February 7, 2020 | Awake & Dreaming

Kirk Douglas (born Issur Danielovitch; December 9, 1916 – February 5, 2020) whose Hollywood career spanned seven decades, has died aged 103. He was an American actor, producer, director, philanthropist and writer. His parents were Jewish immigrants from Chavusy, Mogilev Region, in the Russian Empire (present-day Belarus), and the family spoke Yiddish at home. Douglas grew up as Izzy Demsky and legally changed his name to Kirk Douglas before entering the United States Navy during World War II. The stage and screen actor was well-known for a range of roles, including the 1960 classic Spartacus, in which he played the titular character.

Douglas was prolific as a film actor, with more than 90 credits to his name – ranging from the 1940s to the 2000s. After an impoverished childhood with immigrant parents and six sisters, he made his film debut in The Strange Love of Martha Ivers (1946) with Barbara Stanwyck. Douglas soon developed into a leading box-office star throughout the 1950s, known for serious dramas, including westerns and war films. During his career, he appeared in more than 90 films. Douglas was known for his explosive acting style, which he displayed as a criminal defense attorney in Town Without Pity (1961).

Douglas became an international star through positive reception for his leading role as an unscrupulous boxing hero in Champion (1949), which brought him his first nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actor. His other early films include Young Man with a Horn (1950), playing opposite Lauren Bacall and Doris Day, Ace in the Hole opposite Jan Sterling (1951), and Detective Story (1951), for which he received a Golden Globe nomination as Best Actor in a Drama. He received a second Oscar nomination for his dramatic role in The Bad and the Beautiful (1952), opposite Lana Turner, and his third nomination for portraying Vincent van Gogh in Lust for Life (1956), which landed him a second Golden Globe nomination.

In 1955, he established Bryna Productions, which began producing films as varied as Paths of Glory (1957) and Spartacus (1960). In those two films, he collaborated with the then-relatively-unknown director Stanley Kubrick, taking lead roles in both films. Douglas has been praised for helping to break the Hollywood blacklist by having Dalton Trumbo write Spartacus with an official on-screen credit.^[2] He produced and starred in Lonely Are the Brave (1962), considered a classic, and Seven Days in May (1964), opposite Burt Lancaster, with whom he made seven films. In 1963, he starred in the Broadway play One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, a story that he purchased and later gave to his son Michael Douglas, who turned it into an Oscar-winning film. He lived with his second wife (of 65 years), Anne Buydens, a producer, until his death. With his first wife he had two sons, actor Michael Douglas and producer Joel Douglas, before divorcing in 1951.

My meories of Kirk Douglas is in his movies The Villain (with Arnold Schwarzenegger & Ann-Margret), Saturn 3 and the Tales From The Crypt episode “Yellow” – which I though was phenomenal acting.

Whether you’re renting your first apartment or you’re a seasoned renter, finding the right apartment can be exciting. However, it’s not easy to find an apartment that fits both your lifestyle and budget. Before you sign the lease, there are some factors you should consider. Continue reading this apartment shoppers guide to help make the apartment renting process simpler.

5 Things You Should Know When Hunting for an Apartment

Upfront costs

When searching for an apartment, rent shouldn’t be your only financial concern. Apart from rent and monthly expenses, you also need money for other upfront costs. These may include application charges and security deposit, among others. Therefore, you will end up paying more than you anticipated before you get the keys to your apartment. To be on the safe side, ensure that you save up for a few months’ rent.

Future costs

After you have moved into your apartment, you won’t only have to worry about rent but also long-term costs. They range from regular purchases to monthly utilities. Other future expenses that you should be prepared to pay for include:

Gas
Electricity
Cell phone service
Internet and cable
Groceries
Clothing

Depending on your neighborhood and the time of the year, you may end up spending a few hundred pounds every month along with rent. Therefore, ensure that you include these expenses in your budget before you even start hunting for an apartment.

Prepare all paperwork

Apart from budgeting for an apartment, you also need to gather all essential paperwork that a property manager may require during the application process. Having all the paperwork ready will help speed up the review. In most cases, you will be required to verify your identity and provide proof of employment or financial stability. You can use recent bank statements and a photo ID when filling out the rental application.

Location

The location of the apartment is equally important. Ideally, you need an apartment that is close to all essentials, including shops and other services that you often use. You don’t want to walk for a long distance to get a haircut, groceries, or grab food from a good restaurant. The apartment you choose should also be located near public transportation. Additionally, factor in the distance between the apartment and your place of work. Commuting for long distances can ruin your day.

Lease terms

Although lease agreements are long and boring, take your time to read the entire document. Keep in mind that once you sign the document, it’s a done deal. Property managers often try to explain what the document entails. Instead of relying on their summary, take a while to read it to its entirety. Ensure that you agree to all the terms and ask questions when necessary. If everything checks off, sign the lease agreement.

Bottom Line

You need to be well-prepared before you rent an apartment. Don’t let your eagerness get the better of you and make a bad decision. Nothing can be worse than a one-year lease agreement with unfavorable terms or conditions. Just like buying a home, finding the right apartment takes patience.