His death was announced by his son Michael Douglas.
The star appeared in more than 70 films and was nominated for three Oscars.
In a statement to People magazine, Michael Douglas said: ‘It is with tremendous sadness that my brothers and I announce that Kirk Douglas left us today at the age of 103.
‘To the world, he was a legend, an actor from the golden age of movies who lived well into his golden years, a humanitarian whose commitment to justice and the causes he believed in set a standard for all of us to aspire to.
‘But to me and my brothers Joel and Peter he was simply Dad, to Catherine, a wonderful father-in-law, to his grandchildren and great grandchild their loving grandfather, and to his wife Anne, a wonderful husband.’
Douglas added his father had had a ‘life well lived.’
Kirk Douglas is survived by his wife of 65 years Anne.