The New York State Assembly passed a resolution today honoring the life of Kirk Douglas.

Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara introduced a resolution which honors Amsterdam native Kirk Douglas, who passed away on Feb. 5 at the age of 103.

“Kirk Douglas was a larger-than-life figure whose films and philanthropy touched the lives of millions of people all across the world, but he never forgot where he came from,” said Santabarbara who represents the City of Amsterdam where Douglas was born. “His success was a source of pride for generations of local residents and, as the son of immigrants, his story is a realization of the American dream. This resolution is but a small token of appreciation for all that he did for our communities, and I extend my heartfelt condolences to the Douglas family during this difficult time.”

Kirk Douglas, who was born Issur Danielovitch to Jewish immigrants in Amsterdam, rose from humble beginnings to become an award-winning actor and one of Hollywood’s most beloved icons. Best known for his roles as a rebellious Roman slave in “Spartacus” or as Vincent Van Gogh in “Lust for Life,” Douglas starred in more than 90 films and is regarded as one of the greatest actors of the 20th century. Santabarbara recently joined the Amsterdam community to dedicate a historical marker at Douglas’s childhood home on Eagle Street in Amsterdam, which still stands today. It reads, “KIRK DOUGLAS, Film legend born December 9th, 1916 to immigrant parents living at 46 Eagle Street rose from poverty to appear in over 90 films in Hollywood.”