From The Twilight Zone to Avengers: Endgame, Robert Redford has remained one of Hollywood’s most prolific actors to date. With a portfolio spanning over six decades, it’s no wonder he’s a two-time Oscar winner with directing credits and one of Time’s “Most Influential People in the World”.
And today, on his 88th birthday, we’re looking back at some of his most iconic films where he’s starred alongside Hollywood giants like Demi Moore and Paul Newman. Read on to take a trip down memory lane and maybe add a few of his movies to your watch list!
Although Redford began his career in the 50s in New York, guest starring on shows such as The Untouchables, Route 66 and The Twilight Zone, his real breakout role was in 1969’s Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid where he starred alongside Paul Newman in this classic Wild West masterpiece.
The film earned a wealth of accolades, including a spot in the United States National Film Registry for preservation. As for Redford, he brought home the title of “Best Actor in a Leading Role” for the British Film Academy Awards, beating out nominated co-star Paul Newman.
In 1972, Redford starred in survival film Jeremiah Johnson. His role as the titular trapper was gritty, gruff and brutal — all adjectives we’d consider to be the makings of a memorable film.
The following year, his biggest hit came about in The Sting (1973) and Redford became a household name. This movie stands triumphant to the tests of time as one of the highest grossing films of all time and even earned Robert an Oscar nomination!
The box-office hits kept coming and he starred in The Great Gatsby (1974), The Great Waldo Pepper (1975) and All the President’s Men (1976). All the President’s Men was considered a landmark film for Redford — he was not only a co-star with Dustin Hoffman, but the executive producer.
Fast forward a few years to 1985, when the enormously successful Sydney Pollack film, Out of Africa was released. Redford starred alongside Meryl Streep and the film was his greatest success of the decade, receiving widespread praise for his exceptional performance.
Since then, Robert has continued to star in movies well into the 90s and 00s. One of Redford’s most recognised roles is the millionaire businessman in 1993’s award-winning Indecent Proposal, also starring Hollywood superstars Demi Moore and Woody Harrelson.
Thank you, Redford, for all your entertainment over the years!