Iconic actor-turned-filmmaker and activist, Robert Redford, passes away at the age of 89.
Robert Redford, Oscar-Winning Actor and Founder of Sundance Institute, Passes Away at 89
Robert Redford, a legendary figure in Hollywood known for his iconic roles and environmental advocacy, passed away at his home in Utah on Tuesday. He was 89.
Born on August 18, 1936, in Santa Monica, California, Redford attended schools in west Los Angeles with children of notable Hollywood figures. His mother died in 1955, leaving him angry and disillusioned. After high school, he attended the University of Colorado on a baseball scholarship but soon dropped out.
In 1959, Dore Schary, MGM president, produced a Broadway play in which Redford had one of his first stage roles. His most successful Broadway appearance was as an uptight lawyer in 'Barefoot in the Park' in 1963.
Back in Los Angeles, Redford met Lola Van Wagenen, a Mormon student, and married her in 1958. The union produced four children, one of whom, Scott, died of sudden infant death syndrome at 2 1/2 months. The couple's marriage ended in divorce in 1985.
Redford was one of Hollywood's preferred leads for decades, whether in comedies, dramas, or thrillers. However, he demanded that his films carry cultural weight and explored dark and challenging material, taking risks that some might not associate with him. His biggest films as an actor include 'Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid' (1969), 'All the President's Men' (1976), 'Three Days of the Condor' (1975), and 'The Sting' (1973).
In 1981, Redford founded the Sundance Institute, a nonprofit dedicated to cultivating fresh cinematic voices. The Sundance Film Festival, which he took over in 1984, became a global showcase and freewheeling marketplace for American films made outside the Hollywood system.
Redford won an Academy Award for his first directorial effort, 'Ordinary People' (1980), about an upper-middle-class family's disintegration after a son's death. His advocacy for environmental causes was as notable as his film career.
In 2009, Redford married Sibylle Szaggars, a German artist he had met at the Sundance Institute. His son Jamie died of cancer of the bile ducts in 2020 at 58.
Redford's death was announced by Cindi Berger, the CEO of publicity firm Rogers & Cowan PMK, who stated that he died in his sleep but did not provide a specific cause. His legacy in Hollywood and environmental activism will undoubtedly be remembered for years to come.
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