Robert Redford (1936-2025)
The legendary actor Robert Redford has died. He was 89 years old. He is most famous for roles in films such as "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," "All the President's Men," and "The Sting." One of the most iconic movie stars of the 1970s, Redford bridged the gap between the Hollywood new wave and the mainstream film industry with ease. Over the ensuing decades, he also became an Oscar-winning director and producer. He also spearheaded the development of American independent cinema by co-founding the Sundance Film Festival, whose platform showcased films such as "Reservoir Dogs," "The Blair Witch Project," "Donnie Darko," "Fruitvale Station," and "Coda."
Born in 1936 as Charles Robert Redford, he grew up in Los Angeles, California. After being expelled from the University of Colorado, he took up a course in acting at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. Following a series of minor roles on television, in theatre, and in film, he began to gain recognition in the early 1960s. In 1962, he earned an Emmy nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his role in "The Voice of Charlie Pont," after which he secured a lead role in the original 1963 Broadway production of Neil Simon's renowned play "Barefoot in the Park." Redford's big break came in 1965, when he played a bisexual film star opposite Natalie Wood in "Inside Daisy Clover." For this performance, he received a Golden Globe nomination.
Fame came to Redford after a period of successful Hollywood films, including "The Chase" and the screen adaptation of "Barefoot in the Park." His career reached new heights with "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," the hugely popular 1969 outlaw western in which he starred alongside Paul Newman and Katherine Ross. It received seven Oscar nominations, though not for the actors. In the 1970s, he appeared in such films as "The Way We Were" with Barbara Streisand, "The Sting" again with Paul Newman, "Three Days of the Condor," "All the President's Men" with Dustin Hoffman, and "The Electric Horseman."
Following an extended hiatus from acting in the late 1970s, Redford launched his directing career with the ensemble drama "Ordinary People," based on the novel of the same name by Judith Guest. It performed well at the box office, winning four Oscars in 1981, including Best Picture and Best Director for Redford. It remained the only recognition he never received for his acting. In the 1980s and 1990s, he continued to enjoy success as an actor, although perhaps with less of the groundbreaking impact than he had in the 1970s. He appeared in "The Natural" and "Out of Africa" before resuming his directional career with "The Milagro Beanfield War" and "A River Runs Through It," both of which tackle rural America in different ways.
A year later, he reached a turning point of sorts with the erotic thriller "Indecent Proposal," a pure Hollywood venture in which his character, a businessman, offers a million dollars to sleep with Demi Moore's character. It reinstated Redford's status as a commercial presence. In the 1990s, he directed two films: "Quiz Show" and "The Horse Whisperer," for which he also starred.
During this period, the Sundance Film Festival, co-founded by Redford's production company in 1978 as the Utah/US Film Festival and renamed after Redford's Sundance Institute in 1984, emerged as a prominent showcase for American independent cinema. The festival promoted the work of renowned filmmakers such as Steven Soderbergh, Quentin Tarantino, Robert Rodriguez, and Kevin Smith. Its impact increased further in subsequent decades, establishing itself as a platform for promoting movies and helping them to achieve commercial success and awards recognition. Notable films showcased include "500 Days of Summer," "Napoleon Dynamite," "Whiplash," "Fruitvale Station," and "Coda."
While "Lions for Lambs," his 2007 film about the Afghan War, was a failure, Redford's 2013 survival-at-sea drama "All is Lost," in which he delivered an exceptional solo performance, was a notable improvement. In 2014, Redford signed up to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, playing the role of Alexander Pierce in "Captain America: The Winter Soldier." He played the same role in a cameo appearance in "Avengers: Endgame" in 2009. Redford cut back on his directorial work in the mid-2010s, relinquishing his role as steward of the Sundance Film Festival and confirming his retirement from acting. His last significant role was in the David Lowery-directed 2018 crime drama "The Old Man & The Gun."
Throughout his lifetime, Redford received numerous accolades, including an Honorary Oscar in 2002.
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