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Also Known As: | Charles Robert Redford Jr. | Died: | |
Born: | August 18, 1936 | Cause of Death: | |
Birth Place: | Santa Monica, California, USA | Profession: | actor, director, producer |
Biography CLOSE THE FULL BIOGRAPHY
One of the most iconic actors of his generation, Robert Redford is perhaps best known for his role as the Sundance Kid in the film "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" (1969), the namesake for the now famous Sundance Film Festival which Redford helped found. Born in Santa Monica, California in 1936, Redford tried his hand at sketching and painting before discovering his love of acting. He found initial success on stage, making his Broadway debut in "Tall Story" in 1959. He would earn tremendous acclaim starring in the Broadway production of Neil Simon's "Barefoot in the Park" in 1963, by which point he was also pursuing roles on screen, appearing on TV series like "Maverick" (ABC, 1957-1962) and "Perry Mason" (CBS, 1957-1966). After appearing alongside Marlon Brando in "The Chase" 1965, Redford reprised his role in "Barefoot in the Park" (1967) for the movie adaptation, with Jane Fonda in the female lead. The movie was a hit and Redford quickly became a major star. He would go on to star in memorable films like "The Candidate" (1972), "Jeremiah Johnson" (1972), "The Way We Were" (1973), and "All the President's Men" (1976). In 1978, Redford's business partner Sterling Van Wagenen was inspired to...
One of the most iconic actors of his generation, Robert Redford is perhaps best known for his role as the Sundance Kid in the film "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" (1969), the namesake for the now famous Sundance Film Festival which Redford helped found. Born in Santa Monica, California in 1936, Redford tried his hand at sketching and painting before discovering his love of acting. He found initial success on stage, making his Broadway debut in "Tall Story" in 1959. He would earn tremendous acclaim starring in the Broadway production of Neil Simon's "Barefoot in the Park" in 1963, by which point he was also pursuing roles on screen, appearing on TV series like "Maverick" (ABC, 1957-1962) and "Perry Mason" (CBS, 1957-1966). After appearing alongside Marlon Brando in "The Chase" 1965, Redford reprised his role in "Barefoot in the Park" (1967) for the movie adaptation, with Jane Fonda in the female lead. The movie was a hit and Redford quickly became a major star. He would go on to star in memorable films like "The Candidate" (1972), "Jeremiah Johnson" (1972), "The Way We Were" (1973), and "All the President's Men" (1976). In 1978, Redford's business partner Sterling Van Wagenen was inspired to launch an independent film festival, leading to the pair collaborating on the Sundance Film Festival, which has since become one of the most relevant and respected film festivals in the world. Around this same time, Redford also took a keen interest in directing, stepping behind the camera to helm the acclaimed family drama "Ordinary People" (1980). His directorial efforts would remain successful with "A River Runs Through It" (1983), "Quiz Show" (1994), and the political drama "Lions for Lambs" (2007). He would remain a successful actor however, appearing in everything from the landmark, one-man film "All is Lost" (2013) to "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" (2014). In 2017, Redford re-teamed with one of his first major screen partners, co-starring with Jane Fonda in "Our Souls at Night." This was followed by what he claimed would be his farewell performance, starring in "The Old Man and the Gun" (2018) opposite Sissy Spacek.
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"Bob is a minimalist, he withholds, he never seduces his audience but makes them come to him."---film director Sydney Pollack to Los Angeles Times December 9, 1990
Redford on his transition from sports to art while in college: "It had to do with defining a lot of emotional stuff that was never formed right. For some people it's therapy. Maybe it is for all of us. For me it was anger and finding a place to put my disappointment and frustration with a lot of things. I was a mess. I was somewhat in trouble socially. I lost my (basketball) scholarship pretty quick after I discovered drinking. When I left (college) and got into art, that got me out ... finding my place in the world had a lot to do with acting."---Redford quoted in Los Angeles Times December 9, 1990
He received an honorary LHD from the University of Colorado (1987).
He was honored with the 1996 National Medal of Freedom from the National Endowment for the Arts.
"Hollywood is a formula industry. It's all about business and profit, and that's why they're always looking at a formula for guaranteed success. You can't make $100 million on a small black-and-white love story or anything that tells about our lives and the diversity out there."---Robert Redford quoted in USA Today, May 8, 1995
"It's become harder and harder each year to maintain our course, because of the overpowering force -- what I would call the more external factors -- like celebrity, fashion, and the media's obsessions with who is there and whether people are wearing black," Redford on Sundance indieWIRE January 26, 2001
"Everyone in Tinseltown is getting pinched, lifted and pulled. For many it's become a sick obsession. They lose some of their soul when they go under the knife and end up looking body snatched. People should preserve their time in history. I'm happy to make the best of what I've got."---Redford to US January 2002
"Celebrity is a big part of the American social system. I'm certainly grateful for what it's done for me, but I do think that celebrity is overdone in our society. I think it's got a dangerous side to it. I think that people should be paying a lot more attention to other issues, rather than who's the top 10 this or... who's the sexiest or the most beautiful."---Redford to NPR September 9, 2003
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