Robert Duvall facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Robert Duvall
|
|
|---|---|
.jpg)
Duvall in 2007
|
|
| Born |
Robert Selden Duvall
January 5, 1931 San Diego, California, U.S.
|
| Education | Principia College (BA) Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre |
| Occupation |
|
| Years active | 1952–present |
|
Works
|
Full list |
| Spouse(s) |
Barbara Brent
(m. 1964; div. 1981)Gail Youngs
(m. 1982; div. 1986)Sharon Brophy
(m. 1991; div. 1995)Luciana Pedraza
(m. 2005) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Service/ |
.svg){kind=small} United States Army |
| Years of service | 1953–1954 |
| Rank |  Private first class |
| Awards |  National Defense Service Medal |
| Awards | Full list |
Robert Selden Duvall (born January 5, 1931) is a famous American actor. His career has lasted for more than 70 years. Many people think he is one of the best actors of all time. He has won many major awards, including an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, and four Golden Globe Awards.
Duvall started his career in the 1960s with small parts on television shows. His first big movie role was playing Boo Radley in the classic film To Kill a Mockingbird (1962). He became well-known for playing Tom Hagen in The Godfather (1972) and Lieutenant Colonel Kilgore in Apocalypse Now (1979).
He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for the movie Tender Mercies (1983). In that film, he played a country music singer trying to rebuild his life. Some of his other famous movies include Days of Thunder (1990), Sling Blade (1996), Open Range (2003), and The Judge (2014).
Contents
Early Life and School
Robert Duvall was born on January 5, 1931, in San Diego, California. His father, William Howard Duvall, was a Rear Admiral in the United States Navy. His mother, Mildred, was an amateur actress. Because his father was in the military, Robert grew up as a "Navy brat" and moved around, living for a time in Annapolis, Maryland.
His father hoped he would join the Naval Academy, but Robert said, "I was terrible at everything but acting." After the Korean War, he served in the United States Army for one year, from 1953 to 1954.
After leaving the army, Duvall moved to New York City to study acting. He attended the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre. Some of his classmates were Dustin Hoffman and Gene Hackman, who also became famous actors. To pay for his bills, he worked odd jobs, like sorting mail at a post office.
Acting Career
Getting Started in Theater and TV
Duvall began his acting career in theater. He performed in many plays during the 1950s at the Gateway Playhouse on Long Island, New York. One of his most important early roles was playing Eddie Carbone in the play A View from the Bridge.
In 1959, he started appearing on television. He was a guest star on many popular shows in the 1960s. These included The Twilight Zone, The Outer Limits, and The Fugitive.
Becoming a Movie Star
Duvall's first movie role was as the quiet and mysterious Boo Radley in To Kill a Mockingbird (1962). He also appeared with John Wayne in True Grit (1969) as the outlaw "Lucky" Ned Pepper.
In the 1970s, Duvall became a major star. He played the serious Major Frank Burns in the movie M*A*S*H (1970). His role as the family lawyer Tom Hagen in The Godfather (1972) earned him his first Academy Award nomination. He played the same role in The Godfather Part II (1974).
One of his most famous roles was Lieutenant Colonel Kilgore in Apocalypse Now (1979). His line, "I love the smell of napalm in the morning," is one of the most well-known in movie history. This role won him a Golden Globe Award.
Major Success in the 1980s
In 1983, Duvall won the Academy Award for Best Actor for Tender Mercies. He played Mac Sledge, a country singer who finds a second chance. Duvall did his own singing for the movie.
He also starred as a tough police officer in Colors (1988). In 1989, he played Captain Augustus "Gus" McCrae in the TV miniseries Lonesome Dove. He said this was his favorite role. He won a Golden Globe for his performance.
Later Career: 1990s to Today
Duvall continued to act in many popular films. He played a crew chief in Days of Thunder (1990) and a newspaper publisher in the Disney musical Newsies (1992). In 1997, he wrote, directed, and starred in The Apostle, earning another Oscar nomination for Best Actor.
His other movies from this time include Gone in 60 Seconds (2000), the western Open Range (2003), and the family comedy Kicking & Screaming (2005).
In 2014, he starred with Robert Downey Jr. in The Judge. His performance earned him another Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. At age 84, he was the oldest actor ever nominated for that award at the time. More recently, he appeared in the Netflix films Hustle and The Pale Blue Eye (2022).
Personal Life
Robert Duvall has been married four times. He met his fourth wife, Luciana Pedraza, in Argentina. They were both born on January 5, though Duvall is 41 years older. They have been together since 1997 and married in 2005. Duvall and Pedraza share a love for the Argentine tango and even have a tango studio.
In 2001, Duvall and his wife started the Robert Duvall Children's Fund. The charity helps families in Northern Argentina by improving homes, schools, and medical buildings.
Duvall's political views are often described as libertarian or conservative. He has supported different Republican candidates over the years but has also called himself an independent.
Awards and Honors
Robert Duvall has received many awards for his acting. He has been nominated for an Academy Award seven times and won once for Tender Mercies.
- Academy Award Nominations:
- The Godfather (1972)
- Apocalypse Now (1979)
- The Great Santini (1981)
- Tender Mercies (1983) - Won
- The Apostle (1997)
- A Civil Action (1998)
- The Judge (2014)
In 2005, President George W. Bush gave Duvall the National Medal of Arts, one of the highest honors for an artist in the United States. He also has a star on the St. Louis Walk of Fame.
See also
In Spanish: Robert Duvall para niños
