Among the tributes flooding in for film superstar Kirk Douglas today, an old story has popped up again about one of the Hollywood icon's sons that has done the rounds for years on the comedy circuit.

According to the story Kirk Douglas' son Eric was doing a stand-up gig when he had to deal with persistent hecklers. Eventually he responded by saying something on the lines of "Do you know who I am? I'm Kirk Douglas' son." At which pont some wag in the audience piped up "I'm Kirk Douglas' son ." Another followed with the same heckle. And soon the whole room was paraphrasing the famous "I'm Spartacus" line from the classic swords-and-togas movie.

Beyond The Joke has heard this story over the years as happening at venues in America and Jongleurs and the Comedy Store in the UK. 

However, it is possible that the story is just an urban myth, though some people actually claim to have been at the gig when it happened and others say it is true.

According to various British comedians on social media it was originally told by Geordie scamp Mickey Hutton (pictured). Maybe, of course, the claim that Mickey Hutton coined the gag is a joke and it actually happened...