Long before they became Hollywood legends, the late Robert Duvall, Dustin Hoffman and Gene Hackman were just young actors studying their craft in New York City.
After a brief stint in the Army, Duvall moved to New York to pursue acting, supporting himself as a postal clerk while taking classes. Among his classmates were Hoffman and Hackman—two future Oscar winners who would remain lifelong friends. “A friend is someone who many years ago offered you his last $300 when you broke your pelvis,” Duvall once recalled per BBC. “A friend is Gene Hackman.”
At the time, none of them looked like obvious movie stars. As Vanity Fair previously reported, the trio were part of the thousands of struggling actors bouncing between rejection and hope in the 1950s and ’60s. Hackman, a former Marine, and Hoffman, then a 19-year-old outsider at the Pasadena Playhouse, bonded as fellow misfits before eventually heading east. All three would go on to become character actors who somehow rose to Hollywood’s A-list.
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That early chapter proved formative for Duvall, who went on to build one of the most respected careers in American film. Born in 1931 in San Diego and raised in a military family, he ultimately chose the stage over the Navy path expected of him. His breakout film role came in 1962’s To Kill a Mockingbird, where he played Boo Radley. He earned his first Academy Award nomination for portraying Tom Hagen in The Godfather and reprised the role in The Godfather Part II. Duvall received seven Oscar nominations and won Best Actor in 1983 for Tender Mercies.
Duvall died at the age of 95 on Sunday, February 15. His wife, Luciana Duvall, confirmed the news in a Facebook post, writing, “Yesterday, we said goodbye to my beloved husband, cherished friend, and one of the greatest actors of our time. Bob passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by love and comfort.” A cause of death has not yet been announced.
“To the world, he was an Academy Award-winning actor, a director, a storyteller. To me, he was simply everything. His passion for his craft was matched only by his deep love for characters, a great meal, and holding court. For each of his many roles, Bob gave everything to his characters and to the truth of the human spirit they represented. In doing so, he leaves something lasting and unforgettable to us all,” Duvall recalled.
This story was originally published by Parade on Feb 17, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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