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Robert Selden Duvall (born January 5, 1931) is an Academy Award-winning American film actor and director.
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Early life
Duvall was born in San Diego, California. His father, William Howard Duvall, was a retired U.S. Navy admiral with French Huguenot roots; his mother was an amateur actress and a descendant of American Civil War General Robert E. Lee. His father was a Methodist and his mother was a Christian Scientist; he was raised in the Christian Science religion, which he claims to follow today despite many years living a decidedly un-Christian lifestyle (as he states in a 2006 article in Vanity Fair).
Duvall grew up in a military family, living for a time in Annapolis, Maryland near the United States Naval Academy. He served in the United States Army (service number 52 346 646) from 19 August 1953 to 20 August 1954, achieving the rank of Private First Class and awarded the National Defense Service Medal.
Duvall studied acting at The Neighborhood Playhouse School of Theatre in New York under Sanford Meisner. While struggling as an actor, he worked at a Manhattan post office as a clerk but quit after six months.
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Film career
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His screen debut was as Boo Radley in the critically acclaimed To Kill a Mockingbird (1962). Duvall later played the notorious malefactor Ned Pepper in True Grit (1969), but his breakout role was a decade later as Tom Hagen in The Godfather (1972) and The Godfather Part II (1974). He received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor in A Civil Action and for his role as Lt. Colonel Kilgore in Apocalypse Now (1979). His "I love the smell of napalm in the morning" line from Apocalypse Now is now regarded as an iconic quote in cinema history:
"You smell that? Do you smell that? Napalm, son. Nothing else in the world smells like that. I love the smell of napalm in the morning. You know, one time we had a hill bombed, for twelve hours. When it was all over I walked up. We didn't find one of 'em, not one stinkin' dink body. The smell, you know that gasoline smell, the whole hill. Smelled like... victory. Someday this war's gonna end..."
He directed the critically acclaimed The Apostle, about a preacher on the run from the law, and Assassination Tango (2002), a thriller about one of his favorite hobbies, tango. He was awarded the National Medal of Arts in 2005. He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on September 18, 2003.
Duvall portrayed General Robert E. Lee in Gods and Generals in 2003 and is actually a relative of the historical figure.
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Academy Awards
Wins:
Nominations:
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Personal life
Duvall is close friends with Dustin Hoffman and Gene Hackman, both of whom he has known since their struggling actor days.
Duvall has been married four times:
Barbara Benjamin (1964 - 1975)
Gail Youngs (1982 - 1986)
Sharon Brophy (1991 - 1996)
He met Pedraza on a street in Buenos Aires. They were both born on January 5, but Duvall is 40 years older. They have been together since 1997.
Duvall speaks fluent Spanish and maintains a home in Virginia. He has the same birthday as Godfather co-star Diane Keaton. His favorite city is Buenos Aires, Argentina. He is an avid Tango dancer and soccer fan.
Duvall is a staunch Republican and was personally invited to George W. Bush's inauguration in 2001. He attended the event.
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Partial filmography
Lucky You (2007) (post-production) .... Mr. Cheever
John Q (2002) .... Lt. Frank Grimes
The Apostle (1997) .... Euliss 'Sonny' Dewey - The Apostle E.F.
Geronimo: An American Legend (1993) ... Al Sieber
"Newsies" (1992) .... Joseph Pulitzer
Stalin (1992) (TV) .... Josef Stalin
Colors (1988) ... Officer Bob Hodges
Lawman (1971) .... Vernon Adams
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