Written By: Ben Cosgrove
The lives of celebrities are different than ordinary lives in many ways, but never do they look more like the rest of us than when they are in the thrall of their children. Here, LIFE.com celebrates fatherhood as practiced by the rich and famous—mostly actors, with the occasional president thrown in. In a few cases (Kirk Douglas, Tony Curtis and Donald Sutherland, for example) the children of these notable figures, also pictured here, achieved their own renown in later life.
Liz Ronk edited this gallery for LIFE.com. Follow her on Twitter @lizabethronk.
Rita Hayworth with husband Orson Wells and daughter Rebecca, 1946
Peter Stackpole (LIFE Picture Collection)
Kirk Douglas with son Michael, 1949
Lisa Larsen/Life Pictures/Shutterstock
Humphrey Bogart and son Stephen in 1952
J.R. Eyerman /Life Pictures/Shutterstock
Charlton Heston lifted his two-month-old son, Fraser, who was portraying the baby Moses during filming of The Ten Commandments in 1955.
George Silk/Life Pictures/Shutterstock
Senator John F. Kennedy played peek-a-boo with daughter Caroline in 1958.
Ed Clark/ Life Pictures/Shutterstock
Desi Arnaz with son Desi Jr. and TV son Richard Keith at a Dodgers game in 1958.
Leonard McCombe/Life Pictures/Shutterstock
Dean Martin with his son, Ricci, at home in 1958.
Allan Grant/Life Pictures/Shutterstock
Vice President Richard Nixon and daughter Julie at a ballgame, 1958.
Hank Walker Time & Life Pictures/Shutterstock
Tony Curtis and daughter Jamie Lee Curtis in 1959
Allan Grant/Life Pictures/Shutterstock
Richard Burton and his future stepdaughter, Liza (Liz Taylor and Mike Todd’s daughter), in 1962.
Paul Schutzer/Life Pictures/Shutterstock
Steve McQueen kissed his daughter Terry goodnight in 1963.
John Dominis/Life Pictures/Shutterstock
Sammy Davis Jr. with his son Mark in 1964.
Leonard McCombe/Life Pictures/Shutterstock
Dustin Hoffman with his daughter Karina, 1969.
John Dominis/Life Pictures/Shutterstock
Jack Nicholson played with his daughter, Jennifer, on the deck of his home overlooking Franklin Canyon, Los Angeles, 1969.
Arthur Schatz/Life Pictures/Shutterstock
Donald Sutherland with his son, Kiefer, in 1970.
Co Rentmeester/Life Pictures/Shutterstock
Robert Redford and his son, David, in Utah in 1970.
John Dominis/Life Pictures/Shutterstock
