Kirk Douglas’ Widow Anne Buydens Turns 101 as Family Celebrates with Socially Distanced Procession
Kirk Douglas' widow, Anne Buydens, is celebrating her 101st birthday — and still seeing those she loves, albeit at a distance.
The philanthropist and producer celebrated her milestone birthday on Thursday and was greeted by several of her nearest and dearest including her grandson, Cameron Douglas.
Cameron, 41, participated in a sweet tribute to Anne by driving to her home and waiting in a car procession of guests who wished to give the centenarian a happy birthday.
"Here we are, coming to Anne’s 101st birthday," Cameron says in a video he shared on his Instagram Stories. "First birthday without Pappy. Now we’re going to stay with it as we go through this amazing procession."
He continues, "Now, we’ve been in line for about 20 or 30 minutes. I’d wait 20 or 30 hours to say happy birthday to Anne and here we go."
As he drives into Anne's driveway, he's greeted by several masked people lining the sidewalk who are also there to keep her company.
"Hello, hello, hello! We got some flowers for Anne," he says as someone steps forward to take the flowers and deliver them to Anne, who sits in a wheelchair under a tree next to her dog.
Cameron also shared a photo of Anne and his late grandfather, Kirk, on Instagram writing, "Happy Birthday Oma 🥂 Here’s to 101 years of Love, Light and Guidance! We Love you!"
Happy Birthday Oma 🥂 Here’s to 101 years of Love, Light and Guidance! We Love you!
A post shared by Cameron Douglas (@cameronmorrelldouglas) on Apr 23, 2020 at 4:50pm PDT
A post shared by Catherine Zeta-Jones (@catherinezetajones) on Apr 23, 2020 at 6:23pm PDT
Cameron's half-sister, Carys Douglas, also shared a tribute to Anne on her Instagram Stories, posting a black-and-white photo of Anne and Kirk smiling while enjoying a dip in a pool.
"Happy 101st birthday to my wonderful Oma!! Your beauty, intellect and grace is my inspiration," Carys, 17, wrote.
Carys' mother, Catherine Zeta-Jones, posted a tribute to Anne as well, writing on Instagram, "Happy Birthday to my extraordinary step mother in Law. Our Queen, our Oma. You personify everything that is good in a woman. I admire you and love you so very much. 101 years young today. 🥰🥰Anne Douglas thank you for everything that you have done for people in our world. ??."
This is Anne's first birthday without her husband, Kirk, whom she was married to for nearly 70 years before his death in February at the age of 103.
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Kirk first met Anne, who was a producer at the time, on the Paris set of 1953’s Act of Love when both were involved with other people — he was secretly engaged to actress Pier Angeli and she had married a Belgian friend for safety reasons during World War II.
In their 2017 book, Kirk and Anne: Letters of Love, Laughter and a Lifetime in Hollywood, the Spartacus star wrote that he was immediately drawn to the German-born Anne.
“This self-possessed beauty was very different from the women I had been involved with in Hollywood since Diana [his ex-wife] left me,” he wrote.
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Although it took time for the actor to break off his engagement to Angeli, he and Anne went on to marry in Las Vegas in 1954 after she threatened to leave him. Kirk admitted in Kirk and Anne that he realized he would be "lost without her."
The couple had two sons together, Eric and Peter, who joined Kirk’s two sons from his previous marriage — Joel and Michael.
Their secret to almost seven decades of wedded bliss? "We solve our disagreements with a kiss," Kirk told PEOPLE in 2015.
The two were never shy about expressing their love for one another. When Kirk accepted his honorary Oscar in 1996, he dedicated it to Anne.
"I see my four sons. They are proud of the old man. And I am proud, too," he said. "Proud to be a part of Hollywood for 50 years. But this is for my wife, Anne. I love you."
