American Financier, Investor, Industrialist and Philantropist. Kirk Kerkorian was a high-school dropout and onetime welterweight boxer who rose from working as a civilian transport pilot in World War II, to building a financial empire that included investments in the casinos, hotels, as well as Chrysler, Ford Motor Co. and General Motors. Kerkorian was a skilled aviator who flew dangerous missions delivering warplanes from Canada to Britain during World War II, who later opened a charter flight business serving gamblers wanting to get from Los Angeles to Las Vegas. He began buying property in Las Vegas in 1962 after selling his charter airline. Later on, he would go on to buy and sell airlines including Western Airlines, start his own airline, the failed luxury airline MGM Grand Air and launch an unsuccessful bid for Trans World Airlines. Three different times – in 1969, 1973 and 1993 – he built the world’s biggest hotel in Las Vegas and at one time, owned more than half the hotel rooms on the Las Vegas Strip. He was instrumental in turning Las Vegas into a family destination rather than a playground for adults. Kerkorian bought and sold MGM film studio three times, acquired the United Artists studio and tried to buy Columbia Pictures. His charitable work has included donating hundreds of millions of dollars in support of Armenia, providing medical and other supplies following a damaging 1988 earthquake and helped build homes and repair infrastructure. In 1988, he was declared an honorary citizen of Armenia by President Robert Kocharyan and in 2004, he was bestowed the title of National Hero of Armenia, the highest state award, by President Kocharyan. On February 14, 2011, Kerkorian donated $200 million to UCLA to create the Dream Fund at UCLA. (bio by: Louis M.)  Family links:  Parents:  Ahron Kerkorian (1887 – 1964)  Lily Kerkorian (1887 – 1964)  Sibling:  Rose Kerkorian Pechuls (1910 – 2012)*  Kirk Kerkorian (1917 – 2015) *Calculated relationship