History of Robert Redford in Timeline
Robert Redford is a highly acclaimed American actor and filmmaker. Throughout his career, he has earned prestigious awards, including an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, and two Golden Globe Awards. Redford's contributions have been further recognized with accolades such as the Cecil B. DeMille Award, the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award, an Academy Honorary Award, Kennedy Center Honors, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and an Honorary César. His influence extends beyond acting, as recognized by Time magazine, which named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2014.
August 9, 1958: Marriage to Lola Van Wagenen
On August 9, 1958, Robert Redford married Lola Van Wagenen in Las Vegas.
September 1, 1959: Birth of Scott Anthony Redford
On September 1, 1959, Scott Anthony Redford, son of Robert Redford and Lola Van Wagenen, was born.
November 17, 1959: Death of Scott Anthony Redford
On November 17, 1959, Scott Anthony Redford, son of Robert Redford and Lola Van Wagenen, passed away.
November 15, 1960: Birth of Shauna Jean Redford
On November 15, 1960, Shauna Jean Redford, daughter of Robert Redford and Lola Van Wagenen, was born.
May 5, 1962: Birth of David James Redford
On May 5, 1962, David James Redford, son of Robert Redford and Lola Van Wagenen, was born.
1963: Building a home in Utah
In 1963, Robert Redford and his ex-wife Lola, who was from Utah, built a home in the Utah area.
1969: Nomination for Downhill Racer
In 1969, Robert Redford received his first New York Film Critics Circle Award nomination for Downhill Racer.
October 22, 1970: Birth of Amy Hart Redford
On October 22, 1970, Amy Hart Redford, daughter of Robert Redford and Lola Van Wagenen, was born.
1972: Shooting of Jeremiah Johnson
In 1972, portions of the movie "Jeremiah Johnson", one of Redford's favorites and a film that heavily influenced him, were shot near the ski area he later bought.
1980: Academy Award for Ordinary People
In 1980, Robert Redford won the Academy Award for Best Director for the film Ordinary People.
1981: Founding of Sundance Institute
In 1981, Redford founded the nonprofit Sundance Institute in Park City, Utah, which is deeply involved with independent film.
1982: Reported Separation from Lola Van Wagenen
In 1982, entertainment columnist Shirley Eder reported that Robert Redford and Lola Van Wagenen had been living apart for several years.
1985: Reported Divorce from Lola Van Wagenen
In 1985, many websites reported that Robert Redford and Lola Van Wagenen were divorced.
1988: Honorary Degree from University of Colorado
In 1988, Robert Redford received an honorary degree from the University of Colorado, where he had attended in the 1950s.
1989: Audubon Medal
In 1989, the National Audubon Society awarded Robert Redford its highest honor, the Audubon Medal.
1990: Havana Release
In 1990, Redford played Jack Weil, a professional gambler in 1959 Cuba during the Revolution, in the film "Havana".
1990: Support for Brent Cornell Morris
In 1990, Robert Redford supported Brent Cornell Morris in his unsuccessful campaign for the Republican nomination for Utah's 3rd congressional district.
1991: Divorce Status Unclear
In 1991, Parade magazine reported that it was unclear whether the divorce between Robert Redford and Lola Van Wagenen had been finalized.
1992: A River Runs Through It Release
In 1992, Redford directed "A River Runs Through It", starring Craig Sheffer, Brad Pitt, and Tom Skerritt, based on Norman Maclean's novella. He also appeared in Sneakers.
1992: A River Runs Through It Release; Sneakers Release
In 1992, Robert Redford released "A River Runs Through It", his third film as a director, bringing Brad Pitt to prominence. He also co-starred in "Sneakers" with River Phoenix and Sidney Poitier.
1993: Indecent Proposal Release
In 1993, Redford starred in "Indecent Proposal," playing a billionaire businessman, which became one of the year's biggest hits.
1994: Quiz Show Release
In 1994, Robert Redford directed "Quiz Show", an exposé about the quiz show scandal of the late 1950s, featuring a strong cast including Paul Scofield, John Turturro, Rob Morrow, and Ralph Fiennes.
1995: Deal with Showtime for Sundance Channel
In 1995, Redford signed a deal with Showtime to start a 24-hour cable television channel devoted to airing independent films, later named the Sundance Channel.
1995: Honorary Degree from Bard College
In 1995, Robert Redford received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from Bard College.
February 29, 1996: Sundance Channel Premiere
On February 29, 1996, the Sundance Channel premiered as a 24-hour cable television channel devoted to airing independent films, after Redford signed a deal with Showtime in 1995.
1996: Up Close & Personal Release
In 1996, Redford co-starred with Michelle Pfeiffer in the newsroom romance "Up Close & Personal".
1996: National Medal of Arts
In 1996, Robert Redford was awarded the National Medal of Arts from President Bill Clinton.
1996: Sibylle Szaggars Moves in with Redford
In 1996, Sibylle Szaggars moved in with Robert Redford and shared his home in Sundance, Utah.
1998: The Horse Whisperer Release
In 1998, Redford co-starred with Kristin Scott Thomas and Scarlett Johansson in "The Horse Whisperer," which he also directed.
2000: The Legend of Bagger Vance Release
In 2000, Redford directed Matt Damon and Will Smith in "The Legend of Bagger Vance".
2001: The Last Castle and Spy Game Releases
In 2001, Redford appeared in "The Last Castle" as a disgraced Army general and reteamed with Brad Pitt for "Spy Game".
2002: Academy Honorary Award
In 2002, Redford received an Academy Honorary Award at the 74th Academy Awards.
2004: Sacred Planet Release; The Clearing Release
In 2004, Redford narrated the IMAX documentary "Sacred Planet". He also co-starred with Helen Mirren in "The Clearing".
2004: The Motorcycle Diaries Production
In 2004, Robert Redford produced "The Motorcycle Diaries," a coming-of-age road film about Che Guevara. He spent five years on the film's making.
2004: Support for Gary Herbert's Campaign
In 2004, Robert Redford supported Gary Herbert, a Republican, in Herbert's successful campaign to be elected Utah's Lieutenant Governor.
December 2005: Kennedy Center Honors
In December 2005, Redford received the Kennedy Center Honors for his contributions to American culture.
2005: An Unfinished Life Release
In 2005, Redford starred in Lasse Hallström's "An Unfinished Life" as a rancher alongside Jennifer Lopez.
2007: Lions for Lambs Release
In 2007, Redford reteamed with Meryl Streep and Tom Cruise for "Lions for Lambs", which opened to mixed reviews.
May 25, 2008: Honorary Degree from Brown University
On May 25, 2008, Redford received an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts from Brown University and delivered a speech at the commencement ceremonies.
2008: The Dorothy and Lillian Gish Prize
In 2008, Redford received The Dorothy and Lillian Gish Prize for his outstanding contribution to the beauty of the world and mankind's enjoyment and understanding of life.
2008: Sundance Film Festival Exhibition
In 2008, Sundance exhibited 125 feature-length films from 34 countries, with more than 50,000 attendees.
2009: Robert Redford Award for Engaged Artists
In 2009, the University of Southern California (USC) School of Dramatic Arts announced the first annual Robert Redford Award for Engaged Artists.
October 14, 2010: Chevalier of the Légion d'honneur
On October 14, 2010, Redford was appointed chevalier of the Légion d'honneur by President Nicolas Sarkozy.
2010: The Conspirator Release
In 2010, Redford released "The Conspirator", a period drama about the assassination of Abraham Lincoln.
2010: New Mexico Governor's Award for Excellence in the Arts
In 2010, Robert Redford was a recipient of the New Mexico Governor's Award for Excellence in the Arts.
May 2011: Publication of Robert Redford: The Biography
In May 2011, "Robert Redford: The Biography" by Michael Feeney Callan was published by Alfred A. Knopf, drawn from Redford's papers and diaries.
2011: Appearance in Buck Documentary
In 2011, Redford appeared in the documentary "Buck" by Cindy Meehl, discussing his experiences with Buck Brannaman during the production of "The Horse Whisperer".
November 2012: Launch of Robert Redford Conservancy at Pitzer College
In November 2012, Pitzer College launched the Robert Redford Conservancy for Southern California Sustainability at Pitzer College.
2012: The Company You Keep Release
In 2012, Redford directed and starred in "The Company You Keep," playing a former Weather Underground activist with Shia LaBeouf and Julie Christie.
2012: Endorsement of Barack Obama
In 2012, Robert Redford, an avid environmentalist, endorsed Democratic President Barack Obama for re-election.
2013: All Is Lost Release
In 2013, Redford starred in "All Is Lost", receiving acclaim for his performance as a man lost at sea. He was nominated for a Golden Globe Award and won the New York Film Critics Circle Award.
2013: Identified as Leader of Anti-Pipeline Movement
In 2013, Robert Redford was identified by TransCanada Corporation's CEO, Russ Girling, for leading the anti-pipeline protest movement against the Keystone Pipeline.
April 2014: Captain America: The Winter Soldier Release
In April 2014, Redford played Alexander Pierce, the main antagonist in Marvel's "Captain America: The Winter Soldier".
April 2014: Pitzer College Divests Fossil Fuel Stocks
In April 2014, Robert Redford, a Pitzer College Trustee, and Pitzer College President Laura Skandera Trombley announced that the college will divest fossil fuel stocks from its endowment.
May 24, 2015: Honorary Degree from Colby College
On May 24, 2015, Redford delivered the commencement address and received an honorary degree from Colby College in Maine.
2015: A Walk in the Woods Release
In 2015, Redford co-produced and acted in "A Walk in the Woods" with Emma Thompson and Nick Nolte, based on Bill Bryson's book.
2015: Quote on Donald Trump's Book
In 2015, Robert Redford's quote appeared on the back cover of Donald Trump's book "Crippled America", but it was later clarified that this was not an endorsement.
November 22, 2016: Presidential Medal of Freedom
On November 22, 2016, President Barack Obama honored Redford with a Presidential Medal of Freedom.
2016: Pete's Dragon Release; Truth Release
In 2016, Redford played news anchor Dan Rather in "Truth" and had a supporting role in Disney's "Pete's Dragon" remake.
May 2017: Zoom Restaurant Closure
In May 2017, Robert Redford's Park City restaurant, Zoom, closed.
2017: The Discovery and Our Souls at Night Releases
In 2017, Redford starred in "The Discovery" and "Our Souls at Night", both released on Netflix. "Our Souls at Night" reunited him with Jane Fonda.
2017: Avengers: Endgame Cameo Appearance
In 2017, Robert Redford filmed a cameo appearance as Alexander Pierce in Avengers: Endgame.
2017: Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement
In 2017, Robert Redford was awarded the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the 74th Venice Film Festival.
August 2018: Retirement Announcement
In August 2018, Redford announced his retirement from acting after completing "The Old Man & the Gun".
September 2018: The Old Man & the Gun Release
In September 2018, "The Old Man & the Gun", starring Redford as Forrest Tucker, was released, earning him a Golden Globe nomination.
February 22, 2019: Honorary César Award
On February 22, 2019, Robert Redford received the Honorary César at the 44th César Awards in Paris.
2019: Criticism of Trump's Administration
In 2019, Robert Redford penned an op-ed in which he referred to Trump's administration as a "monarchy in disguise" and stated "[i]t's time for Trump to go."
July 2020: Criticism of President Trump and Support for Joe Biden
In July 2020, Robert Redford penned an op-ed stating President Trump lacks a "moral compass" and announced he would be voting for Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election.
October 16, 2020: Death of David James Redford
On October 16, 2020, David James Redford, son of Robert Redford and Lola Van Wagenen, passed away.
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