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Michael Douglas, an actor with over 30 years of experience in theater, film and television, branched out into independent feature production in 1975 with the Academy Award-winning One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Since then, as a producer and as an actor-producer, he has shown an uncanny knack for choosing projects that reflect changing trends and public concerns.

The son of Kirk and Diana Douglas, Michael was born in New Jersey. In 1968, He moved to New York City to study at The American Place Theatre with Wynn Handman and at The Neighborhood Playhouse, where he appeared in workshop productions.

A few months after he arrived in New York, Douglas got his first big break when he was cast in a pivotal role in the CBS Playhouse production of Ellen M. Violett's drama The Experiment, which was televised nationwide on February 25, 1969.

Douglas' convincing portrayal won him the leading role in the adaptation of John Weston's controversial novel Hail, Hero! His second feature was Adam at 6 A.M. (1970). Douglas next appeared in the film version of Ron Cowen's play Summertree (1971), produced by Kirk Douglas' Bryna Company, and then Napoleon and Samantha (1972).

Impressed by Douglas' performance in a segment of the television series The F.B.I., producer Quinn Martin signed the actor for the part of Karl Malden's sidekick in the police series The Streets of San Francisco, which premiered in 1972 and became one of ABC's highest-rated prime-time programs in the mid-1970s. Douglas earned three successive Emmy Award nominations for his performance.

Long interested in producing a film version of Ken Kesey's novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Douglas purchased the movie rights from his father. A critical and commercial success, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest won five Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Actor and Best Actress, and went on to gross more than $180 million at the box office.

Douglas suddenly found himself in demand as an independent producer. His next producing project, The China Syndrome (1979), received Academy Award nominations for Jack Lemmon and Jane Fonda, as well as one for Best Original Screenplay.

Despite his success as a producer, Douglas resumed his acting career in the late 1970s, starring in Coma (1978), It's My Turn (1981) and The Star Chamber (1983). Douglas also starred in Running (1979) and A Chorus Line (1985).

Douglas' career as an actor-producer came together again in 1984 with the release of Romancing the Stone. A sequel, The Jewel of the Nile, followed in 1985.

It took Douglas nearly two years to convince Columbia Pictures executives to approve the production of Starman, the sleeper hit of the 1984 Christmas season, which earned an Oscar nomination for Best Actor for Jeff Bridges. In 1986, Douglas created a television series based on the film.

Douglas returned to the screen in 1987, appearing in two of the year's biggest hits: Fatal Attraction and Wall Street, the latter earning him an Academy Award for Best Actor.

Douglas next starred in Black Rain (1989) and then in The War of the Roses (1989). In 1988, Douglas formed Stonebridge Entertainment, Inc., which produced Flatliners and Radio Flyer. Douglas followed with Shining Through. In 1992, he starred with Sharon Stone in the erotic thriller Basic Instinct, one of the year's top-grossing films.

Douglas gave one of his most powerful performances opposite Robert Duvall in Joel Schumacher's controversial drama Falling Down. That year, he also produced the hit comedy Made in America. In 1994, he starred in Disclosure. In 1995, Douglas portrayed the title role in The American President, and in 1997, starred in The Game.

Douglas formed Douglas/Reuther Productions with partner Steven Reuther in May 1994. The company, under the banner of Constellation Films, produced The Ghost and the Darkness and John Grisham's The Rainmaker. Douglas and Reuther also produced Face/Off.

In 1998, Douglas starred in A Perfect Murder and formed a new production company, Further Films. Further's first film was One Night at McCool's (2001). That year was a milestone one for Douglas. Wonder Boys opened in February 2000 to much critical acclaim. Douglas was nominated for a Golden Globe and a BAFTA Film Award for his performance.

Douglas starred in Traffic (2000), which was named Best Picture by the New York Film Critics Circle, won Best Ensemble Cast at the SAG Awards, won four Academy Awards, and was named on over 175 top-ten lists.

In 2001, Douglas starred in Don't Say a Word for Fox/Regency. In 2002, he received an Emmy nomination for a guest role on the series Will & Grace.

Douglas starred in two films in 2003: It Runs in the Family, which Douglas produced and starred in with his father, Kirk Douglas, his mother, Diana Douglas, and his son, Cameron Douglas. He also starred in the comedy The In-Laws with Albert Brooks.

Douglas filmed a segment for the Showtime children's series What's Going On? He also completed a feature documentary directed by Lee Grant entitled A Father...a Son...Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, centering on the complex relationship between himself and his father, Kirk.

In July 1998, Douglas was named a Messenger of Peace for the United Nations by Secretary-General Kofi Annan. His two areas of concentration are nuclear abolition and small arms proliferation.

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