Michael Douglas Shares Inspiring Stories About "Franklin" and His Remarkable Third Act

Michael Douglas may have been a student at the University of California, Santa Barbara many years ago, but he still remembers his way around the campus. He reminisced about the old theater that stood there when he was a student 60 years ago, back when the campus was a Marine base during World War II. "It was all filled with, like, barracks," he recalled.

Nowadays, there is a theater with his name on the lobby, which he jokingly referred to as "the most expensive lobby you're ever gonna find!" He found it amusing that under his name were the men's and women's restrooms.

When Douglas was a student at the university, he didn't have a clear direction. "Getting to my third year in school, they called me into the counselor's office," he remembered. "And they said, 'You have to declare a major.' I said, 'I don't know, man. I think…' Well, I thought theater would be easy. But I can't say it was any big, burning desire. But I thought, 'Well, maybe I know something about it. My mother's a stage actress. My father's an actor.' And so, I reluctantly started."

His mother was actress Diana Douglas; his father, the legendary Kirk Douglas.

At first, Michael didn't make quite the same impression as his parents. Performing on stage, he admitted to keeping a wastebasket off to the side, "because I'd sick every time. I had terrible stage fright. Terrible stage fright! And I'd dive, and come on out, and give it my all."

But that unpleasant taste was soon replaced by the sweet smell of success.

Douglas won an Oscar for producing the 1975 film "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest." He took home another Oscar, for his performance in 1987's "Wall Street."

On both sides of the camera, Douglas has shown uncanny instincts for choosing projects that meet the moment. His Gordon Gecko came to personify the avarice of the 1980s:

His 1979 thriller "The China Syndrome," about the dangers of nuclear power, hit theaters only 12 days before the Three Mile Island disaster.

So, it would seem his latest project, in which he plays Benjamin Franklin, is an outlier. "I guess I'd never done any period pictures, so that was part of the reason," he said.

In the series "Franklin" (streaming next month on Apple TV+), Douglas portrays Benjamin Franklin during his eight-year stay in Paris. This is where the founding father spent most of the Revolutionary War, seeking aid from France in the battle against the British.

To watch a trailer for "Franklin" click on the video player below:

Although set in 18th-century France, Douglas views the series as relevant and contemporary. "For me, this series is such a reminder of how fragile democracy is," he remarked. "When you start thinking about the time we first created our Constitution, and to see the kind of shape that we're in now, it's a reminder."

The success of the revolution was uncertain. If the Americans had failed, the founding fathers would have faced execution. Franklin, America's initial diplomat, recognized the importance of patience and diplomacy with the French. A notable quote from the series: "Diplomacy must never be a siege, but a seduction."

"He faced criticism from his fellow Continental Congress members – John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, among others," Douglas explained, "because it took him eight years during his time in Paris to accomplish his goals."

It was worth the wait. Franklin secured the support of the French; their money and arms were critical to the survival of the American Republic. Franklin left France at the age of 79, the current age of Douglas.

"Ben Franklin had one hell of a third act," said Rocca. "The last third of his life was the most productive, by many accounts his happiest period. Is that something that inspires you?"

"Yeah, this has been a great time for me, but I've been very fortunate," said Douglas. "Catherine and I have been together, it'll be 25 years come this year."

Douglas met actress Catherine Zeta-Jones in 1998 at a film festival. While Franklin took years to woo France, Douglas worked a little faster. Indeed, on their first date, Douglas blurted out to her, "I'm gonna be the father of your children."

Rocca said, "Okay, now you were in your mid-late 50s at this point. When you said that, did you think, 'Wait a minute. Do I really wanna have children at this age?'"

"With Catherine Zeta-Jones? Yeah!" Douglas laughed. "Yeah. I think we could do that. Twist my arm!"

They are the parents of Dylan and Carys, who are half-siblings to Cameron, Douglas' son from his first marriage.

Michael Douglas' children and his film work are his legacy, as is a stretch of land down the coast from his alma mater. Today the Douglas Family Preserve in Santa Barbara is a favorite spot for dog walkers, recreational paragliders … and the man himself.

"I read about this in the paper," Douglas said. "They were trying to save this spot here. So, I just signed up and they said, 'If you, you know, contribute X, they'll name the park after you.'"

Sixty years after he reluctantly stepped on stage, Michael Douglas is looking out, feeling very much at ease. "One of the joys I get is when people recognize you and say, 'Hey, thanks for the park, you know? It's great!' So, to see it now and to see the importance means a lot."

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