It's Kirk Douglas' year.

The 74-year-old movie tough guy was the recent recipient of the American Film Institute's 1991 Life Achievement Award, which the public can see Thursday when CBS airs "The AFI Tribute to Kirk Douglas."

Plus: The 1960 epic "Spartacus," which Douglas starred in and produced, was restored by the AFI and is in theaters across the country.

And: In March the Writers' Guild of America honored Douglas for breaking the Hollywood blacklist when he hired Dalton Trumbo, one of the "Hollywood 10," to write the screenplay for "Spartacus."

Not to forget: Douglas has a cameo in the just-released Sylvester Stallone comedy "Oscar."

On a more dramatic note: Douglas escaped death three months ago, suffering only a few broken bones and scratches, when a helicopter in which he was traveling collided with a small plane in Santa Paula.

Kirk Douglas has starred in more than 70 motion pictures during his 45-year film career and has received three best actor Oscar nominations. If Thursday's AFI special whets your appetite, consider watching some of these Douglas classics available on video:

He was a hot young Broadway actor when producer Hal Wallis cast Douglas in his first film, 1946's The Strange Love of Martha Ivers (public domain). Though Douglas later had a macho movie personae, in this enjoyable melodrama the actor plays the weak-willed, alcoholic husband of Barbara Stanwyck. Van Heflin co-stars as the bad guy.

Douglas gets to act tough as a gangster kingpin in the legendary 1947 \o7 film noir\f7 Out of the Past (RKO Pictures Home Video). Robert Mitchum stars as a former gangster who can't escape his past when his old boss (Douglas) and girlfriend (Jane Greer) involve him in murder. Beware the colorized versions.

Douglas received his first best actor Oscar nomination for 1949's riveting Champion (Republic Pictures Home Video). Douglas gives a remarkable performance as an ambitious, ruthless boxer who claws his way to the top.

In 1950's underrated Young Man With a Horn (Warner Brothers Home Video), Douglas is memorable as a brilliant trumpet player who becomes obsessed with hitting the perfect note. Inspired by the life of horn player Bix Beiderbecke, the drama features splendid supporting performances by Lauren Bacall (as the bad girl), Doris Day (the good girl), composer Hoagy Carmichael and Juano Hernandez (as his mentor).