Robert Redford, emblematic Hollywood icon and Oscar winning director, died at the age of 89 early on Tuesday morning in his home in the mountains of Utah. The prolific actor and director left an indelible mark in the cinematic universe with his performances on screen as well as behind the camera, along with his tireless dedication to independent cinema, that led to the establishment of the Sundance Film Festival.
His tousled blond hair, winning smile and extraordinary talent made him one of the most sought-after actors in the 1970’s and 1980’s. Redford starred in numerous critically acclaimed and commercially successful films including “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” (1969), “The Sting” (1973), “The way we were” (1973), “Three Days of the Condor (1975) and “All the President’s men” (1976) among others. In 1980 he won his first Oscar with the film “Ordinary People”, his first attempt in directing.
Robert Redford, right, and Dustin Hoffman portray Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein in the movie, “All the President’s Men.” (AP Photo/file)
Robert Redford 1965 (AP Photo)
Robert Redford, from left, his wife Lola, and director Sydney Pollack appear at the presentation of the film “Jeremiah Johnson” during the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France on May 7, 1972. (AP Photo/Jean-Jacques Levy, File)
Alongside his work as an actor and director, Redford was the pioneering force behind the Sundance Film Festival that takes place every year in Park City, Utah. Initially, the festival that platforms independent filmmakers was more of a gamble. “I thought maybe just the weirdness would make people come” Redford told the WSJ. Magazine in 2015. Despite his reservations, Redford managed to elevate independent filmmakers and establish the Sundance Film Festival as one of the most important film events in the US.
Born in Santa Monica on Aug. 18, 1936, Charles Robert Redford Jr. grew up between his father’s strict expectations and his mother’s unwavering support. A restless student at Van Nuys High, he earned a baseball scholarship to the University of Colorado but dropped out and spent time studying art in Europe. Moving to New York, he briefly attended Pratt Institute before training at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, where he began landing stage and television roles. His breakthrough came in 1963 with Neil Simon’s Broadway hit Barefoot in the Park, which he later reprised on film opposite Jane Fonda.
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