Robert Redford is an accomplished actor and director. He launched the Sundance Film Festival and died unexpectedly on Tuesday morning at his home in Utah. He was 89 years old. It’s no doubt that Redford wows audiences with his magnetic charm on camera and behind the scenes. His artistic influence has made a significant impact on the evolution of the American film industry across the last six decades.
Legendary American actor, director, activist, and entrepreneur Charles Robert Redford Jr. was born on August 18, 1936, in Santa Monica, California. He was raised by his father Charles Robert Redford Sr. and his mother Martha Hart. His formative years in California influenced his artistic sensibilities and would be the launching pad for his storied career in showbiz.
In 1969, Redford starred in “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.” From there, the film magic just kept going, dazzling audiences and critics fast and furiously. The film went on to be a box office sensation, cementing his newfound image as a male star in Hollywood. Having enjoyed phenomenal success, he teamed again with Paul Newman and helmer George Roy Hill. Together, they adapted The Sting as a light-hearted caper that vaulted his reputation as a versatile actor yet again.
Later that year, Redford proved his range. He starred as an uncompromising downhill racer in “Downhill Racer” and as the lawman pursuing Robert Blake in “Tell Them Willie Boy Is Here.” His versatile talent allowed him to become one of the most bankable actors of his time.
Redford began directing as well, with his first film in that capacity coming in 1980. He gripped viewers with “Ordinary People,” a heart-wrenching drama that explored grief and familial discord. That film received a great deal of critical praise and won four Academy Awards in 1981, including Best Picture and Best Director for Robert Redford himself. He only won two Academy Awards over the course of his lifetime. In 2002, he was awarded an honorary prize as well and won three Golden Globe Awards.
Beyond his personal accomplishments as an actor and director, Redford started the Sundance Film Festival back in 1978. Since its inception, this festival became a cornerstone of the independent film community, giving emerging filmmakers a place to share their art with the world. As the years passed, it grew into an enormous society gathering and cultural phenomenon.
Redford’s lasting contributions to American cinema led him to receive an incredible number of awards. In 1994, he was awarded the Cecil B. DeMille Award for lifetime achievement, honoring his impact on the film industry. Additionally, in 2016, President Barack Obama awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his contributions to arts and culture.
Looking back on his career, Redford said he was proud of the career he had in film. He stated, “I just figure that I’ve had a long career that I’m very pleased with. It’s been so long, ever since I was 21. I figure now as I’m getting into my 80s, it’s maybe time to move toward retirement and spend more time with my wife and family.”
His final starring role came in the acclaimed 2018 film “The Old Man & the Gun,” directed by David Lowery. This tender character study was testimony to Redford’s still-potent talents and a reminder that few actors could connect with audiences like he could in his advanced career age.
Redford stated his retirement, in 2018, by speaking to the value of family time after a rich and rewarding career. His retirement from acting felt like the end of an era. His fans loved him not merely for his extraordinary performance, but for his commitment to story.
“As I look back on it, I feel very good about that.” – Robert Redford