Dec 9, 2016

Celebrating the 100th anniversary of Kirk Douglas' birth, the best animated short film about Kirk Douglas ever made!

Legendary actor Kirk Douglas has influenced many animated films over the years, from the visuals of Charles Muntz in Pixar's Up to the emotional performances of the characters in The Ren & Stimpy Show, but if we had to pick just one animated If I had to pick just one film, it would undoubtedly be "The Big Story."

This homage to the actor, in which several Douglas's engage in a verbal battle with each other, was created by British filmmakers Tim Watts and David Stoten and won the 1994 BAFTA Award for Best Animated Short Film. Frank Gorshin provided the vocals for the role of Douglas.

John Kricfalusi, creator of "Ren & Stimpy," has studied Douglas's mannerisms and acting perhaps more than any other animation artist, and describes the appeal of Douglas's performance:

Kirk Douglas has a real living room Kirk Douglas has a presence that makes you feel like you are really in the living room. While most actors appear to be acting and allow you to watch, Kirk is pulsating, surging flesh and blood, commanding you to experience his every conflicting emotion. He is not on a screen. He is right next to you, scorching you with his rancid breath. I sought that out in my own cartoons.

Here are a few more impressions of Douglas by animators. [Here is a rare magazine photo of Kirk Douglas dancing with gossip columnist Louella Parsons at the Mocambo nightclub in 1950. The music he is dancing to: the Firehouse Five Plus Two, a band started by Disney animator Ward Kimball (back right). On the left, playing clarinet, is animator Clark Mallery.