Movie stars have been dropping like flies as of late, and you have probably noticed that it is a rare occurrence when I write about them.
Well, Robert Redford just passed, and he is someone that I just felt the need to cover.
He was 89 years old.
Redford reportedly passed away at his home in Utah. No cause of death was given, but his representative stated that he had died in “the place he loved surrounded by those he loved.”
It reminded me of a quote from Redford about his life and career, stating, "I've been able to carve out spaces for myself. At Sundance, I'm in the mountains -- my property is private. I get on a horse and ride for three, four hours. Sometimes five. I get lost. But when I'm in, I'm in."
He was a one-of-a-kind star who demanded that his movies have meaning, not just a dumbed-down script for entertainment purposes.
It was likely for this reason that the star moved into the producer and director roles later in his career.
Redford got his first break in 1960, and through 1964, he was paying the bills with TV show appearances.
In 1965, he finally hit the big screen, but it was not until his role in 1969, opposite Paul Newman in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid that he became a true Hollywood star.
One of my favorite all-time movies of his was The Candidate, which hit the big screen in 1972, and I have referenced this movie many times when talking about how I thought the conversation between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton went after the latter's loss in 2016.
In the movie, his character, Bill McKay, pulls off the upset win, then he sits and has only one question: “What now?”
From that point forward, his career rolled with hit after hit.
He and Newman teamed up again in The Sting, another classic movie, but this was also the time that Redford wanted his movies to serve a greater purpose.
The result of which were some of the most iconic movies of the era, such as All the President’s Men, Three Days of the Condor, and Lions for Lambs.
Actor, producer, and director… he could do it all, and it will be tough to ever see another one like him. Rest in peace, sir, and thank you for all the fond memories.
