Robert Duvall (1931-2026)
The legendary actor Robert Duvall has passed away. He was 95. Robert is best known for his iconic roles in films such as the first two "Godfather" movies, "The Conversation," "Network," "Apocalypse Now," and "The Natural," spanning a seven-decade career. His wife, Luciana, confirmed the news of his death on his Facebook account. In a poignant message, she spoke of him not only as an Oscar-winning actor and director, but also as her "beloved husband" and dearest friend. Duvall died with dignity and grace, surrounded by love and comfort in his final moments, just as he had lived his life.
A native of San Diego, Duvall was raised in Annapolis, Maryland. His acting career began at Principia College and continued at New York's renowned Neighbourhood Playhouse, where he trained with fellow up-and-coming actors Dustin Hoffman, James Caan, and Gene Hackman. During that time, Duvall earned a living by doing odd jobs around New York, sharing a room with Hoffman and Hackman. He performed in several Broadway and off-Broadway productions, including Arthur Miller's "The Crucible" and "A View from the Bridge," and guest-starred on several popular TV shows, including "The Twilight Zone."
He burst onto the screen in 1962, playing Boo Radley in "To Kill a Mockingbird." His reputation grew with additional small roles in "Bullitt" and "True Grit," and it wasn't until he played the egotistical Frank Burns in "M*A*S*H," a character often mocked by Donald Sutherland's Hawkeye and Elliot Gould's Trapper, that he gained wider recognition. After appearing in Francis Ford Coppola's feminist road movie "The Rain People," Duvall further established his connection with the new wave of Hollywood filmmakers by taking the lead role in George Lucas's 1971 directorial debut, the dystopian science fiction feature "THX 1138." Cinematic immortality beckoned when he played the calmly collected Corleone family attorney Tom Hagen in "The Godfather," landing him his first Oscar nomination. He subsequently returned to the role in Coppola's well-received sequel, "The Godfather: Part II." However, years later, he did not return for the third "Godfather" film because Robert couldn't reach an agreement with Paramount Pictures over his salary.
In 1979, Duvall took on the role initially intended for Gene Hackman as Lt. Col Kilgore, a surly, larger-than-life surfing enthusiast, in Coppola's epic Vietnam War film "Apocalypse Now," immortalising the line, "I love the smell of napalm in the morning," delivered under the brim of a black Stetson cavalry hat. Duvall's career continued to flourish as he appeared in a variety of notable films, including the Second World War thriller "The Eagle Has Landed," the newsroom satire "Network," and the sports drama "The Natural." He established himself as a director in 1983 with the semi-improvised drama "Angelo My Love," which tells the story of a Romany street kid in New York.
In 1984, Robert won an Oscar for Best Actor for his performance as a former country music singer in the critically acclaimed 1983 film "Tender Mercies." He also played a grizzled Los Angeles Police Department veteran in "Colors" opposite Sean Penn. Duvall maintained a steady workload throughout the 1990s, with high-profile appearances in films such as "Days of Thunder," "The Handmaid's Tale," "The Paper," "Falling Down," "Phenomenon," and "Deep Impact." In 1998, he earned his sixth Oscar nomination for his role as a corporate lawyer opposite John Travolta in the drama "A Civil Action." During the same decade, Duvall also embarked on one of his pet projects: the layered drama "The Apostle," which he directed, wrote, and self-financed for $5 million. His performance as a passionate preacher seeking spiritual redemption in the Louisiana bayous earned him critical acclaim and a third Oscar nomination for Best Actor.
In recent years, Duvall's filmography has grown to include roles as gruff cops, wise mentors, and stoic figures in films such as "Gone in 60 Seconds," "John Q," "Secondhand Lions," "Open Range," "We Own the Night," and "Crazy Heart" with Jeff Bridges. He offered memorable performances as the Confederate general Robert E. Lee in "Gods and Generals," a bearded hermit in the post-Depression drama "Get Low," an ageing family patriarch alongside Robert Downey Jr. in "The Judge," and a bigoted political mastermind in Steve McQueen's "Widows." For his role in "The Judge," Duvall received yet another Oscar nomination. He also directed two more films: "Assassination Tango" and "Wild Horses."
No comments:
Post a Comment