Hollywood star Michael Douglas is to be honored with the American Film Institute (AFI)'s lifetime achievement award next summer - 18 years after his actor father Kirk Douglas was presented with the same accolade.

The Traffic star will pick up the prize for his work as a producer at a ceremony in Los Angeles in June - and he is delighted to be following in his father's footprints. Douglas Sr. received the honor in 1991. Michael says, "I am honored and overwhelmed to be included in such a prestigious group of film-makers. I am particularly moved to be following my father 18 years later."

The 64-year-old is best known for his work behind the camera for 1975's One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, which starred Jack Nicholson. The film went on to win five Academy Awards the following year, with producer Douglas picking up the Oscar for Best Picture.

And AFI chairman Howard Stringer insists Douglas is the "rightful heir to the throne of the royal family of American film". He adds, "Though he is most beloved as one of the great leading men of the movies, Michael is also a most accomplished film producer and, ultimately, an artist whose films have been elevated in the pantheon of American film."

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(This news article provided by World Entertainment News Network)