Robert Redford
- Aug 17, 1936
- 4 min read
DOB: August 18, 1936 | Birthplace: Santa Monica, California | Profession: Actor
Unfortunately, Robert Redford has passed away.
Died: September 16, 2025 (Age 89 Years)
City: Sundance, Utah
Cause of Death: In his sleep (natural causes)
Resting Place: Not publicly disclosed
Obituary: Read More
Robert Redford was an American actor, director, and producer best known for his roles in films like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) and The Sting (1973), as well as his Oscar-winning directorial debut Ordinary People (1980). His charismatic screen presence, commitment to independent filmmaking through the Sundance Institute, and environmental activism made him a Hollywood legend and cultural icon.
Early Life
Robert Redford was born on August 18, 1936, in Santa Monica, California, to Martha Woodruff Redford (née Hart) and Charles Robert Redford Sr., an accountant. Of Irish, Scottish, and English ancestry, he grew up in Van Nuys, California, with a paternal half-brother, William. His family often visited Austin, Texas, fostering his love of nature. A "bad" student at Van Nuys High School, where he excelled in art and sports alongside classmate Don Drysdale, Redford overcame a mild case of polio at age 11. After graduating in 1954, he attended the University of Colorado Boulder on a baseball scholarship but was expelled due to heavy drinking. He traveled in Europe, studied painting at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, and took acting classes at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, graduating in 1959.
Career Beginnings
Robert Redford began his career in New York City with stage and television work. His Broadway debut was a small role in Tall Story (1959), followed by The Highest Tree (1959), Sunday in New York (1961), and his breakthrough in Neil Simon's Barefoot in the Park (1963). On television, he guest-starred in over 60 episodes starting in 1960, including The Twilight Zone, Perry Mason, The Untouchables, and Alfred Hitchcock Presents. He earned an Emmy nomination for The Voice of Charlie Pont (1962). His film debut was in War Hunt (1962), and he won a Golden Globe for New Star of the Year for Inside Daisy Clover (1965).
Breakthrough with Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
In 1969, Robert Redford starred as the Sundance Kid opposite Paul Newman in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, a massive hit that grossed over $100 million and made him a bankable star. The role, blending charm and anti-heroism, followed his success in the film adaptation of Barefoot in the Park (1967) with Jane Fonda. This period solidified his image as an intelligent, sardonic leading man, earning him widespread acclaim and leading to further collaborations with Newman in The Sting (1973), which won him his only acting Oscar nomination.
Film and Television Roles
Beyond his breakthroughs, Redford starred in classics like Jeremiah Johnson (1972), The Way We Were (1973) with Barbra Streisand, The Great Gatsby (1974), All the President's Men (1976) as Bob Woodward, Out of Africa (1985), and The Natural (1984). As a director, he helmed The Milagro Beanfield War (1988), A River Runs Through It (1992), Quiz Show (1994), The Horse Whisperer (1998), and The Legend of Bagger Vance (2000). Later roles included Sneakers(1992), All Is Lost (2013), Our Souls at Night (2017) with Jane Fonda, and The Old Man & the Gun (2018). He played Alexander Pierce in Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) and Avengers: Endgame (2019), his final on-screen appearance. Redford also produced numerous films and founded the Sundance Film Festival in 1981 to support independent cinema.
Personal Life
Robert Redford married historian Lola Van Wagenen in 1958; they had four children: Scott (who died in infancy in 1959), Shauna (born 1960), David "Jamie" (1962–2020), and Amy (born 1970). The couple divorced in 1985. In 2009, he married German painter Sibylle Szaggars. Redford was known for his privacy, love of nature, and residences in Utah, where he developed the Sundance Resort. He battled health issues in later years, including hip surgeries, but remained active in environmental causes.
Top 10 Films/TV Shows
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) — The Sundance Kid
The Sting (1973) — Johnny Hooker
All the President's Men (1976) — Bob Woodward
Ordinary People (1980) — Director
The Natural (1984) — Roy Hobbs
Out of Africa (1985) — Denys Finch Hatton
A River Runs Through It (1992) — Director/Narrator
Quiz Show (1994) — Director
Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) — Alexander Pierce
The Old Man & the Gun (2018) — Forrest Tucker
Honors and Recognitions
Robert Redford won an Academy Award for Best Director for Ordinary People (1980) and received an Honorary Oscar for Lifetime Achievement in 2002. He was nominated for Best Actor for The Sting (1973) and Best Picture/Best Director for Quiz Show (1994). Other accolades include the Presidential Medal of Freedom (2016), Kennedy Center Honors (2005), Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award (1996), and Screen Actors Guild Lifetime Achievement Award (1996). He was inducted into the California Hall of Fame and recognized for his environmental work and support of independent film.
Conclusion
Robert Redford’s iconic roles in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and his directorial triumph with Ordinary Peopleremain defining moments in cinema. With a career spanning acting, directing, producing, and founding the Sundance Institute, he championed independent film and environmental causes, leaving a profound legacy as a versatile artist and advocate.
About the Author
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