Hollywood legend Robert Redford dies at 89
What's the story
Hollywood icon Robert Redford, known for his roles in The Way We Were and Barefoot in the Park, has passed away at 89. The news was confirmed by Rogers & Cowan PMK CEO Cindi Berger to the New York Times. The two-time Oscar winner died in his sleep at his Utah home on Tuesday. No further details about the cause of death have been disclosed yet.
Career highlights
Career spanned over 6 decades
Born Charles Robert Redford Jr. on August 18, 1936, the actor-director's career spanned over six decades. He won five Golden Globes, a Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award, Kennedy Center Honors, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. His most memorable performances include Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969), The Sting (1973), All the President's Men (1976), The Natural (1984), and Out of Africa (1985).
Early years
Early life and career struggles
Redford grew up in Southern California, excelling in sports like football and tennis. His father was an oil company accountant, while his mother loved literature and the arts. Despite his early successes, Redford faced many career setbacks. He once told Success magazine he was "a failure at everything" as a teenager, getting fired from jobs at a supermarket and Standard Oil before graduating high school in 1954.
Career progression
His move to Europe and training
After his mother's death in 1955, Redford moved to Europe, focusing on painting and storytelling. He returned to the US for formal training at the Pratt Institute and American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City. His Broadway debut came in 1959 with Tall Story, followed by a starring role in Neil Simon's Barefoot in the Park (1963). He reprised this role in the 1967 film adaptation with Jane Fonda.
Film career
Memorable roles and co-stars
Redford made his film debut in the 1962 film War Hunt. He and Fonda also appeared together in The Chase (1966) and The Electric Horseman (1979). Over the years, he shared screen space with several stars like Barbra Streisand, Faye Dunaway, Meryl Streep, Michelle Pfeiffer, Debra Winger, and Natalie Wood. One of his most famous collaborations was with Streisand in The Way We Were (1973).
Later years
Directing, activism, and other achievements
Redford ventured into directing with Ordinary People (1980), a family drama that won four Oscars, including Best Director and Best Picture. He continued to act in films like Indecent Proposal (1993) and Up Close & Personal (1996). His final acting role was in The Old Man & The Gun (2018). Beyond acting, he founded the Sundance Institute and became a prominent environmental activist, joining the Natural Resources Defense Council as a trustee in 1975.