Kirk Tells It Like It is

[poliphilo]

Here's a story Kirk Douglas likes to tell. It featured in the Observer this morning but I've come across it before and the ultimate source is probably Kirk's autobiography. Anway, I'm taking the liberty of putting it in my own words.

Kirk has invited his mate John Wayne to the premiere of Lust for Life- the bio-pic in which Kirk plays Van Gogh and  Wayne comes up to him afterwards, visibly upset and says, "How could you do it? There are so few of us real men left. You should be setting an example, not playing miserable little queers."

And Kirk replies, "You do understand it's all dressing up and make-believe, don't you- this business we're in? I mean, you're not really John Wayne."

Comments

[howlin-wolf-66.livejournal.com]

I'm glad someone had the strength of character to take Wayne down a peg or two.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

They were good mates in spite of their political differences. They made three or four films together and- according to Douglas- argued all the time (but in a friendly fashion.)