[5] When Buydens met Kirk Douglas in Paris in 1953,[7] he was divorced from his first wife, Diana Dill, with whom he had two sons, Michael and Joel.

[9] He offered her a job as his publicist, which she first refused, but eventually accepted, described by him later: "She finally agreed to work with me on a trial basis, making it clear our relationship would be strictly business".

In a statement released by the family, her stepson Michael Douglas paid tribute: Anne was more than a stepmother, and never "wicked."

[14] The two started the Douglas Foundation in 1964, which has since donated roughly 118 million USD to institutions such as the Children's Hospital Los Angeles and the Motion Picture & Television Fund (MPTF).

[9][15] They were also behind the establishment of Harry's Haven, an Alzheimer's disease unit named after Douglas's father at the MPTF Home in Woodland Hills.

[16] The couple was known for their efforts to rebuild playgrounds in the Los Angeles Unified School District, attending opening ceremonies in person.

[18][19] In recognition of her philanthropic deeds as a private citizen, Buydens received a Jefferson Award for Public Service in 2003.