Read Online Michael Douglas: Acting on Instinct by Michael Douglas, John Parker - Free Book Online
Authors: Michael Douglas, John Parker
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a two-month tour arranged
through the US State Department. It was one of several such trips, and during one a couple of years later – which took him
behind the Iron Curtain – he visited the Prague Film Faculty, where he met the thirty-one-year-old writer and director Milos
Forman, who, five years later, managed to get an exit visa for America.
During the visit, Kirk had discussed his most recent project with Forman, who expressed great interest. Kirk said that when
he returned, he would send Forman a copy of Ken Kesey’s book for which he still owned the screen rights. There the matter
rested for another decade, when they would all share a multimillion dollar windfall.
Michael Douglas was witness to this major failure of his father. His own life at the time was nothing to write home about,
either. His tutors despaired of him, and his interest in the academic side of life was reflected by his grades, which were
as bad as they could be. Michael had thrown himself wholeheartedly into the local scene. He loved the beach and the freedoms
of the West Coast and had decided that there was nothing in life so important to him at that time as life itself.
By mutual agreement, he flunked out of college at the end of his freshman year on the understanding that he might return a
year later when he had ‘matured’. In fact, the absence lasted almost eighteen months.
He was drifting aimlessly and without a definite path to follow. He returned home to Westport, Connecticut, where he dabbled
in building himself a hotrod, joined a local car racing club and took work in a local gas station at which he earned the title
of Mobil Man of the Month. ‘Big deal,’ Kirk retorted. ‘So what are you going to be for the rest of your life – a gas station
attendant?’
His parents viewed Michael’s lack of direction with dismay. If ever there was a moment when Michael seemed in danger of suffering
from the Hollywood son syndrome, it was now. The possibilities of him sliding towards some drug-induced disaster or mishap
were never far from Kirk’s thoughts. Although Kirk had constantly said he never wanted any of his sons to follow him into
the film business, he decided that Michael should be at his side for a while.
Towards the end of 1964 Kirk was heading back to Europe, to England and then on to Norway, to star in
Heroes of Telemark
with Richard Harris. He took Michael along, and had him listed as an assistant director. Kirk quietly gave instructions that
his son should be worked until he dropped, and Michael ended up running around doing all the menial tasks no one else wanted
to do.
After only a short break, Kirk assigned Michael to accompany him for work on his next picture,
Cast a Giant Shadow
, with John Wayne, Frank Sinatra, Angie Dickinson and Yul Brynner, to be filmed almost entirely on location in Israel. This
time, Joel – by then a sturdy six-footer – went along too as Kirk’s bodyguard. Michael was engaged as a production assistant
and did some stunt driving in a couple of scenes.
For almost a year he was plunged into the midst of major filmmaking with some of the top stars around. The experience was
not especially new to him nor, it seemed, was he particularly impressed by it, although clearly it had crystallised his thoughts
for the future.
When they returned to America, he had to report to Santa Barbara and resume his studies or face the prospect of being drafted.
Back on the campus, he had to ‘declare’ a major in his junior year, in other words to nominate which course of studies he
would take. He chose English and the theatre.
Even so, he did not resume his education with any real vigour, nor had his father’s tour of Europe instilled in him any determination
towards a career. He was not alone in his aimlessness. Life was like that on the West Coast at the time. The next
couple of years became something of a blur, Michael’s mind expanded on acid or in the
through the US State Department. It was one of several such trips, and during one a couple of years later – which took him
behind the Iron Curtain – he visited the Prague Film Faculty, where he met the thirty-one-year-old writer and director Milos
Forman, who, five years later, managed to get an exit visa for America.
During the visit, Kirk had discussed his most recent project with Forman, who expressed great interest. Kirk said that when
he returned, he would send Forman a copy of Ken Kesey’s book for which he still owned the screen rights. There the matter
rested for another decade, when they would all share a multimillion dollar windfall.
Michael Douglas was witness to this major failure of his father. His own life at the time was nothing to write home about,
either. His tutors despaired of him, and his interest in the academic side of life was reflected by his grades, which were
as bad as they could be. Michael had thrown himself wholeheartedly into the local scene. He loved the beach and the freedoms
of the West Coast and had decided that there was nothing in life so important to him at that time as life itself.
By mutual agreement, he flunked out of college at the end of his freshman year on the understanding that he might return a
year later when he had ‘matured’. In fact, the absence lasted almost eighteen months.
He was drifting aimlessly and without a definite path to follow. He returned home to Westport, Connecticut, where he dabbled
in building himself a hotrod, joined a local car racing club and took work in a local gas station at which he earned the title
of Mobil Man of the Month. ‘Big deal,’ Kirk retorted. ‘So what are you going to be for the rest of your life – a gas station
attendant?’
His parents viewed Michael’s lack of direction with dismay. If ever there was a moment when Michael seemed in danger of suffering
from the Hollywood son syndrome, it was now. The possibilities of him sliding towards some drug-induced disaster or mishap
were never far from Kirk’s thoughts. Although Kirk had constantly said he never wanted any of his sons to follow him into
the film business, he decided that Michael should be at his side for a while.
Towards the end of 1964 Kirk was heading back to Europe, to England and then on to Norway, to star in
Heroes of Telemark
with Richard Harris. He took Michael along, and had him listed as an assistant director. Kirk quietly gave instructions that
his son should be worked until he dropped, and Michael ended up running around doing all the menial tasks no one else wanted
to do.
After only a short break, Kirk assigned Michael to accompany him for work on his next picture,
Cast a Giant Shadow
, with John Wayne, Frank Sinatra, Angie Dickinson and Yul Brynner, to be filmed almost entirely on location in Israel. This
time, Joel – by then a sturdy six-footer – went along too as Kirk’s bodyguard. Michael was engaged as a production assistant
and did some stunt driving in a couple of scenes.
For almost a year he was plunged into the midst of major filmmaking with some of the top stars around. The experience was
not especially new to him nor, it seemed, was he particularly impressed by it, although clearly it had crystallised his thoughts
for the future.
When they returned to America, he had to report to Santa Barbara and resume his studies or face the prospect of being drafted.
Back on the campus, he had to ‘declare’ a major in his junior year, in other words to nominate which course of studies he
would take. He chose English and the theatre.
Even so, he did not resume his education with any real vigour, nor had his father’s tour of Europe instilled in him any determination
towards a career. He was not alone in his aimlessness. Life was like that on the West Coast at the time. The next
couple of years became something of a blur, Michael’s mind expanded on acid or in the
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