Issur Danielovitch, who would become Kirk Douglas, was driven to leave behind the poverty of his home town. He won a wrestling scholarship to Saint Lawrence University and worked as a janitor to meet school expenses. A second scholarship, from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, put him on the road to Broadway. He made his Broadway debut as a singing Western Union boy in "Spring Again", but interrupted his budding stage career in 1942 to enlist in the U.S. Navy, where he served as a communications officer in anti-submarine warfare. After the war Douglas returned to Broadway as the ghost soldier in "The Wind is Ninety"; his widely-praised performance caught the attention of Hollywood, and he was cast opposite Barbara Stanwyck in "The Strange Love of Martha Ivers". Three years later, in 1949, his role as one of the screen's early anti-heroes, the cynical boxer in Stanley Kramer ' s "Champion", won him both stardom and an Academy Award nomination. He received his second nomination in 1952 for playing an opportunistic movie mogul in "The Bad and the Beautiful " , and his third in1956 for his portrayal of Vincent Van Gogh in "Lust for Life", for which he won the New York Film Critics' Best Actor Award. In 1955, Douglas formed one of Hollywood 's first independent film companies, Bryna, named for his mother, and managed by his wife, Anne. The Bryna Company has produced many memorable films, including "Paths of Glory", "The Vikings", "Spartacus", "Lonely Are the Brave ", and "Seven Days in May " . Shortly after forming The Bryna Company, Douglas established the Douglas Foundation in order to make more significant and meaningful contributions to civic and charitable causes. The Foundation has supported large organizations such as hospitals, children's playgrounds, parks, Motion Picture and Television Fund, and the homeless in Los Angeles. In his lifetime, Douglas has received numerous awards. In 1981, President Carter presented Douglas with the Medal of Freedom, America's highest civilian award. Douglas has been honored by governments and organizations of other countries as well, including France, Italy and Portugal. Among the top international awards he received was his appointment in 1990, as Officer de la Legion d'Honneur for distinguished services to France. A few years later he was elevated to Chevalier de la Legion d ' Honneur. In 1991, the American Film Institute singled him out for its prestigious Life Achievement Award. In 1995, the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts distinguished him with its award "for contributions to U.S. cultural life. " In 1996, the Academy of Motion Pictures honored him with a Special Oscar for "50 years as a creative and moral force in the motion picture community".