No need to put this ace in a hole

NEWPORT BEACH — Kirk Douglas came to Barnes and Noble at Fashion Island Thursday evening to sign copies of his life story, but the 90-year-old actor hardly looked like a relic. In fact, he had a hot new movie out — or, at least, a hot old one.

A few weeks ago, Douglas’ 1951 classic “Ace in the Hole,” the tale of a bloodthirsty reporter who exploits a real-life tragedy to further his own career, hit DVD for the first time. The movie had been hailed as a lost treasure for years, but by the time the actor sat down at Barnes and Noble to autograph copies of “Let’s Face It: 90 Years of Living, Loving and Learning,” it had a whole new audience.

“Mr. Douglas, could you put ‘Ace in the Hole’?” Max Fraley of Costa Mesa asked upon offering his book.

“‘Ace in the Hole’?” Douglas replied, his voice wizened with age but still rich and deep. “I love that movie.”

A few of the hundreds of people who crowded the bottom floor of Barnes and Noble were old film buffs, but the line encompassed all generations. Douglas, clad in a dark gray dress shirt and brown slacks, began signing books at 7 p.m. as the line stretched nearly to the entrance.

Drew Adams, the store’s Community Relations manager, said the Barnes and Noble at Fashion Island usually has one book signing a month. The turnout Thursday, he said, was one of the largest in a long time.

A Hollywood star since the 1940s, Douglas has also been a prolific author in recent years, penning the autobiography “The Ragman’s Son” as well as “My Stroke of Luck,” a memoir about his recovery from a stroke. “Let’s Face It,” in which he reflects on his life and career and a number of political issues, came out in March.

Meg Dondero, who stopped by Fashion Island while on vacation from the Sierras, had Douglas sign an additional copy of the book for a family member.

“This is for my dad, who’s turning 90 in February,” she told Douglas.

“He’s trying to catch up to me,” the actor said.