Kirk Douglas is Still Pissed at Michael Douglas over ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest’

This story is so crazy that I would almost consider it to be a Hollywood urban legend if Kirk Douglas and Michael Douglas were not around to confirm it.  Here is the abridged version: ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest’ was originally a Broadway play starring Kirk Douglas.  Kirk Douglas owned the rights to turn the play into a film, but he couldn’t get a studio to buy it.  He then gave the rights to his son, Michael Douglas, hoping that perhaps he could get it made into a movie.  Well, Michael Douglas did get it made into a movie, but he chose Jack Nicholson to play the lead instead of his father.  Kirk Douglas wasn’t pleased.  At 93 three years old, Kirk Douglas still isn’t pleased.  Rumor has it that Michael Douglas thought his father was too old to play the lead by the time the film was made.  Michael Douglas must have done something right though.  The film won 5 Oscars in 1976, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Jack Nicholson. 

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