Hollywood has lost a true legend with the passing of Robert Redford. The Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid star passed away on September 16, 2025. He was 89 years of age. While he may be gone in body, his eclectic portfolio of exceptional work will see to it that he will never be forgotten, a true sign of a cinematic legend.
For over six decades, Redford enthralled audiences with his signature golden good looks and effortlessly slick charm. He exuded a rare combination of artistic integrity and commercial appeal that defined an era of American cinema. It’s hard to believe the journey is over for this kid from Santa Monica who became one of Hollywood’s most adored and coveted actors, directors, and champions of independent cinema. However, there was much more to this man than his thespian skills. So, in honor of his name, let’s explore his life and legendary career.
The Early Days of Robert Redford
Robert Redford was born on August 18, 1936 in Santa Monica, California. Born with the Christian name Charles, it would be later in life that he would become known as Robert. He has English, Scottish, and Irish ancestry. Redford’s family moved to Van Nuys while he was growing up, and he attended Van Nuys High School, where he was a so-so student but excelled at baseball, sharing a class with famed baseball pitcher Don Drysdale.
After high school, Redford attended the University of Colorado on a baseball scholarship. However, he lost it due to his drinking habits. When speaking with the Wilmington Morning Star, he explained: “I wasn’t ready to be a student. CU was definitely known as a party school. The temptations were great.” Following his expulsion from college, Redford traveled to Europe to study art before eventually finding his calling and enrolling at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. From here, his climb to fame was slow but efficient, working his way from stage productions to small roles in movies. His first stint in front of the camera came from an uncredited role as a basketball player in the 1960 romantic comedy movie, Tall Story. But he was only just getting started.
From Heartthrob to A-List Oscar Glory
With his striking blue eyes, captivating smile, bleached hair, and friendly surfer-boy image, it would have been easy for Robert Redford to fall into pretty boy territory. While he was initially seen as the next big heart-throbbing talent following his breakthrough in 1967’s Barefoot in the Park, he soon proved his range was deep enough to escape the boy-next-door image. A mere two years later, he truly announced his arrival as a leading man with Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, a motion picture that swept at the Oscars, taking home four shiny gold statues. Sharing the silver screen with Paul Newman, Redford brought a playful yet grounded energy to the Sundance Kid that perfectly balanced Newman’s more charismatic Butch. And the Newman-Redford partnership didn’t end there.
After proving to be Hollywood gold, their reunion in 1973’s The Sting solidified both their friendship and their box office power. This classic crime flick allowed Redford to showcase his comedic timing and natural ease with complex plotting, as he played the young grifter Johnny Hooker with the perfect mix of cockiness and vulnerability. This role earned Redford his first Oscar nomination.
But it was perhaps 1976’s All the President’s Men that truly established Redford as more than just a movie star. Now, he was becoming regarded as a serious artist. Playing Washington Post reporter Bob Woodward, Redford brought an intensity and dedication to the role that mirrored his real-life commitment to the project, acquiring the rights to the book after becoming fascinated with the Watergate scandal. In turn, this movie marked the beginning of Redford’s ascension from an actor to a filmmaker with a unique and uncompromising vision.
Robert Redford Was Much More Than a Terrific Actor
Robert Redford’s evolution culminated in 1980 when he stepped behind the camera for the very first time to direct Ordinary People. Despite being one of Hollywood’s biggest A-List stars, he passed the baton to Donald Sutherland to forefront the film. The intimate family drama about grief and dysfunction was a bold choice for a directorial debut, and Redford’s sensitive handling of the material earned him the Academy Award for Best Director in 1981. Redford was not simply a lucky attractive face; he was a true artist who knew both sides of the camera, and this moment confirmed what many had assumed. His smooth transition from heartthrob to Hollywood heavyweight was cemented by the victory, which paved the way for a multi-decade career that would impact future generations of filmmakers.
Redford went on to direct eight more motion pictures, earning him another Best Director nomination for Quiz Show in 1995. His final movie role came in 2019 when he came out of retirement to join the star-studded ensemble of Avengers: Endgame. However, he also provided voice work for the comedy film Omniboat: A Fast Boat Fantasia, which premiered at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival but is yet to land a theatrical release.
Yet perhaps Redford’s most enduring legacy lies not in any single performance or film, but in the Sundance Film Festival he founded in 1981. What began as a small gathering in the mountains of Utah grew into the world’s premier showcase for independent cinema, launching countless careers and forever changing how Hollywood discovers new talent. He did more than just make films with Sundance; he gave artistic voices a platform that they might not have otherwise had. By doing this, he made sure that his impact on the film industry would go well beyond his own outstanding career, solidifying his status as a great director and actor as well as a genuine defender of the medium. But most touching of all, Redford passed away in Sundance, the birthplace of one of his true loves and passions of life.
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