In the Blood: Michael Douglas Unravels His Family's Secret Past, From Russian Roots to Hidden Crimes

[@felissameeks8508]

Very interesting roots. I can’t wait to hear more. Michael Douglas is one of my favorite actors. ❤️

[@MediaArchive2-z9f]

Did his Dad see this or was it after Kirk Douglas died.

[@ntl5983]

​@@MediaArchive2-z9fAfter... Kirk died in 2020.

[@jeffreylockhart8292]

I knew a man who was an old man in 1960's and heard from his niece that the old man's father came to America in 1870s from England escaping gallows he was a horse thief. The old man Seth Garrington lived in North Carolina Currituck County then probably born in US built boats by hand, all by hand tools and built a juniper skiff for my grandfather in early 60's all by hand tools using a kerosene lamp in a shed at night still working. Good story here and older Michael Douglas gets he looks more and more like his father Kirk Douglas. Fantastic work you do and show is outstanding

[@lisadambrosio2255]

Yes, in the new “Franklin” series in Apple TV he looks EXACTLY like Kirk! And I remember when he was the hot new young guy on “Streets of San Francisco”!

[@TrueWalker88]

It always amazes me how we can be just one degree of separation away from something that seems so very long ago.

[@the_gilded_age_phoenix8717]

Nice story about the rustler.

[@williamhancock8065]

My mother grew up in Amsterdam, NY where Kirk Douglas was from. My mother was about ten years younger than him and didn't personally remember him. But Mr. Demsky was well known to her. At that time the family seemed to be going by the name Demsky. The person we know as Kirk Douglas was known in school as Isador Demsky which I guess was an anglicized version of his given name Izzur. My mom was also the child of Immigrants, her parents having come from the same town in County Down, Northern Ireland. Her mother came as a small child with her family and her father came as a grown man after serving with British forces in the Boer War. Amsterdam seemed to be a town loaded with immigrants. Lots of Irish, Poles and Italians. There were a couple of big mills in town which employed many of them. Mr. Demsky worked as a ragman. He had a cart pulled by a horse or a mule. This was the Depression and so he made his living buying and selling bits of used clothing and other items. The one story I remember my mother recalling about the Demsky family had to do with the law. One of her school classmates had a father who was a judge. Mr. Demsky had been prosecuted for animal cruelty for beating his mule and the case wound up in court. I think it resulted in a fine. Other than that, I had never heard anything indicating any criminality. The Demsky family was certainly poor but the same could be said for my mom and her by then widowed mother. I'm curious about the name Danielovitch referenced here. That sounds more like a patronymic than a last name. In the Russian system of naming, people don't have middle names. If your father is named Ivan, your patronymic is Ivanovich if you are a man or Ivanovna if you are a woman. Like Vladimir Putin is Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin. It basically means "Vladimir, son of Vladimir." If you are not close friends with someone or if they are older than you or are your boss or of a higher social station it is common to refer to them by first name and patronymic. It is the method of formal address as they don't use mister or missus. Sometimes older men as a familiar form of address may refer to friends just using the patronymic. Anyway, I wonder if Danielovitch was actually the family name or if they just dropped the family name when they came to America. If you were running from the law that might be a logical thing to do. If your father's name was Daniil (Daniel in English) your patronymic would be Danilovich. And where did the name Demsky come from? So anyway, lots of interesting questions. They are certainly an example of an immigrant family who prospered in America.

[@av1421]

WOW...that was an amazing share. I am sure someone from "douglas" family will read it one day. I knew that they were Jewish.

[@oceans.and.deserts]

The surname Danilovitch/Danielovitch is of Russianized-Jewish origin, which is not uncommon. I suspect Demsky was chosen as a more American-sounding surname that was easier to pronounce and spell, as the spelling of my own surname was changed by my immigrant great-grandfather in America. In Judaism, one was traditionally referred to as "ben" (son) of X, or "bat" (daughter) of X, with X being the father's Hebrew name (many men in the Pale of Settlement had a Hebrew first name and a secondary, Yiddish pet name that they went by). For example, my great-great grandfather, who came to America in the 1880s with his son from the same region as Michael Douglas' family, would have been referred to as Menachem Mendel ben Hillel, as his father's Hebrew name was Hillel. Due to Jewish tradition, Menachem Mendel ben Hillel is engraved in his headstone in Hebrew in Ohio, despite having had a legal surname. However, we are from the tribe of Levi, so we have a Hebrew caste name for a surname vs. a patronymic surname. Other Ashkenazi Jewish surnames are ornamental in nature, refer to a profession, town or city, personal appearance, and so on, but patronymic surnames were indeed common in the Pale, with many ending in -vitz, -ovitch, etc. As an aside, Jews were mandated to take surnames in Russia from the late-18th century to the mid-19th century, primarily for discriminatory taxation purposes. Some chose their surnames and others were given them, but I can't think of a single Ashkenazi Jew who has a Hebrew surname unless it is a caste name. With Sephardic and Mizrachi Jews, it was common practice to adopt the traditional Hebrew name, "ben" of X, just as the Arabs did, so you will hear many surnames in those groups that start with Ben, such as Benezra (son of Ezra), which is less confusing than translating the whole thing into the lingua franca at that time.

[@av1421]

@@oceans.and.deserts WOW amazing. Thanks for sharing!

[@Volynyanka]

Yes, that how it was and it is now. In the past any birth and marriage records were kept by church. My grandfather's records show his name as Ivan son of Sebastian. In the spoken language it would be a First Name son of Father's First Name. After the Revolution the son of or daughter off were dropped; just as a patronymic.

[@lollolowski8956]

DEMBSKI its from dąb which means an oak tree

[@leehughes1104]

I love watching people find out their Jewish roots and connecting with family who they didn’t know anything about. My maternal great-grandmother was Jewish and so were the rest of her family. My 3x great grandparents were Lithuanian and Polish Jews who immigrated to England in the 1900’s. I’m so grateful that my ancestors made a life for themselves in the UK knowing how hard it was for them in their countries during that time. Thank you Ancestry for allowing me to explore my Jewish roots as well ❤❤

[@DeniseEverett-e8u]

Looking forward to seeing the whole episode, soon. Thank you, Dr. Gates.

[@laman8914]

Michael Douglas ancestral history reads like a gangster's movie script. Maybe he should do a movie about it.

[@susanford2388]

The life story of female scientist Lise Meitner should be made into a movie. That was harrowing, nerve wracking & cruel.

[@Pope6006]

Ah perfect definitely great storytelling style.... Jewish godfather flick 🤑🤑🤑🤑🥂

[@RitzRed]

I was thinking the same 👌

[@maryjackson1194]

My grandfather came from Russia (now Lithuania) via Liverpool, my grandmother came from Austria (now Poland) via Bremen; both entered through Philadelphia.

[@yvonneplant9434]

PHL was a pretty big port of immigrant entry. No surprise it gets overlooked being so close to NYC and Ellis Island.

[@susanford2388]

It is lovely to know ones history.

[@MarkRaymondLuce]

@@labas9817 Thanks, I did not know that!

[@dhoraray1310]

Oh, really?!? ​@@labas9817

[@romystumpy1197]

I dont think poland was part of Austria, there was the austro- hungarian empire

[@eponymousarchon7442]

Michael Keaton the Actors real name is Michael Douglas, he had to change it so it didn’t clash with this Michael Douglas whose real surname is Danilovitch.

[@inwalters]

Yeah, under Screen Actor Guild rules nobody can have the exact same name. Michael J. Fox had to add the J to distinguish himself from another Michael Fox(1921- 1996). Harrison Ford didn't have to do this, as his silent film name-alike was dead before Harrison entered the business in 1966.

[@lisadambrosio2255]

I didn’t know that.

[@badeugenecops4741]

Funny, isn't it?

[@alpha-omega2362]

I think that's like Stewart Granger who's real name was James Stewart.....

[@joemalone7386]

First come, first serve. He could have used a middle initial like Michael J. Fox. there was a political news person named Michael Jackson . And others. ❤

[@pu7273]

Man when I watch these Finding Your Roots episodes, or in general any European history-related stuff, it always seems like Jewish people really couldn't catch a frickin break. Us Indians/South Asians are very removed from European history so everything seems distant. India used to have a Jewish community which is very small now (due to migration to Israel and the West since the late 1940s, which saw end of WW2, Indian Independence and creation of the State of Israel). But will always be glad of the fact that India happens to be one of the few countries in the world that has no recorded history of Jewish persecution.

[@ellebelle8515]

You're right. Both of my parents lived among Jewish neighbors in Eastern Europe/Russia where all my ancestors originated. Sadly, the worst Jewish persecutions in history were in Europe- not only Germany, but most of Europe.

[@dhoraray1310]

When you hear some people, that degrading attitudes still exist, though they might not work. Why are they of such a make?!? Or of education?

[@mamahustru]

Jews still can´t catch a break.

[@windycityliz7711]

@@ellebelle8515 The Jewish population in Germany was quite small and mostly assimilated. The worse persecutions by far were in Eastern Europe.

[@maureencora1]

Kirk Douglas Would Had Loved This, May He R.I.P.

[@MediaArchive2-z9f]

Kirk never saw this? 😢

[@Peter1999Videos]

Kirk Douglas ra.ped Natalie Wood, when she was like 15

[@maureencora1]

@@Peter1999Videos B.S. I Don't Believe It.

[@MediaArchive2-z9f]

@@Peter1999Videos is this even true?

[@Peter1999Videos]

@@maureencora1 Do your search, Natalie sister talks about it

[@lovedaybebe5881]

I knew a very respectable person who was so hungry when pregnant that she confessed to me , that she ate an orange a greengrocer had given her for her children. She carried that guilt into her 70s . I guess what I’m trying to say here is that hunger can make people do things , they would never normally do. Like committing a crime .

[@mepulley7913]

Poverty can make anyone commit many crimes. You never know what you're capable of during when you're desperate.

[@lovedaybebe5881]

@@mepulley7913 exactly this .

[@AbenaMcKenzieSoapiphany]

​@@mepulley7913 case for Reparations. How is it a people been in America since before 1700 and have nothing?

[@mepulley7913]

@@AbenaMcKenzieSoapiphany I don't disagree with you.

[@jeannovacco5136]

That motive may be true of unavoidable hunger and grinding poverty but it's not true of flash mobs of people living on jobs or Public Welfare subsidies and seen raiding luxury goods stores or pharmacies. I mentioned this because in a world of food stamps on credit cards congresswoman AOC excuses break-ins and retail theft by suggesting the perpetrator may be hungry or needing to feed their family. It's really tiring to hear 19th and 20th century ideological rationales used to excuse theft, break-ins and violence --AND organized efforts to overthrow the political, social, and economic order to get a better spot on a new hierarchy and subject the rest of the population to experiments as if they are Lab Rats

[@cinemaparadiso1991]

I remember when Michael Douglas was on the Streets of San Francisco. He was fine then and still is. Seems like he had a good sense of humor.

[@helenangus1675]

Would love to see the whole program.

[@mikhailgutkin2525]

I was born in Chausy. It’s amazing that my grandmother, who was born in 1898, may well have known the Danilevich family. Never had the chance to ask her_

[@DrakeLarson-js9px]

I remember being in Kirk's and Anne's Palm Springs' pool with his 3 brothers, and as Peter's Palm Springs 'pal' ... and the similarities of my memories of his Dad ... Micheal is strikingly similar to Dad!!! ... Micheal in the pool was friendly, rambunctious but almost frightened Peter&I as we horse-played with Peter's older brother having P.S. weekend fun away from UCSB... very fond memories of his whole clan... my heart goes out a little for Eric - so this video of 'old family history' in my opinion ... is not as entertaining as "The Douglas Clan of The '60s" .. But I still loved watching this video!!

[@markw999]

He's looking more like his Dad the older he gets. Interesting story though.

[@yvonneplant9434]

Agreed!!! 😊

[@oceans.and.deserts]

I've always said the same thing.

[@veronicaferguson8548]

Cant wait for this episode.

[@timpeterson3191]

Michael looks like his father, whose acting affected so many audiences, and in a good way.

[@Karen-dk1ec]

Michael does not have his father's charisma, who was larger than life on the screen.

[@ritahorvath8207]

When I look at that face I only see surgery , surgery , surgery . . . . . . .

[@Karen-dk1ec]

@@ritahorvath8207 Michael still looks like himself and his Father despite probable facelifts. He doesn't look as plastic as many celebrities.

[@sseaton75]

Absolute ringer for his dad, at first I thought it was Kirk ! - such acting ability Spartacus wow ❤️

[@peterblack3665]

I seem to remember a book on Kirk Douglas called the rag man because when he came to America he had a suitcase of rags he sold to make a living.......

[@floramondecar9884]

About Kirk Douglas' father.

[@sugarkane4830]

It was called the Rag man son. Because that’s what his Farther was.

[@av1421]

@williamhancock8065 16 hours ago My mother grew up in Amsterdam, NY where Kirk Douglas was from. My mother was about ten years younger than him and didn't personally remember him. But Mr. Demsky was well known to her. At that time the family seemed to be going by the name Demsky. The person we know as Kirk Douglas was known in school as Isador Demsky which I guess was an anglicized version of his given name Izzur. My mom was also the child of Immigrants, her parents having come from the same town in County Down, Northern Ireland. Her mother came as a small child with her family and her father came as a grown man after serving with British forces in the Boer War. Amsterdam seemed to be a town loaded with immigrants. Lots of Irish, Poles and Italians. There were a couple of big mills in town which employed many of them. Mr. Demsky worked as a ragman. He had a cart pulled by a horse or a mule. This was the Depression and so he made his living buying and selling bits of used clothing and other items. The one story I remember my mother recalling about the Demsky family had to do with the law. One of her school classmates had a father who was a judge. Mr. Demsky had been prosecuted for animal cruelty for beating his mule and the case wound up in court. I think it resulted in a fine. Other than that, I had never heard anything indicating any criminality. The Demsky family was certainly poor but the same could be said for my mom and her by then widowed mother. I'm curious about the name Danielovitch referenced here. That sounds more like a patronymic than a last name. In the Russian system of naming, people don't have middle names. If your father is named Ivan, your patronymic is Ivanovich if you are a man or Ivanovna if you are a woman. Like Vladimir Putin is Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin. It basically means "Vladimir, son of Vladimir." If you are not close friends with someone or if they are older than you or are your boss or of a higher social station it is common to refer to them by first name and patronymic. It is the method of formal address as they don't use mister or missus. Sometimes older men as a familiar form of address may refer to friends just using the patronymic. Anyway, I wonder if Danielovitch was actually the family name or if they just dropped the family name when they came to America. If you were running from the law that might be a logical thing to do. If your father's name was Daniil (Daniel in English) your patronymic would be Danilovich. And where did the name Demsky come from? So anyway, lots of interesting questions. They are certainly an example of an immigrant family who prospered in America.

[@jv-ep2tc]

@@sugarkane4830 The Ragman's Son. I read the book and thought the title was interesting as a bit of psychology. With all the success Kirk had, he didn't forget that something else was still true: he was the son a a rag man.

[@kittykitty435]

Pretty interesting. I've tried to find my paternal side but because they came here in 1922, all those records are in "the old country". My grandma said the records in their little Hungarian town were destroyed by fire. She also said her grandmother had 12 babies and outlived them all. I can't find anything about any of that. ☹️☹️☹️

[@shlby69m]

My Hungarian Grandmother came thru Hawthorne, California. Also, when signing papers in America, often the 'little town' isn't listed but the closest biggest city ( Ex. Budapest)

[@sierravista9013]

Such a hard time for everyone back then

[@makesomenoiseagency2815]

for Jews....not everone....

[@sierravista9013]

@@makesomenoiseagency2815 all the people coming here back then worked very hard

[@aldunlop4622]

@@makesomenoiseagency2815 No, it was hard for everyone. 80% of people lived in absolute poverty compared to today.

[@pamelazuill8438]

Well thats on Michaels fathers side! what about his mothers side, she was from Bermuda and from a family that went way back! Michael has Bermudian relatives too!

[@rogerwilco2558]

I'd like to hear more about that as well. They were, like most white Bermudans - of British/Irish descent. Considering Michael is married to Catherine Zeta Jones - you'd think he'd take an interest in a lineage that included plenty of Welsh ancestors.

[@ekesandras1481]

You cannot say, his real name was XY, when all the names where brought to paper in a russified way back than. Gersh Danilovich might very likely be originally Hershel Danielssohn.

[@magdaty1815]

you know what you're talking about, thumbs up

[@shlby69m]

They double check it with dates & other family members

[@PomahXomehko]

Michael Douglas grandmother side of the family originated from Ukraine there's two towns that are called Homel one town in Belarus and all information came from his father's book A Ragmans son .

[@SamMcKinley]

Very interesting

[@oceansunsetak]

My great grandfather's death certificate said he was born in Russia. He spoke German Russian French Polish. He told the family he was born in Prussia but considered himself Polish. Immigrated to USA late 1800s changed last name to Douglas.

[@ellebelle8515]

Same with both my parents and their parents who, both born in the Russian Empire- also spoke German, Russian, some Ukrainian. They were born in the areas of Ukraine. Great-grandparents before that were from Prussia/Poland. But, passports identified them as Russian.

[@gregdvorkin]

My grandmother from mother's side was also from Mogilev. At least one of her brothers moved to USA around 1905 for the same reason - did not want to serve in the Russian army but ended up serving in the army in USA and was even decorated for that. I wish somebody would do the same research for me.

[@SamMcKinley]

This is what I say. People just showed up just like the people today. They had nothing and wanted a better life

[@joycestepancevich6591]

Amen!!

[@KC-ni5gw]

Except back then, people worked hard to make it in America. Nowadays they come, live in hotels paid by US citizen's taxes, and don't work.

[@joycestepancevich6591]

@KC-ni5gw I work in the tax field and I see south American people working hard , 40 hrs per week, while a certain group of American citizens work very little and purposely pay NO taxes. Knowledge over hate and negativity.

[@kathyskinner6119]

What a fairytale

[@ThePbird1]

Something rarely mentioned: drafted into the Tzar’s army was for 25 years. If you were from the Western part you were sent East through 13 Time zones. Desertions were few when succesful.

[@victorblock3421]

I'm to young to remember Mr. Demsky but I grew up around Kirk's sisters, nieces, nephews and still know a few. Terrific nice people, most especially Freddy who was in the liquor business with his dad. And my mom was friends with a niece and she met Michael I think when he was about 13.

[@shazza160]

What great acting Micheal …’no I have never heard this’.

[@DanacyclingThailand]

So fantastic…..

[@RebDanielB]

Would Girsh not be pronounced “Hirsch”? Hence, Harry

[@oceans.and.deserts]

I thought it was an abbreviated version of Gershon, which was my second great-grandfather's name. It's possible the name was misread when digitized, as Harry could easily be an Anglicized version of Hirsch. That occurred a couple times with my grandfather in census records as his name was similar to another.

[@stephenfisher3721]

Another factor is the lack of the h sound in the Russian language; there is no letter to represent this sound in the Cyrillic (Russian) alphabet. Foreign words (such as Jewish names) containing the h sound were spelled using either the hard g sound or gutteral kh sound instead. Thus names like "Hirsh" and "Hinda" became "Girsh" and "Ginda", or "Khersh" and "Khinda". In some Lithuanian and Ukrainian regions, the initial h sound tended to be dropped entirely, so "Hirsh" became "Irsh", and "Hinda" might appear as "Inda". Source: Jewishgen Website

[@piotrczubryt1111]

@@stephenfisher3721 There is an "h" sound in Russian language and a letter for it "х" (kh). For example in Khrushchev (Хрущёв).

[@ellebelle8515]

My parents families were both Germanic living next to Jewish colonies and Ukrainian colonies, among others. All were severely persecuted during different periods of Russian/Soviet history.

[@aldunlop4622]

Yeah, my great-great -father on my mother's side came from a town in what was Prussia at the time (1856), they migrated to Sydney, Australia, and there's always been conjecture that they were Jews, escaping persecution. One day I'll look into it. Not sure where to start though.

[@nareksilisalata]

I really like the background music at the beginning. Can someone tell me the name? 😅

[@elyjane8316]

If these guys survived Russian prison and being Jewish as well - they must have really been tough...

[@ch4dderbox]

"your family was criminals. how do you feel about that?" "greed is good"

[@atagadol]

If you have had need to survive in such circumstances, you would also become “ criminal “ You are talking nonsense. You have no idea what kind of life those people have had. They were very poor, without human rights. But for people like you, it doesn’t matter. By writing what you wrote , only shows the level of your personality in some parameters., which doesn’t surprise me at all.

[@Susan-lf2hl]

LOL

[@aliciachristopher6506]

@@Susan-lf2hl 😂

[@ellanina801]

This is so interesting. My family supposedly “walked away” from their inheritance. I call the B.S., and seeing this type of thing makes me very much more interested in possibly finding out the truth behind that fable.

[@piotrsieminski]

That's actually interesting that Hirsz Daniłowicz (Jew), Aleksander Perepeczko (Belarusian) and Aleksander Bieńkowski (Polish) from the Great Duchy of Lithuania (my ancestors homeland too), got along and worked together. What a lovely Jewish-Belarusian-Polish cooperation.

[@ericm4426]

Gypsies stick together

[@shazza160]

@@ericm4426first thought that came to my mind

[@austinmoehring6110]

Yo you so old your great grandpa was in the movie American Tail! Ohhhh! Snap!!

[@waynerichardaves5375]

You look more like your Father everyday.

[@brca098]

1:01 Lots of Polish surnames including Danilowicz, but but that times Poland didn't existed as a state so metric contains countries like Germany, Austria, Russia

[@Nae395]

Fascinating

[@pattiwhite9575]

I can wait for the full video of the Douglas clan. I remember he has some other roots. Spanish I believe. I always wonder how they can come up with these different names and places and know it as fact. Was there any DNA done?

[@reginamay2767]

Micheal looks like his dad now that he is older he sounds old now to. He was a good actor as his dad was to.

[@aldunlop4622]

Throat cancer will do that to your voice.

[@salvationbordercountry3800]

I like Michael.

[@allenmoses110]

It was like Oak Park, Michigan. My Jewish ghetto in America.

[@the_gilded_age_phoenix8717]

Sounds like Michael has gone beyond the pale.

[@eberkovich]

These stories make me wonder how my grandchildren and their grandchildren will be curious about me. I am someone who came from another country more than 30 years ago. Will they want to know? How will they react, because my own kids do not seem to be very curious about their father's roots...

[@piotrczubryt1111]

Mother of Michael was English, her name was Diana Love Webster (née Dill). She was Episcopalian, Micheal became Reform Jew.

[@lynnlobliner3933]

Ellis was NOT the only point of entry into the US. New Orleans was one. Possibly they came in at another port. So does this nulify the Ragman's son -- he was a racketeer but posed as a ragman?

[@KentPetersonmoney]

Never once thought Micheal might be Jewish. Most of the Jewish people I seen on this show have a different look to them but to be fair he is mix. I guess Michael father must have changed his name to Douglas which is a Scottish surname. Now i'm trying to imagine his name being Micheal Danielovitch.

[@magdaty1815]

Scarlett Johanson, Natalie Portman. It takes all looks. Changing surname will always associate with trying to hide identity due to criminal deeds in my opinion.

[@paanne1013]

You would be surprised at how many actors/entertainers are Jewish, there are many.

[@jgodin312]

His father is Kirk Douglas, who was born Issur Danielovitch

[@Tawadeb]

Wow

[@sly5346]

Ahhhhh Russian/Jewish. That was cool info.

[@stephenoliver1437]

Michael shame your dad didn’t get to know this recent revelation of your family’s history

[@arnoldchirwa6107]

Michael Douglas Romancing Stone. I used to like that film.

[@the_gilded_age_phoenix8717]

For the lack of a better word, greed is "good."

[@stevencooper4422]

Rather accurate heritage for a wall street role 😅

[@the_gilded_age_phoenix8717]

@@stevencooper4422 Eh, wht "Christians" were just as bad or worse.

[@milansavic2803]

Why they constatly pronauncing his last name as Danielovitz when it is in fact Danilovic!?

[@mprkg]

It's crazy they can find these paper ship records

[@KaiColloquoun-gt7kw]

So, no connection to Castle Douglas, Dumfries & Galloway then?

[@CT-uv8os]

His mother Diana Dill Douglas has a very interesting background.

[@tammiefoster-arundell1200]

A Douglas A Douglas My Australian Douglass line are from a Convict from Dumfries in 1814.

[@JStrike42]

What about Kirk Douglas and Natalie Wood? Comments?

[@joemalone7386]

May they both rest in peace.

[@ruthneumann429]

He has strikingly beautiful hair.

[@Gerdeo64]

Some in the comments don't know the difference between USSR and Russia. Or deliberatly want to do as if USSR is the same as Russia. This bs is root of some problems and misused by third parties.

[@BruselskySluzebnik]

Yenkees are dumb… many of the horors in USSR was done by Ukrainans. Same with Stalin, he was Armenian… All bad people was abroad.

[@janetprice85]

Jewish roots and a very talented family.

[@marjorieolah2106]

Kirk was awesome

[@aldunlop4622]

This would've been great if Kirk was still alive. His story from literally nothing, to be one of the hugest stars in Hollywood is amazing.

[@lsmart]

In Russia, an H becomes a G (e.g., a hospital is called a gospital). Thus, Girsh would be Hirsch in Yiddish, and the standard English name Jews gave for Hirsch is Harry.

[@karolkowalczyk33]

No news. Kirk Douglas had told us obout that decades ago.

[@debracole6587]

Michael looks more and more like his father Kirk, as he ages.

[@ccbarr58]

Check Kurt's book The Ragpickers Son?

[@paanne1013]

The Ragman's Son is the name of the book, published in 1988 by Kirk Douglas.

[@lovelyskull3483]

Girsh,very cool name.

[@ABritInNY]

Gersh or Girsh is just a yiddish diminutive of the biblical name Gershon

[@RebDanielB]

@@ABritInNYI think in this case it would have been pronounced like Hirsch, hence using Harry as an English name

[@santiagoTo]

@@ABritInNY Gershon or Gershom is from "Ger Sham" or "stranger there" as in the exodus story.

[@stephenfisher3721]

​@@ABritInNY No, Girsh is the Russian spelling of Hirsh meaning deer. The Hebrew equivalent is Zvi. Gershom is not related.

[@stephenfisher3721]

​​@@RebDanielB Definitely. Many with the Yiddish Hirsh became Harry in America.

[@irenatafro4598]

Danilović surname is very often in Serbia from serbian name Danilo.

[@elenamichael5746]

Danilovich is a Russian name. Also, Russia didn't occupy Lithuanian land because previously this territory was taken by force from Russia by the "rech pospolita" a Polish-Luthuanian commonwralth which grew power when Russia was at its weakest point due to political turmoil. Those territories were populated with Russians and Jews who were second grade citizens of that commonwealth without any privileges because they were not catholic.

[@Lawrence64]

Very cool...you read like it is written...not Danielovich...no E in there ... Danilocich

[@paulrodgers5559]

If there were a , " Colonoscopy of the Stars " , - you folks would be here , lappin' it up , huh ?

[@daveharrison84]

Is it too late to go to Belarus and claim the bounty?

[@harrykuheim6107]

I have a friend who is married to a Mexican woman and she signed up for an ancestral search...they went back to 5 Generations...that's all the way back to 1979!

[@paanne1013]

You mean 1879?

[@iaKz79]

Every Russian website about Chausy’s Jews mentions that Kirk Douglas is from Chausy. And only Michael Douglas has never heard that fact😂

[@karolkowalczyk33]

They were Polish Byelorus Jews those days Rzeczpospolita Obojga Narodów. Polish Lithuanian Ripublic (Res Publica) Commonwelth

[@jagadeanderson]

god messnger of all gods is me my hand on your SOULS

[@ashonlewis9353]

Michael has his Father's gravely voice

[@Suve35967]

I think Michael had a famous father, like himself.🤔.

[@trajancanada]

And then there's Kirk Douglas and Natalie Wood. There will always be a reckoning.

[@purplekloss1587]

?

[@magdaty1815]

I read somewhere Kirk even described his crimes in his book, yet still beloved by so many just as Johnny f..cking Depp.

[@ryhol5417]

Well, in Russia the prisoners are used in war first right? Could have been true

[@tatianalyulkin410]

Danielovich sounds more like a patronymic than a last name.

[@elyjane8316]

That is exactly right. Jews traditionally don't have surnames, same as others. When people had to have surnames as governments stated keeping records, they would choose either son/ daughter of ... or they may take their profession as their surname, eg., butcher. Not to mention the (in this case) angleization of the name.

[@kulesa]

the older he gets he looks so much like kirk.

[@MrDobalinaMistaBobDobalina]

Didn’t cover the whole family history though did you? Rip Natalie Wood

[@Karen-dk1ec]

Robert Wagner was accused of being involved in his wife Natalie Wood's death not Kirk Douglas.

[@Volynyanka]

I doubt that in Russian empire Jews were drafted into imperial army at all.

[@barbaralisbona5182]

They sbdolutely were! You must be thinking that because Jews were kept separated & treated badly they would not have been wanted in the army. Not true! As far as the Russians were concerned, though they had no value & were treated badly they still could be used to fight in the wars

[@airgelaal]

russians have always regarded soldiers as mere cannon fodder. That's why they recruited absolutely everyone into the army.

[@santiagoTo]

Yes, they sadly were. One of the reason for the early 20 century immigration to America to dodge the draft. Russia was in war with Japan and other countries. And let's not talk about kantons, which was basically genocide of Jews. Certain percentage of Jewish children (age 4-7) per city had to be given away to Russian peasant family and then sent to Russian army. 90% percent died before reaching puberty.

[@atagadol]

They were. They were talking from the families. Yonge boys. By force. There were times when russian army service was for the length of 25 years.

[@Janemas]

Bolshevik's were majority of what ethnicity/religion?

[@ConstantGardener-q9q]

Kirk Douglas came from a gang of criminals. That explains a lot about how he treated Natalie Wood

[@paulk64]

Wasn’t that Robert Wagner that was with Natalie when she died?

[@stephenfisher3721]

What?

[@PC-dc1kv]

@@christopherneufelt8971. ?

[@dhoraray1310]

​Moreover, criminal behaviour of some who grabbed the power in their home country. By being appointed. By an alcoholic. In power.

[@BiffJackson-o4i]

Michael and Kirk had a lot of issues. Most of them unpleasant.

[@Karen-dk1ec]

A lot or most people have issues. Thye also have incredible creativity and energy and gave enjoyment to people through their movies. I think it is important to first look on the positive side of a person or situation.

[@magdaty1815]

@@Karen-dk1ec so you know many people who sexually assaulted a teenager? You should report them.

[@brendaechols5929]

He's starting to look more like his father.

[@Darin-j3w]

His father is kirK Douglass. Very hard to believe

[@mprkg]

Michael Douglass sounds like he's on hid way out

[@PAMELAENEAS]

😢😢😢😢ITS SAD THAT THE JEWISH PEOPLE ARE STILL FIGHTING OFF HATRED.DISCRIMINATION AND ALL THAT CRAP..I DONT WANT TO SEE ANOTHER HOLOCAUST...

[@BeautifulDove-i7u]

Well respect other people and you won't

[@japspeedgirl6216]

Danilovich can also be a surname, the etymology is similar to e.g. Jonson or McKinley - son of Danilo. BTW Russians do have middle names, they are just not used so much.

[@dhoraray1310]

Oh, really?!? Proves please!

[@kevin.keen.socialmedia]

Russian middle names are always patronymic---one's father's name with ovich added if one is male and ovna if one is female. Some Russian surnames are created originally from the patronymic with ov and ova endings.

[@JackMa152ddd]

Explains his nose

[@Brisamars-q1c]

Truly a land of immigrants.

[@jaysoncarter5093]

Illegal 😂😂😂!!

[@ElizabethHurtado-py8ur]

🍊🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🐞🍓🇨🇦✝️🖋️🖊️🖊️🖊️

[@JohnWesleyHarden]

His father changed his name why???? Why do "they" do that what are they hiding or hiding from.

[@santiagoTo]

They are hiding from people like you, which were not only in Russia but USA too.

[@schrire39]

Yeah. Like the actress Anne Bancroft and the song writer Harry Warren. Check out their real names.

[@Curlyblonde]

Most of the Russian Jewish entertainers and movie stars changed their names and backgrounds to make themselves more acceptable to the American public. Was easy to do back then.

[@EmilyMiller-c1b]

Most of actors who changed their last name regretted later.

[@slantos2668]

Because there was a long history of anti-Semitism in America, where they couldn't get jobs if their names sounded Jewish. Duh. Learn some history.