Robert Duvall Dies At 95 : Hollywood lost a great artist today. Veteran actor Robert Duvall died on Sunday at his home in Middleburg, Virginia. He was 95 years old. His family issued a statement saying that he passed away peacefully with his wife Luciana by his side. Duvall has left an indelible mark on the hearts of film lovers in his six-decade long career, be it playing mafia family lawyer Tom Hagen in ‘The Godfather‘ or playing the eccentric Colonel Kilgore who loves the smell of napalm in ‘Apocalypse Now‘.
His family has not wished for a formal funeral, but has urged fans to remember him “by watching a great movie, telling a good story around the table with friends, or going on a drive in the countryside to appreciate the beauty of the world.”
Virginia’s ‘Ordinary’ Neighbor : The Real Robert Duvall
Robert Duvall wasn’t just a Hollywood star; He was a familiar and beloved face to his neighbors in Fauquier County, Virginia. Donna Armstrong, co-owner of the Old Salem Café in Marshall City, shared her memories with Duvall. According to him, Duvall would often come to his café for lunch with the laborers working on his farm.
“He would come over with his farm hands and take them to lunch. He was a very kind man,” says Armstrong. Recalling the experience of being photographed for the first time, she says, “I was wondering, is he the kind of person to go to and ask for a photo? And of course, he was. He was amazing.” Conversations with him revolved around local people and history. He never boasted of stardom.
Sharing another memory, Armstrong said that when Duvall learned that an elderly 103-year-old plantation owner named Henry Green lived in Hume, Virginia, he insisted on meeting him. Armstrong arranged for them to meet and Green was thrilled. When asked about Duvall’s food hobbies, he said that he liked simple comfort foods like Reuben sandwiches, patty melts, and hamburger steaks. Several years ago, when a chef fell ill, Duvall secretly participated in a fundraiser for him. Armstrong described the news of his death as “devastating”. To him, Duvall’s legacy is simply this: “Just a regular, ordinary guy who was rich and famous.”
Early life and acting foundations
Born Robert Seldon Duvall on January 5, 1931, in San Diego, he was the son of a naval officer. His childhood was spent at the Navy base. After graduating from Principia College, he served in the Army during the Korean War. He received formal acting training from Stanford Meisner at New York’s prestigious Neighborhood Playhouse. It was here that he befriended artists like Dustin Hoffman, Gene Hackman and James Caan, with whom he lived in a rented room in New York and survived by doing odd jobs.
Step into Hollywood and the magic of ‘Godfather’
Robert Duvall, who made his film debut at the age of 31, played the small but memorable role of Boo Radley in 1962’s To Kill a Mockingbird. In the 1970s, he emerged as an important signifier of the ‘New Hollywood’ movement. His portrayal of Tom Hagen in The Godfather (1972), directed by Francis Ford Coppola, earned him his first Oscar nomination. Of the character, Robert Duvall later said, “It always comes back to ‘The Godfather.’ The first two movies are some of the best movies ever made.”
After this, he acted strongly in films like Robert Altman’s ‘MAS*H’, George Lucas’s first film ‘THX 1138’, and Network.
‘Smell of Napalm’ and Oscar glory
1979 saw two big movies – ‘The Great Santini’ and Francis Ford Coppola’s epic ‘Apocalypse Now’. His dialogue “I love the smell of napalm in the morning” as Lieutenant Colonel Kilgore in this film became recorded in the history of cinema. He had jokingly said in an interview that people often whisper this dialogue to him, as if it was a secret.
In 1983, ‘Tender Mercies’ took his career to new heights. He sang the songs himself for this role of a bygone country singer and the film brought him an Oscar (Best Actor). Apart from this, his work in miniseries like ‘Lonesome Dove’ (1989) was highly appreciated.
Versatility : From ‘The Apostle’ to ‘The Judge’
Robert Duvall never forced himself into a groove. In 1997, he made ‘The Apostle’ with his own money, in which he directed, wrote and played the lead role. He received another Oscar nomination for this role of a passionate preacher. He worked in many hit films like ‘Days of Thunder’, ‘Falling Down’, ‘Secondhand Lions’ and ‘Crazy Heart’.
He played the role of a strict father in the 2014 film ‘The Judge’, for which he was last nominated for an Oscar. His last big work was as a political contractor in Steve McQueen’s ‘Widows’ in 2018. Robert Duvall received seven Oscar and seven Golden Globe nominations in his career.
Legacy and Tribute
Robert Duvall was not just an actor, but a master of the art who breathed life into every character. He was a symbol of the era when artists were bigger than stars. Even in his last journey, he set an example of a man who loved simplicity.
Robert Duvall’s passing marks the end of an era. He leaves behind a treasure trove of films that have inspired generations of film lovers. His family, friends and fans around the world will always remember this great artist, whether through his films or through the stories of the humble man who sat and drank coffee among ordinary people in a small café in Virginia.
