Iconic actor and Hollywood legend Kirk Douglas's career spanned decades and left an indelible mark on the film industry and beyond. The star of classic movies ranging from "Spartacus" to "Lust for Life," Douglas won an Academy Award for lifetime achievement and was the recipient of both the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the National Medal of Arts, as well numerous other accolades along the way. No stranger to controversy, Douglas played a key role in dissolving the so-called 'Hollywood blacklist' during the McCarthy era in the 1950s, and continues to remain active in humanitarian causes.

Kirk Douglas is seen in his military uniform from the Naval Reserve Midshipmens' School in Notre Dame, Indiana, 1943.

Kirk Douglas, as Walter O'Neil, pours a drink in a scene with Barbara Stanwyck, as Martha Ivers, from "The Strange Love of Martha Ivers." The 1946 film was the feature film debut for Kirk Douglas.

Kirk Douglas lies on a couch with his legs in the air as he balances his son, Michael on the soles of his feet, circa 1948.

Kirk Douglas is seen in a promotional portrait for "Champion," 1949.

Doris Day is held by Kirk Douglas as he and Lauren Bacall lean against piano in a scene from the film "Young Man With A Horn," 1950.

Kirk Douglas smokes a cigarette in an advertisement for Chesterfield Cigarettes, circa 1950. A slogan proclaims Chesterfield is "...the Best Cigarette for YOU to Smoke."

Kirk Douglas clutches his stomach a William Bendix stands over him in a scene from the film "Detective Story," 1951.

Kirk Douglas holds Lana Turner's face in a scene from the film "The Bad And The Beautiful," 1952.

Kirk Douglas watches one of his movies alone in the morning of Oct. 27, 1952 at a movie theater on Empire Leicester Square just hours before the U.K. premiere.

Kirk Douglas uses a pole to lift his sons Joel and Michael on the deck of a swimming pool, circa 1955.

Actor Kirk Douglas, his wife Anne Buydens and Elsa Martin attend a dinner party in Los Angeles, Calif., circa 1956.

Kirk Douglas poses in front of a self-portrait as Vincent Van Gogh in a publicity still issued for the film, "Lust for Life," 1956.

Kirk Douglas plays the banjo during a party in Los Angeles, Calif., circa 1958.

Kirk Douglas, as Spartacus, and Woody Strode, as Draba, spar in the arena in the 1960 film directed by Stanley Kubrick, "Spartacus." Douglas, who also executive produced "Spartacus," is credited with using the film to break the Hollywood Blacklist by giving Dalton Trumbo his full onscreen writing credit.

Kirk Douglas poses with wife Anne and his four sons, Joel, Peter, Eric and Michael while gardening outdoors, circa 1965.

Kirk Douglas sits with Johnny Cash on the set of "The Johnny Cash Show" in Arizona on Jan. 13, 1971.

President Jimmy Carter congratulates actor Kirk Douglas on being one of the recipients of the Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor, during a ceremony at the White House in Washington, Jan. 16, 1981.

Honorees Sophia Loren and Kirk Douglas, right, are joined by singer Michael Jackson at the American Cinema Award gala, Jan. 9, 1987, at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, California.

Actors Kirk Douglas, Michael Douglas and Eric Douglas attend AADA Tribute Gala Honoring Kirk Douglas, April 6, 1987, at the Waldorf Hotel in New York City.

Kirk Douglas, and wife Anne, along with their son Eric, are seen aboard a medevac helicopter as it leaves a Santa Paula, Calif., hospital, Feb. 14, 1991. Douglas was injured in a midair collision with voice artist Noel Blanc, and Michael Carra, a Beverly Hills police officer, when their helicopter collided with a stunt plane over Santa Paula Airport's runway. Two men aboard the plane were killed.

After having survived a stroke that nearly killed him a year prior, Kirk Douglas accepts the Oscar for lifetime achievement from Steven Spielberg at the 68th annual Academy Awards, March 25, 1996, in Los Angeles, Calif.

Kirk Douglas, left, and son Michael Douglas play father and son on screen as well in a scene from "It Runs In The Family," one of Kirk Douglas's last films and also stars Douglas's first wife, Diana Douglas

Blair Underwood helps Kirk Douglas serve at the Los Angeles Mission and Anne Douglas Center's Thanksgiving meal for the homeless, in Downtown Los Angeles, Calif. on Nov. 24, 2010.

Presenter Kirk Douglas shakes hands with actress Melissa Leo after Leo won the Actress in a Supporting Role award for "The Fighter' during the 83rd Annual Academy Awards held at the Kodak Theatre, Feb. 27, 2011, in Hollywood, California.

Kirk Douglas and Michael Douglas attend SBIFF's 2011 Kirk Douglas Award for Excellence In Film honoring Michael Douglas at the Biltmore Four Seasons on Oct. 13, 2011 in Santa Barbara, Calif.

Kirk Douglas and his wife Anne Buydens arrive at the 2013 Vanity Fair Oscar Party at Sunset Tower on Feb. 24, 2013 in West Hollywood, Calif.

Kirk Douglas poses for a portrait in Beverly Hills, California, Dec. 5, 2014. The rakish screen legend with the famously dimpled chin made it abundantly clear that he was done with writing on a recent overcast afternoon at his Beverly Hills home, days before the release of his poetry collection "Life Could Be Verse: Reflections on Love, Loss, and What Really Matters." "To me, this is my best book, and my last book," said Douglas.