Meet Michael Douglas’ three lookalike siblings – who all followed him into the film industry

Joel Douglas is Michael’s younger brother, the second son of Kirk and Diana before they split in 1951. He was born just one day after his mother’s 24th birthday.

Unlike his dad and older brother, Joel, now 79, did not choose to go into acting, instead embracing the production side of the film industry, working primarily as a film producer.

His career began in the 1970s as an executive for Mel and Noel Blanc’s media company Blanc Communications Corporation, and he also produced several projects related to his family. He was a co-producer on 1984’s Romancing the Stone and 1985’s The Jewel of the Nile, and was an associate producer on the Oscar winning One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest in 1975.

Joel has been married five times: to Susan Jorgensen (1968–1973), Judith Corso (1975–1981), Patricia Reid-Douglas (1986–2002), Jo Ann Savitt (2004 until her death in 2013), and in 2024, he tied the knot with Mascha in a wedding that Michael officiated.

Peter Vincent Douglas is Michael’s half-brother, the first son of Kirk and his second wife Anne Buydens. Like his siblings and father, he quickly found his footing in the film industry.

Like Joel, Peter, now 70, found success as a TV and film producer and has also worked in photography. Most notably, he had a close working relationship with his father, up until his death in 2020.

Like Michael and Joel before him, he was a key member of his dad’s production company The Byrna Company, eventually becoming President. In 1978, however, he branched out to establish his own production company, Vincent Pictures. He also won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama/Comedy Special in 1988 for his production of Inherit the Wind.

Since 1991, Peter has been married to Lisa Schroeder, and they are the parents to four children – Kelsey (born in 1992), Tyler (born in 1996), Ryan (born in 2000), and Jason (born in 2003).

Eric Douglas was the youngest of Kirk Douglas’ sons, also welcomed with Anne, and was a member of show business just like his other family members, although in unique fashion.

While he pursued a brief acting career, he never quite achieved the same level of success as his older brother or father. Eric also branched out into stand-up comedy, often performing with improvisation troupes and riffing on being the “black sheep” of the Douglas family.

One of his performances at The Comedy Store in London has since become a legend in the British comedy scene, however. His reaction to the audience’s tepid response to his set, which was: “You can’t do this to me, I’m Kirk Douglas’ son!” led to a member of the audience shouting: “No, I’m Kirk Douglas’ son!” in a reference to his dad’s 1960 film Spartacus.

Unfortunately, Eric’s life was plagued by issues with the law and substance abuse. He was arrested multiple times in the 1990s for disorderly conduct, DUIs, and possession of illegal substances, and was often in and out of rehab. He died of an overdose in 2004 at the age of 46.