Biography
One of the most iconic actors of his generation, Robert Redford was 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. Redford went on to narrate "Buttons, A New Musical Film" (2018), had a role in "Avengers: Endgame" (2019) and used his voice again as Lokia the Dolphin Monster in "Omniboat: A Fast Boat Fantasia" and as the narrator in the performance piece, "The Way of the Rain - Hope for Earth" (2024). Robert Redford died on September 16, 2025 at the age of 89.
