
Robert Redford was an American actor, director, producer, and environmental activist who became one of the defining movie stars of the 1970s and later a major force in independent cinema. He is remembered for iconic roles in films such as Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Sting, and All the President’s Men, as well as for founding the Sundance Institute and Film Festival.
Charles Robert Redford Jr. was born on August 18, 1936, in Santa Monica, California. He was the son of Charles Redford Sr., an accountant (formerly a milkman), and Martha (Hart) Redford. His mother died when he was a teenager. As a child he contracted polio. He grew up in and around Los Angeles.
Personal Details
| Full Name | Charles Robert Redford Jr. |
| Profession | Actor, Director, Producer, Environmentalist |
| Date of Birth | 18 August 1936 |
| Date of Death | 16 September 2025 (age 89) |
| Birthplace | Santa Monica, California, USA |
| Nationality | American |
| Friends | Norman Reedus |
| Zodiac Sign | Leo |
| Education | University of Colorado; Pratt Institute; American Academy of Dramatic Arts |
| Height | Approximately 5 ft 10 in – 5 ft 11 in (178–180 cm) |
Career
Redford began his career on stage in New York in the late 1950s, appearing in Broadway productions including Barefoot in the Park. He made his film debut in the early 1960s and gradually built leading-man status.
His breakthrough came with Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) opposite Paul Newman. The pair reunited for the highly successful The Sting (1973), which earned Redford his only Academy Award nomination for acting. Other major starring roles of the era included The Way We Were (1973), The Great Gatsby (1974), Three Days of the Condor (1975), All the President’s Men (1976), The Electric Horseman (1979), and Out of Africa (1985).
In 1980 he made his directorial debut with Ordinary People, which won the Academy Award for Best Picture and earned him the Oscar for Best Director. He later directed films including A River Runs Through It (1992), Quiz Show (1994), and The Horse Whisperer (1998). He continued acting into later years, with The Old Man & the Gun (2018) widely regarded as one of his final major roles; he had announced plans to retire from acting around that time.
In 1981 he founded the Sundance Institute in Utah, which developed into the Sundance Film Festival, a cornerstone of independent filmmaking. He received an honorary Academy Award in 2002 and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016.
Robert Redford Wife
Redford married historian and activist Lola Van Wagenen in 1958. They had four children: Scott (who died in infancy from SIDS), Shauna, James (David James, who died of cancer in 2020), and Amy. The couple divorced in 1985.
In 2009 he married German artist Sibylle Szaggars. The couple lived primarily at his property in Sundance, Utah. Redford was a longtime environmental advocate and co-founded the Redford Center with his son James to support environmental filmmaking and activism.
FAQs
Was Robert Redford married?
Yes. He was married to Lola Van Wagenen (1958–1985) and later to Sibylle Szaggars (from 2009 until his death
When was Robert Redford born and when did he die?
He was born on August 18, 1936, and died on September 16, 2025, at age 89 at his home in Sundance, Utah.











