This article was previously nominated for deletion. The result of the discussion was keep.

This article is rated Start-class on Wikipedia's content assessment scale. It is of interest to the following WikiProjects:

Biography: Actors and Filmmakers This article is within the scope of WikiProject Biography, a collaborative effort to create, develop and organize Wikipedia's articles about people. All interested editors are invited to join the project and contribute to the discussion. For instructions on how to use this banner, please refer to the documentation.BiographyWikipedia:WikiProject BiographyTemplate:WikiProject Biographybiography articles This article is supported by WikiProject Actors and Filmmakers.

Article listed on WP:VFD Jul 7 to Jul 15 2004, clear consensus was not reached but rough consensus was to keep. Discussion:

Mr. Douglas seems to be an unknown actor. The only reason he's in the news is because of his father. If he hadnt died, would he still deserve a page? saopaulo1

• Move and incorporate into the Kirk Douglas page. There should be a short section on progeny, as the Douglas family are part of Hollywood 'royalty'. At the moment the Kirk Douglas page is not much more than a stub + a list of films. --Martin TB 10:30, 7 Jul 2004 (UTC)
• I concur. Perhaps the Fairbanks and Barrymore families need their dynasties traced, too. Geogre 13:06, 7 Jul 2004 (UTC)
• Two sentences in his father's article is about all that's justified. -- Cyrius|✎ 15:04, 7 Jul 2004 (UTC)
• Well, two of William Randolph Hearst's sons have their own page because, as far as I can tell, he was their dad (and one of them was Patty's dad; what has SHE ever done of any import?!). Same with John D. Rockerfeller's son. That Mr. Douglas was not unlike that of any other celebrities' child who wasn't able to carve out a niche for himself is irrelevant; his death is news.
  • You are, of course, joking about Patty, our beloved revolutionary sweetheart. His death may be news, and it's good that it's noted, but Carol O'Connor's child, Hugh, also died, and he had been on television. Pretty near all the Rockefeller kids did significant things on their own, and their articles should note this. The same is generally true of the Hearsts. They had great wealth, usually positions of great power, and did things other than die. No one is saying the information shouldn't be in Wikipedia, just that it should be in the Douglas entry. Eric wasn't the only Douglas kid to have drug problems. Geogre 00:13, 8 Jul 2004 (UTC)
• I was gonna say delete, (which I almost never have said, actually), but I have to agree with all of you above. Eric, sad as his death was (as in any human death, anyways), was not notable. Now if we were talking about deleting a Michael Douglas article, that would DEFO be a KEEP. I say add the information to the Kirk Douglas page. Antonio undeletable Martin
• Keep. IMDb listing shows he is notable enough in his own right as an actor to deserve a listing -- at least as mush as some of the Star Trek: Voyager and Babylon 5 guest stars who have WP pages. Davodd 01:35, Jul 9, 2004 (UTC)
  • I agree. Keep. --Timbo 05:33, 12 Jul 2004 (UTC)
• Keep. But he did die, and that made news, and was notable enough for inclusion anyway had someone chosen to do so. He was an adult with his own career; merging with his father weakens and sends that article off-topic. Jgm 17:34, 12 Jul 2004 (UTC)

• Comment: Edits of the article improve it, but I maintain Merge & Redirect. I'm no fan of small articles on the extras in "Stargate SG-1," either. Geogre 17:49, 12 Jul 2004 (UTC)

Well, two of William Randolph Hearst's sons have their own page because, as far as I can tell, he was their dad (and one of them was Patty's dad; what has SHE ever done of any import?!). Same with John D. Rockerfeller's son.

That Mr. Douglas was not unlike that of any other celebrities' child who wasn't able to carve out a niche for himself is irrelevant; his death is news.

Probably keep, I have a feeling he will go on the List of Actors who Died of an Overdose Williamb 14:05, 9 Jul 2004 (UTC)

End discussion (last three comments moved from vfd main space)

I cribbed this anecdote from a TV forum. Can anyone confirm its veracity?

"What is the best heckle you've ever seen?

A: Clearly there is no ‘right’ answer to this, however top points must go to the audience at London’s Comedy Store when faced with a dire routine by the late Eric Douglas, son of Spartacus star Kirk and half brother of Michael.

According to an eye witness, comedian Mickey Hutton, (who mentioned the experience in a Sun newspaper article on 14 May 1999), Eric Douglas ‘lost it on stage’.

"I'm Kirk Douglas' son," Eric screamed in retaliation to the audience’s heckles. In response one audience member stood up and said: ‘No, I'm Kirk Douglas's son!", then another, and another until the whole audience where shouting: ‘No, I’m Kirk Douglas’s son!’. "

217.155.20.163 14:07, 7 April 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Not a confirmation but have also heard this anecdote related by Irish singer/songwriter Brian Houston on his live album 'Content not Volume' from about 1 minute before the track 'Woman out of You'. He didn't cite a source though :-D Nodrog75 (talk) 04:04, 3 January 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Great story, but I heard in Edinburgh (in the late 90s) that it happened at the Traverse during the Edinburgh fringe. So many people in Edinburgh told this anecdote as "eye witnesses" that unless it was staged every night the Traverse must have had elastic walls. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 90.197.60.99 (talk) 21:50, 18 January 2011 (UTC)[reply]