Michael Douglas Details the Moment He Disappointed Father Kirk Douglas

Michael Douglas admitted he made some mistakes when it came to his father, Kirk Douglas. During his October 6 appearance on Radio Andy’s Andy Cohen Live to promote his new memoir, One Helluva Ride, Michael recalled telling Kirk he wouldn’t get the lead role in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. “Let’s go back to the first conversation where I had to tell dad that he’s not playing the part,” Michael, 82, told Andy Cohen. “That was a killer conversation. Where I looked him in the eyes and said, ‘You’re not playing the part.’” At the time, Michael was given producing credits for the film and ultimately agreed that the role—played by Jack Nicholson—should go to someone younger. And while Kirk, who died at the age of 103 in 2020, made huge profit from the film, Michael saw how much he hurt his father with the decision. “I shared my producing fees back then with Dad; we split it,” he told Andy. “And he made more money off of that than he had in any picture he’d ever done. But that doesn’t preclude the fact that R.P. McMurphy was one of the three best parts he could have possibly had.” One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest went on to win five Academy Awards, including Best Picture in 1976. Lookin...