Kirk Douglas was another "household name" in our house. I had thought I had seen more of his films than I counted (25) I remember exactly what I was doing when news broke of him surviving that helicopter crash. All of us had just sat down to breakfast when it was announced (wrongly and thankfully) that he had been killed in the crash. Luckily soon after, it was announced that he did indeed survive.
BTW, he appeared along with Martin Sheen at the world's premier showing of: "The Final Countdown" in my hometown of Kingsville, TX. I was one of several thousand who stood in line for several hours in order to watch this movie. I saw both of them (at a distance) when they were leaving after the premier showing. I regret not having a camera at that time.
