Diana Douglas
About
Biography
Biography
When Diana Dill's partner in acting studies returned from the Second World War, the first thing she did was marry him. That partner was none other than the stalwart screen icon Kirk Douglas. Though she immediately took on his now famous surname, it was only after her own brief, forgotten run as a blond and beaming leading lady of several rip-roaring adventure yarns that she first shared the screen with the rugged Kirk; they both appeared in the "The Indian Fighter" (1955), a spirited frontier drama about the devastating domino effect of forbidden love. Ironically, however, Diana had split from the male Douglas years before the film's release. While her ex-husband stuck to the big screen, she spent the remainder of her career frequently appearing on playhouse-anthology drama series and in the decidedly flashier world of prime-time soaps, westerns, and police procedurals. In '72, she guested on the jazzily fevered crime drama "The Streets of San Francisco," marking her first on-screen moment with her by-then renowned son, the charismatic Michael Douglas. Having ultimately evolved into a warm, elderly screen presence, she continues to bring to her occasional film and TV roles-including a fun bit in the beloved road comedy "Planes, Trains, and Automobiles"-a certain breezy composure. In an intriguing casting choice, she appeared, some 50 years after their real-life divorce, as Kirk's on-screen wife in the 2003 cornucopian kinship dramedy "It Runs in the Family" (which also starred Michael and her grandson, Cameron Douglas).
Filmography
Cast (Feature Film)
Cast (Special)
Cast (TV Mini-Series)
Life Events
1948
First credited film role in "Let's Live Again."
1952
Female lead in aerial adventure "Storm Over Tibet."
1952
Starred in India-set romantic drama "Monsoon."
1955
Co-starred opposite ex-husband Kirk Douglas in western drama "The Indian Fighter."
1974
Co-starred in TV drama "The Cowboys" as a ranch matriarch.
1985
Supporting role as Professor Tyler in final season of legal school drama "The Paper Chace."
1988
Small role in John Hughes comedy "Planes, Trains and Automobiles."
2003
Co-stars opposite ex-husband Kirk and son Michael in comedy-drama "It Runs in the Family."
