Information about Herschel Demsky and wife, parents of Kirk Douglas?

ozarksbill — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 21:44:36 GMT

A group is studying the immigrant experience and noticing comments by Kirk Douglas in the Aug. 11 Newsweek I am curious as to further info regarding his parents, father Herschel Demsky and mother? Any places known about dates for their birth and immigration?

RE: Information about Herschel Demsky and wife, parents of Kirk Douglas?

Scottypom — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 23:10:24 GMT

Hi there, Kirk Douglas was born (Issur Danielovitch Demsky) in about 1917 in Amsterdam N.Y. he had siblings and they were as follows:-

BESSIE B.Abt 1911

CATHERINE B.Abt 1913

MARY B.Abt 1915

ISSUR(Kirk) B.Abt 1917

IDA & FREDA B.Abt 1919

RUTH B.Abt 1923

There Parents were Father:- HERSCHEL DANIELOVITCH DEMSKY b.Abt 1885 CAME TO U.S ABOUT 1908 Given Trade as Rag Picker Junk Dealer.

Mother:- Bryna Sanglel b.Abt 1883

Both his parents were Poor Belarusian Jews who came from a place called 'Homel' also known as 'Gomel'

Hope this helps.

RE: Information about Herschel Demsky and wife, parents of Kirk Douglas?

Yada Yada — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 16:04:11 GMT

A little more info: Kirk Douglas married Diana Dill in Bermuda and they are the parents of Michael, the actor. My mother is descended from the same Dill family as Diana,making us some sort of cousins, but then aren't we all?