Douglas Is AFI Life Achievement Winner

The American Film Institute has named Kirk Douglas the 1991 recipient of its prestigious Life Achievement Award.

The announcement was made on Friday, which, coincidentally, was the 30th anniversary of the Los Angeles premiere of “Spartacus”--one of Douglas’ most memorable roles.

“This award is special because it was voted by my peers and recognizes a whole body of work,” Douglas, 74, told The Times. “It’s a nice pat on the back and, if you’ve read my autobiography, you know that that’s always been very important to me.”

Douglas, in the south of France shooting a film, was informed of his selection by film institute trustee Steven Spielberg.

With his clipped delivery and famed cleft chin, Douglas has been one of Hollywood’s more enduring leading men, snagging three best actor Oscar nominations (1949’s “Champion,” 1952’s “The Bad and the Beautiful,” and 1956’s “Lust for Life”) in his more than 60 feature film performances.

Hollywood, says the star of such films as “Seven Days in May” (1964) and “The Brotherhood” (1968), was never his goal. “I always wanted to be a stage actor, so in this sense, I’m a failure. I haven’t done anything live since ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest’ (1963).”

Last seen on the screen in 1986’s “Tough Guys,” the actor recently shifted his focus to writing.

His autobiography, “The Ragman’s Son,” was published in 1988 and his first novel, “Dance With the Devil” (1990), will be adapted for the screen.

Douglas is shooting Xavier Castano’s “Welcome to Veraz,” co-starring the noted French actor Gerard Depardieu.

Like “Lawrence of Arabia,” directed by last year’s Life Achievement winner, Sir David Lean, “Spartacus” (1960) is being restored at a cost of between $600,000 and $700,000.

Coordinated by Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, and Universal Pictures chief Tom Pollock, the new version will contain 15 minutes of footage cut from the original and is scheduled for release early next year.

As the 19th recipient of the film institute’s honor, Douglas joins such previous recipients as Billy Wilder, Gene Kelly, Lillian Gish and Bette Davis. He will be honored March 7 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.