Anne Douglas, the wife of late Hollywood great Kirk Douglas, has died aged 102, her family has announced.

Douglas, an actress and philanthropist, died peacefully at her home in Beverly Hills on Thursday (local time), according to a statement to the PA news agency.

The German-born star celebrated her final birthday on April 23. Kirk, whom she married in 1954, died in February 2020 aged 103.

In a statement, stepson and actor Michael Douglas said: “She brought out the best in all of us, especially our father. Dad would never have had the career he did without Anne’s support and partnership. Catherine and I and the children adored her; she will always be in our hearts.”

Douglas first met her future husband in 1953 when he offered her a job as his publicist while in Paris to film Act Of Love.

She declined his offer and also refused his phoned invitation to dinner a few hours later.

Kirk, chiselled star of Hollywood’s Golden Age, was not used to being turned down.

She eventually took the job and the couple flew to Las Vegas in May 1954 to get married.

They had two sons over their 66-year marriage, Peter and Eric, while Kirk also had Michael and Joel from his marriage to Diana Dill.

Eric Douglas died in 2004 aged 46.

Michael, who has two children with Catherine Zeta-Jones, celebrated Douglas’ final birthday last week, sharing a family photo to Instagram.

He wrote: “Happy Birthday Anne Douglas! We love you! Michael, Catherine, Carys, & Dylan.”