But the iconic actor, producer, and philanthropist leaves behind a legacy of memorable films and powerful performances.
Here are 12 of his best.
Mitchum once recalled to Roger Ebert that Douglas was quite serious about his profession in those days.

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I want to hear people call me mister.
Its a very good film, but the critics gave it unkind reviews, Douglastold EW in 2015.
I think it was because it was about an unscrupulous newspaperman and that hit too close to home.

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The characters are so solipsistic that when one dies, extras are hired to attend his funeral.
I think the film is a very realistic story about Hollywood, Douglas joked.
I sang in that!

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hereminisced to theHollywood Reporterin 2012.
For a guy who cant sing, I sang a lot.
Got a whale of a tale to tell you lads!

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… All the young kids at that time knew that song.
The role affected me deeply, Douglas wrote in his 1997 bookClimbing the Mountain: My Search for Meaning.
I was haunted by this talented genius who took his own life, thinking he was a failure.

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Gunfight at the O.K.
And I would be the second.
The picture made Stanley Kubrick, Douglas would recall in 2015, decades after he handpicked the wunderkind filmmaker.

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He was such a talent, but very difficult and troubled.
Then I decided, the hell with it!
Im going to put his name on it.

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I always consider that my best movie, hesaid in 2012.
It was not a big success.
Its gotten to be more of a cult film right now.

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… Dalton Trumbo wrote the screenplay.

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