Robert Duvall, the Oscar-winning actor known for his iconic roles in "The Godfather," "Apocalypse Now" and many other strong roles during a career that spanned six decades, has died at the age of 95.
He passed away "peacefully" at his home in Middleburg, Virginia, on Sunday, according to a statement from his public relations agency, on behalf of his wife, Luciana Pedraza.
Duvall memorably played the Corleone family's consigliere, Tom Hagen, in Francis Ford Coppola's "The Godfather," for which he received his first Oscar nomination in 1972, and reprised the role two years later in "The Godfather Part II."
Born in San Diego, California, to a Navy officer father, Duvall played a wide range of roles, from cowboys to military men. He attended Principia College in Illinois and served in the Army during the Korean War before moving to New York to study drama with famed coach Sanford Meisner. During this time, he shared an apartment with Dustin Hoffman and chatted with Gene Hackman, another actor who would go on to great success. Hackman died last year.
Duvall acted in several stage plays before being cast as Arthur "Boo" Radley in the film version of "To Kill a Mockingbird" in 1962. Later, he named one of his dogs "Boo."
His role as the Corleone family lawyer in “The Godfather” catapulted him to another level of career. He continued to work nonstop, starring in “Network,” in the television miniseries “Lonesome Dove,” and winning an Oscar for his role in “Tender Mercies” (1983), for which he composed the songs.
He also received nominations for his roles in “The Great Santini” and as Lt. Col. Kilgore in “Apocalypse Now,” where he famously delivered the line: “I love the smell of napalm in the morning.”
Duvall was absent from The Godfather Part III (1990) due to a salary dispute with Coppola, stating that Al Pacino would be paid five times as much as he was, something that was "completely unacceptable."
He also dabbled in film directing and writing, producing and starring in “The Apostle” (1997), and later directing “Assassination Tango” and “Wild Horses.”
Duvall remained active into the 2010s, receiving his last Oscar nomination at the age of 84 for "The Judge" (2014) and starring in films such as "Jack Reacher" and "Widows."
The actor also played historical figures such as Robert E. Lee (“Gods and Generals”), Joseph Stalin (HBO’s “Stalin”) and Adolf Eichmann (“The Man Who Captured Eichmann”).
Married four times, his last marriage was to Argentine actress and director Luciana Pedraza.
Duvall was also a supporter of Republican candidates, attending the inauguration of George W. Bush and helping with the campaign of Mitt Romney. He was awarded the National Medal of Arts in 2004.
According to a statement from his representatives, there will be no formal ceremony. The family has suggested that those who wish to honor his memory do so by watching a great movie, telling a story with friends or taking a trip into nature to appreciate the beauty of the world. /GazetaExpress/
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