Michael Douglas had a Hollywood upbringing. The eldest son of actors Kirk Douglas and Diane Dill, he and his younger brother, Joel, were well-acquainted with the film industry from a young age.
In an unearthed photo from 1953, an eight-year-old Michael looks simply adorable as he cuddles up to his father during the Easter holidays. At the time, Kirk had been making a movie in Paris. Pictured with his sons at Orly Airport on March 25, the trio had enjoyed a heartwarming family reunion.
By this point, Kirk and Diana had divorced and established a routine as co-parents.
As Michael recalls, he had a good relationship with both his mom and dad, who each went on to remarry.
"I adored my mother, whom we lost last year at the age of 92," he told The Guardian in 2016. "She struggled as a single mum, working in soap operas and on and off Broadway. Then she made a wonderful choice in her next husband, a lovely man, another actor, called Bill Darrid. They married when I was 12.
"Bill was an extraordinary guy, the most important male influence through my teenage years. To his credit, Kirk always referred to him as my surrogate father. Step-parents often get a bad press. But it isn't always true."
As for his father, Michael has cited Kirk as a major "inspiration". Following his father's passing in 2020, the actor released a lengthy statement, conveying the true depth of their bond.
"It is with tremendous sadness that my brothers and I announce that Kirk Douglas left us today at the age of 103," he began.
"To the world he was a legend, an actor from the golden age of movies who lived well into his golden years, a humanitarian whose commitment to justice and the causes he believed in set a standard for all of us to aspire to."
"But to me and my brothers Joel and Peter he was simply Dad, to Catherine, a wonderful father-in-law, to his grandchildren and great-grandchild their loving grandfather, and to his wife Anne, a wonderful husband," he added.
"Kirk's life was well lived, and he leaves a legacy in film that will endure for generations to come, and a history as a renowned philanthropist who worked to aid the public and bring peace to the planet. Let me end with the words I told him on his last birthday and which will always remain true. Dad - I love you so much and I am so proud to be your son."