Eric Douglas

Eric Douglas, the youngest son of Kirk Douglas and half-brother to Michael Douglas, was found dead in his New York City apartment on Tuesday. An autopsy is planned to determine the cause of death. 

The body of the 46-year-old sometime actor and, more recently, aspiring stand-up comic, who often had brushes with the law, was discovered by a housekeeper who had come to clean the Manhattan apartment where he was staying, police tell Reuters. 

Authorities said there were no signs of foul play. The once-lithe Douglas, who sported Dad's jutting chin but was said to have ballooned to 300 lbs., 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. 

The Douglas family was "very shocked and saddened" after learning of Eric's death, said Allen Burry, a family spokesman. "We hope you will respect their privacy at this time." Kirk Douglas, 87, is reportedly coming from California to New York for the funeral. 

Though he struggled to have an acting career (which was often stymied by his use of drugs and alcohol), Eric Douglas – the youngest of Kirk's four sons, with his second (and since 1954, current wife) Anne Buydens – received more attention for his run-ins with the law than for his work