History of Robert Redford in Timeline
Robert Redford is an acclaimed American actor, director, and producer known for his leading roles during the American New Wave era. His career, which spans over six decades, has garnered him numerous awards, including an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, and multiple Golden Globe Awards. Redford has also received prestigious honors such as the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award, an Academy Honorary Award, Kennedy Center Honors, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and an Honorary César, solidifying his legacy in the entertainment industry.
August 9, 1958: Marriage to Lola Van Wagenen
On August 9, 1958, Robert Redford married Lola Van Wagenen in Las Vegas.
1963: Building a home in Utah
In 1963, Robert Redford and his ex-wife Lola built a home in Utah.
1969: Nomination for Downhill Racer
In 1969, Robert Redford was nominated for Downhill Racer.
1972: Jeremiah Johnson filmed near ski area
In 1972, portions of the movie Jeremiah Johnson were filmed near Robert Redford's ski area.
1974: Rejection of Sex Symbol Label
In a 1974 interview with The New York Times, Robert Redford responded to his image as a sex symbol by saying "I never thought of myself as a glamorous guy, a handsome guy, any of that stuff. Suddenly, there's this image...Glamour image can be a real handicap. It is crap."
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 the Sundance Institute
In 1981, Robert Redford founded the nonprofit Sundance Institute in Park City, Utah, dedicated to independent film.
1982: Report of Separation from Van Wagenen
In 1982, entertainment columnist Shirley Eder reported that Robert Redford and Lola Van Wagenen "have been very much apart for several years."
1984: Negotiating Divorce Settlement
In 1984, Robert Redford was negotiating his divorce settlement with Lola Van Wagenen while filming "Out of Africa".
1988: Honorary Degree from the University of Colorado
In 1988, Robert Redford received an honorary degree from the University of Colorado.
1989: Audubon Medal
In 1989, the National Audubon Society awarded Robert Redford its highest honor, the Audubon Medal.
1990: Starring in 'Havana'
In 1990, Robert Redford starred in 'Havana', playing Jack Weil, a professional gambler in 1959 Cuba during the Revolution.
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 is unclear whether the divorce has been finalized" between Robert Redford and Lola Van Wagenen.
1992: Co-starring in 'Sneakers'
In 1992, Robert Redford co-starred in 'Sneakers' with River Phoenix and Sidney Poitier.
1992: Release of 'A River Runs Through It'
In 1992, Robert Redford released his third film as a director, 'A River Runs Through It,' based on Norman Maclean's novella and starring Craig Sheffer and Brad Pitt. He received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Director for this film.
1993: Starring in 'Indecent Proposal'
In 1993, Robert Redford starred in 'Indecent Proposal' as a billionaire businessman who tests a couple's morals; the film became one of the year's biggest hits.
1994: Release of 'Quiz Show'
In 1994, Robert Redford directed 'Quiz Show,' an exposé about the quiz show scandal of the late 1950s, working with a cast including Paul Scofield, John Turturro, Rob Morrow and Ralph Fiennes.
1995: Honorary Doctorate from Bard College
In 1995, Robert Redford received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from Bard College.
1995: Deal with Showtime for Sundance Channel
In 1995, Robert Redford signed a deal with Showtime to start a 24-hour cable television channel devoted to airing independent films, later named the Sundance Channel.
February 29, 1996: Premiere of Sundance Channel
On February 29, 1996, The Sundance Channel premiered, a 24-hour cable television channel devoted to airing independent films.
1996: Co-starring in 'Up Close & Personal'
In 1996, Robert 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: Szaggars Moves in with Redford
In 1996, Sibylle Szaggars moved in with Robert Redford and shared his home in Sundance, Utah.
1998: Directing and starring in 'The Horse Whisperer'
In 1998, Robert Redford directed and co-starred with Kristin Scott Thomas and Scarlett Johansson in 'The Horse Whisperer'.
2000: Directing 'The Legend of Bagger Vance'
In 2000, Robert Redford directed Matt Damon and Will Smith in 'The Legend of Bagger Vance'.
2001: Starring in 'The Last Castle' and 'Spy Game'
In 2001, Robert Redford appeared as a disgraced Army general in 'The Last Castle' and reteamed with Brad Pitt for 'Spy Game'.
2002: Academy Honorary Award
In 2002, Robert Redford received the Academy Honorary Award at the 74th Academy Awards.
2004: Narrating 'Sacred Planet' and starring in 'The Clearing'
In 2004, Robert Redford narrated the IMAX documentary 'Sacred Planet' and portrayed Wayne Hayes in 'The Clearing'.
2004: Producing 'The Motorcycle Diaries'
In 2004, Robert Redford produced 'The Motorcycle Diaries', a coming-of-age road film about Ernesto "Che" Guevara.
2004: Support for Gary Herbert's Campaign
In 2004, Robert Redford supported Gary Herbert, a Republican, in Herbert's successful campaign to be elected lieutenant governor of Utah.
December 2005: Kennedy Center Honors
In December 2005, Robert Redford received the Kennedy Center Honors for his contributions to American culture.
2005: Starring in 'An Unfinished Life'
In 2005, Robert Redford starred in Lasse Hallström's 'An Unfinished Life' as a rancher who takes in his estranged daughter-in-law and granddaughter.
2007: Release of 'Lions for Lambs'
In 2007, Robert Redford returned to familiar territory when he reteamed with Meryl Streep for his personal project, 'Lions for Lambs', which also starred Tom Cruise.
2008: The Dorothy and Lillian Gish Prize
In 2008, Robert Redford received The Dorothy and Lillian Gish Prize for his contribution to the beauty of the world.
2008: Honorary Doctorate from Brown University
In 2008, Robert Redford received an honorary doctorate from Brown University.
2008: Sundance Exhibition
In 2008, Sundance exhibited 125 feature-length films from 34 countries, with more than 50,000 attendees in Salt Lake City and Park City, Utah.
2009: Robert Redford Award for Engaged Artists
In 2009, the University of Southern California announced the Robert Redford Award for Engaged Artists to honor those who show skill in their work and commit to social responsibility.
October 14, 2010: Chevalier of the Légion d'honneur
On October 14, 2010, Robert Redford was appointed chevalier of the Légion d'honneur by President Nicolas Sarkozy.
2010: Release of 'The Conspirator'
In 2010, Robert Redford released 'The Conspirator', a period drama revolving around 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 Redford Biography
In May 2011, "Robert Redford: The Biography" by Michael Feeney Callan, with Robert Redford's cooperation, was published by Alfred A. Knopf.
2011: Appearance in 'Buck'
In 2011, Robert 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
In November 2012, Pitzer College launched the Robert Redford Conservancy for Southern California Sustainability at Pitzer College.
2012: Directing and starring in 'The Company You Keep'
In 2012, Robert Redford directed and starred in 'The Company You Keep', playing a former Weather Underground activist who goes on the run.
2012: Endorsement of Barack Obama
In 2012, Robert Redford endorsed Democratic president Barack Obama for re-election.
2013: Starring in 'All Is Lost'
In 2013, Robert Redford starred in 'All Is Lost', directed by J.C. Chandor, receiving acclaim and a Golden Globe nomination for his performance.
2013: Identified as Anti-Pipeline Protest Leader
In 2013, Robert Redford was identified by TransCanada Corporation's CEO, Russ Girling, for leading the anti-Keystone Pipeline protest movement.
April 2014: Announcement of Fossil Fuel Divestment
In April 2014, Robert Redford and Pitzer College President Laura Skandera Trombley announced that the college would divest fossil fuel stocks from its endowment.
2014: Role in 'Captain America: The Winter Soldier'
In 2014, Robert Redford played Alexander Pierce, the head of S.H.I.E.L.D., in 'Captain America: The Winter Soldier'.
2014: Named one of Time's 100 Most Influential People
In 2014, Robert Redford was named by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in the world.
May 2015: Honorary Degree from Colby College
In May 2015, Robert Redford delivered the commencement address and received an honorary degree from Colby College in Maine.
2015: Acting in 'A Walk in the Woods'
In 2015, Robert Redford co-produced and acted in the film 'A Walk in the Woods' with Emma Thompson and Nick Nolte.
2015: Playing Dan Rather in 'Truth'
In 2015, Robert Redford played news anchor Dan Rather in James Vanderbilt's 'Truth' alongside Cate Blanchett.
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", with Redford's statement taken from a longer conversation with Larry King, about Trump's candidacy.
November 22, 2016: Presidential Medal of Freedom
On November 22, 2016, President Barack Obama honored Robert Redford with a Presidential Medal of Freedom.
2016: Supporting Role in 'Pete's Dragon'
In 2016, Robert Redford took the supporting role of Mr. Meacham in the Disney remake 'Pete's Dragon'.
2016: Recognition of Sundance Film Festival
In 2016, after Robert Redford was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, The Salt Lake Tribune called Redford's Sundance Film Festival a "catalyst for an explosion of independent films".
2016: Obama's Recognition of Redford
In 2016, then-president Barack Obama called Robert Redford "one of the foremost conservationists of our generation".
May 2017: Closure of Zoom Restaurant
In May 2017, Robert Redford's Park City restaurant, Zoom, closed.
2017: Cameo in Avengers: Endgame
In 2017, Robert Redford filmed a brief reprisal of his role as Alexander Pierce in 'Avengers: Endgame'.
2017: Releases of 'The Discovery' and 'Our Souls at Night'
In 2017, Robert Redford starred in 'The Discovery' and 'Our Souls at Night', both released on Netflix.
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: Announcement of Retirement from Acting
In August 2018, Robert Redford announced his retirement from acting after completing 'The Old Man & the Gun'.
September 2018: Release of 'The Old Man & the Gun'
In September 2018, 'The Old Man & the Gun', a film starring Robert Redford as bank robber Forrest Tucker, was released, earning him a Golden Globe nomination.
February 22, 2019: Recipient of the Honorary César
On February 22, 2019, Robert Redford received the Honorary César at the 44th César Awards in Paris.
2019: Criticism of Trump 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: Op-ed Supporting Joe Biden
In July 2020, Robert Redford penned an op-ed in which he stated that President Trump lacks a "moral compass" and announced his support for Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election.
2020: Death of son James
In 2020, Robert Redford's son James, a writer and producer, died of cancer.
2024: Sale of Tiburon House
In 2024, Robert Redford sold his house in Tiburon, California. He primarily resided at the Sundance Resort in Utah, and also had a property in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
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