Eric Douglas
Encyclopedia
Eric Anthony Douglas was an American
actor who appeared in several movies and television shows and was also a stand-up comedian
.
, California
, Douglas was the youngest son of actor Kirk Douglas
and Belgian
(German born and raised) mother Anne Buydens. His brother is Peter Douglas
and his half-brothers are Michael Douglas
and Joel Douglas
. Douglas studied at Pitzer College
, the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, and the London Academy of Dramatic Arts.
Douglas performed stand-up in New York City
comedy clubs with much of his self-deprecating material coming from his status as the 'black sheep' of the Douglas dynasty. Douglas often made news headlines throughout his life, with several run-ins with the law bringing him notoriety.
Douglas performed off-Broadway
at the Village Gate Theater with the critically acclaimed improvisational comedy troupe Noo Yawk Tawk
in the late 1980s. He also appeared in a production of Dale Wasserman
's Shakespeare and The Indians at the Music Theatre Conference for the Eugene O' Neill Theatre Center in 1981. Also in the production was folk performer Bobby Bridger
, but the production never made it to Broadway.
In 1991, Douglas appeared with his father (in the senior Douglas' Emmy-nominated performance) in "Yellow", the Season 3 finale of the television series Tales from the Crypt
. The father and son acting duo portrayed father and son characters with Eric a young officer in World War I
brought up on charges of cowardice by his commanding general who is also his cold-hearted father.
Douglas entered British comedy folklore when during a stand-up performance at The Comedy Store, London
he found that much to his annoyance he was losing his audience's attention. This led to him shouting out 'do you know who I am? I'm Kirk Douglas' son' to which a member of the audience stood up and shouted 'no, I'm Kirk Douglas' son.' This ended up with the majority of the audience standing up and repeating the line much like Kirk Douglas' iconic scene in the 1960 film Spartacus
and Douglas storming off of the stage. This incident has since gone down as one of the favourite stories among British Comedians when the subject of heckling comes up.
apartment by a maid who had come in to clean. His death was caused by "acute intoxication" from the combined effects of alcohol, tranquilizer
s and painkillers. Douglas is interred in the Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery
, Westwood, California
.
People of the United States
The people of the United States, also known as simply Americans or American people, are the inhabitants or citizens of the United States. The United States is a multi-ethnic nation, home to people of different ethnic and national backgrounds...
actor who appeared in several movies and television shows and was also a stand-up comedian
Stand-up comedy
Stand-up comedy is a comedic art form. Usually, a comedian performs in front of a live audience, speaking directly to them. Their performances are sometimes filmed for later release via DVD, the internet, and television...
.
Early life and career
Born in Los AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, Douglas was the youngest son of actor Kirk Douglas
Kirk Douglas
Kirk Douglas is an American stage and film actor, film producer and author. His popular films include Out of the Past , Champion , Ace in the Hole , The Bad and the Beautiful , Lust for Life , Paths of Glory , Gunfight at the O.K...
and Belgian
Belgians
Belgians are people originating from the Kingdom of Belgium, a federal state in Western Europe.-Etymology:Belgians are a relatively "new" people...
(German born and raised) mother Anne Buydens. His brother is Peter Douglas
Peter Douglas
Peter Vincent Douglas is an American television and film producer, a son of actor Kirk Douglas and his second wife, Anne Buydens. His middle name was given him in homage to Vincent van Gogh, the brilliant, tortured artist whom his father was playing in the film Lust for Life when he was born...
and his half-brothers are Michael Douglas
Michael Douglas
Michael Kirk Douglas is an American actor and producer, primarily in movies and television. He has won three Golden Globes and two Academy Awards; first as producer of 1975's Best Picture, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, and as Best Actor in 1987 for his role in Wall Street. Douglas received the...
and Joel Douglas
Joel Douglas
Joel Douglas is an American movie producer.The second son of Kirk Douglas and Diana Dill, he was born one day after his mother's 24th birthday...
. Douglas studied at Pitzer College
Pitzer College
Pitzer College is a private residential liberal arts college located in Claremont, California, a college town approximately east of downtown Los Angeles. Pitzer College is one of the Claremont Colleges....
, the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, and the London Academy of Dramatic Arts.
Douglas performed stand-up in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
comedy clubs with much of his self-deprecating material coming from his status as the 'black sheep' of the Douglas dynasty. Douglas often made news headlines throughout his life, with several run-ins with the law bringing him notoriety.
Douglas performed off-Broadway
Off-Broadway
Off-Broadway theater is a term for a professional venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, and for a specific production of a play, musical or revue that appears in such a venue, and which adheres to related trade union and other contracts...
at the Village Gate Theater with the critically acclaimed improvisational comedy troupe Noo Yawk Tawk
Noo Yawk Tawk
' was an off-Broadway show conceived and directed by Richmond Shepard which played at The Village Gate Theater from 1988 to 1991. It features members of an improvisational comedy troupe founded by Mr. Shepard. All performances were entirely improvised. Characters may have been repeated but never...
in the late 1980s. He also appeared in a production of Dale Wasserman
Dale Wasserman
Dale Wasserman was an American playwright. -Early life:Dale Wasserman was born in Rhinelander, Wisconsin, and was orphaned at the age of nine. He lived in a state orphanage and with an older brother in South Dakota before he "hit the rails". He later said:-Career:Wasserman worked in various...
's Shakespeare and The Indians at the Music Theatre Conference for the Eugene O' Neill Theatre Center in 1981. Also in the production was folk performer Bobby Bridger
Bobby Bridger
Bobby Bridger is a singer/songwriter/poet/actor/playwright/author and painter who for three decades has traveled the globe performing a trilogy of one man shows for audiences in America, Canada, Europe, Australia and Russia. He has recorded numerous albums for labels including Monument Records,...
, but the production never made it to Broadway.
In 1991, Douglas appeared with his father (in the senior Douglas' Emmy-nominated performance) in "Yellow", the Season 3 finale of the television series Tales from the Crypt
Tales from the Crypt (TV series)
Tales from the Crypt, sometimes titled HBO's Tales from the Crypt, is an American horror anthology television series that ran from 1989 to 1996 on the premium cable channel HBO...
. The father and son acting duo portrayed father and son characters with Eric a young officer in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
brought up on charges of cowardice by his commanding general who is also his cold-hearted father.
Douglas entered British comedy folklore when during a stand-up performance at The Comedy Store, London
The Comedy Store, London
The Comedy Store is a comedy club located in Soho, London, England, opened in 1979 by Don Ward and Peter Rosengard.It was named after The Comedy Store club in the United States, which Rosengard had visited the previous year...
he found that much to his annoyance he was losing his audience's attention. This led to him shouting out 'do you know who I am? I'm Kirk Douglas' son' to which a member of the audience stood up and shouted 'no, I'm Kirk Douglas' son.' This ended up with the majority of the audience standing up and repeating the line much like Kirk Douglas' iconic scene in the 1960 film Spartacus
Spartacus (film)
Spartacus is a 1960 American epic historical drama film directed by Stanley Kubrick and based on the novel of the same name by Howard Fast...
and Douglas storming off of the stage. This incident has since gone down as one of the favourite stories among British Comedians when the subject of heckling comes up.
Death
On July 6, 2004, at the age of 46, Douglas was found dead in his ManhattanManhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
apartment by a maid who had come in to clean. His death was caused by "acute intoxication" from the combined effects of alcohol, tranquilizer
Tranquilizer
A tranquilizer, or tranquilliser , is a drug that induces tranquility in an individual.The term "tranquilizer" is imprecise, and is usually qualified, or replaced with more precise terms:...
s and painkillers. Douglas is interred in the Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery
Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery
The Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery is a cemetery in the Westwood Village area of Los Angeles, California. It is located at 1218 Glendon Avenue in Westwood....
, Westwood, California
Westwood, California
Westwood is a census-designated place in Lassen County, California, United States. Westwood is located west-southwest of Susanville, at an elevation of 5128 feet...
.