Douglas Admires Step-parents

MICHAEL DOUGLAS is full of praise for step-parents - because his mother’s second husband was like a “surrogate father” to the star as he grew up.

The Wall Street legend’s mother, Diana Dill, divorced the actor’s dad, Kirk Douglas, in 1951 and went on to marry Bill Darrid.

He became a strong father figure for Michael as a teenager - and the 66 year old is sure his mother’s newfound love renewed his belief in marriage.

Douglas tells Britain’s The Guardian, “I was really blessed that my mother remarried a great, great guy. Step-parents never get enough credit. You know, it’s always the wicked stepmother or stepfather but the truth is, there are so many more step-parents who have assumed the responsibility of raising kids that are not theirs and I was really lucky.

“He was my surrogate father from when I was 12 up until adulthood. Kirk would be the first one to acknowledge that. He was a great listener, which is a tough thing to find, and I got to watch a lovely marriage - so it reaffirmed and reassured me that marriages can work.”

Darrid died in 1992 and Dill went on to remarry in 2002.