MONTREAL - Oscar-winning actor Michael Douglas gave something back to the Montreal hospital that first detected his throat cancer -- a disease several American doctors had missed.

Douglas headlined a posh fundraiser Tuesday in Montreal, where he rubbed elbows with well-heeled guests and posed for countless photos.

In a speech, he recalled the moment last August when Dr. Saul Frenkiel of Montreal's Jewish General Hospital found a tumour in his throat.

"He came up really close to me and (said) 'Open your mouth,' and put a tongue depressor on my tongue," Douglas said in an eight-minute address.

"I looked in his eyes and I knew what I had, and it was sort of a surprised look on his face because I don't think he expected it.

"Then he said, 'Well, we'll need a biopsy.' And I said, 'Biopsy? Of what?' "

A couple of days later, Frenkiel phoned Douglas and told him he had cancer.

Only weeks earlier, Douglas had sought treatment from several doctors elsewhere for his constantly sore throat, but they had all given him a clean bill of health.

After Frenkiel's discovery, the actor went back to the United States for more treatment and found out the cancer was at an advanced stage -- Stage 4.

"I know you can't punch out your internist, but there was a definite feeling of doing that," he said of the person who is now his ex-doctor.

"I began the whole process in New York, . . . the radiation and the chemo.

"And so far things are good."

To show his gratitude, Douglas, who owns a farm north of Montreal, offered to help raise money for the McGill University-affiliated hospital.

So the hospital signed him up as the honoured invitee for the $375-a-head gala at a downtown hotel, an event that lasted for more than four hours.

Guests who wanted more time with Douglas shelled out $750 for the VIP tickets, giving them access to his pre-event, meet-and-greet cocktail.

The money raised will fund McGill University's head and neck cancer fund.

Douglas, who underwent successful treatments to treat the walnut-sized tumour, looked healthy Tuesday, but he also seemed to tire easily.

During the evening, he took a couple of breaks from the event by leaving the bustle of the party to rest in a quieter room.

But while he was on the floor, Douglas appeared energized as he shook hands and chatted with guests.

At one point, a swarm of ogling, starstruck guests followed Douglas around the hotel's reception area, snapping photos and taking video clips of the actor.

Douglas' appearance also left an impression on a lead organizer of the event: Frenkiel, his Montreal doctor.

Early in the evening, Frenkiel, co-chair of the 17th annual edition of the fundraiser, said the charity had already amassed more than $1 million. He hoped to reach $2 million by the end of the night.

"For us, it's a once-in-a-lifetime event to have Michael Douglas, an internationally known celebrity," said the head and neck surgeon.

"To have him here in flesh and blood is a true honour."

Douglas returned the kind words to Frenkiel.

"I'm deeply, deeply grateful to Saul and I did tell him . . . 'Look, anything I can do to help, I'd be glad to,' " he said.

The doctor was thrilled when Douglas volunteered to lend his star power to the event.

"It was his genuine offer as a down to earth individual," he said.

"It says tons about what he is all about."

Douglas and his actress wife, Catherine Zeta-Jones, even put themselves up for auction. The biggest item in the live auction was a golf outing with the couple north of Montreal -- a package that fetched $180,000.

The actor, who announced in January that his tumour was gone, is scheduled to begin shooting the film "Liberace" this spring.

Zeta-Jones, 41, who recently announced she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, did not attend the event.