[Deathwatch] Eric Douglas, actor & celebrity son, 46

[Deathwatch Central <cdw@slick.org>]

Kirk Douglas' Youngest Son Found Dead in NY at 46
Tue Jul 6
By Ellen Wulfhorst

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Eric Douglas, 46, who was the youngest son of
actor Kirk Douglas and who struggled with longtime drug and alcohol
abuse, was found dead on Tuesday in a New York apartment, police said.

The body of the sometime actor and stand-up comic, who had numerous
brushes with the law, was discovered by a maid who had come to clean
the Manhattan apartment where he was staying, police said.

There were no signs of foul play, and the city medical examiner was
planning an autopsy to determine the cause of death, police said.

Douglas was found lying on the floor next to a sofa in the living room
of the one-bedroom apartment on East 29th Street, police said.

Douglas, who also was the half-brother of actor Michael Douglas,
appeared in a smattering of television shows and movies such as "Delta
Force 3" but was best known for his headline-making skirmishes with the
law.

He once was arrested after a tussle with an airline crew on a flight to
Newark, New Jersey, from Los Angeles, when he let his dog out of its
carrier and threw blankets at flight attendants.

He pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor drug charge after being arrested
signing for a package of crack and anti-depressants from an undercover
police officer dressed as a delivery man.

There was no comment from members of the Douglas family except for a
brief statement issued by their spokesman: "The family is very shocked
and saddened by this event. We hope you will respect their privacy at
this time."

Discussing his battles with drugs and alcohol, Douglas, who also
attended rehab programs, once told New York's Daily News he found it
difficult being part of such a well-known family.

"The pressures of being the youngest son in a famous family sometimes
got to me," he said. "I used to feel I had to compare myself to them."

Douglas once disclosed that his speech and gait had been affected by a
eight-day accidental drug-related coma in 1999.

Last year, he was tossed out of a North Carolina hotel after hotel
managers found him drunk in a room filled with trash. He told police he
was working as a stand-up comedian and participating in a
weight-reduction program.