Robert Duvall
- Born:
- January 5, 1931, San Diego, California, USA
- Nationality:
- American
- Profession(s):
- Actor, Director, Producer
Early Life and Education
- Born to William Howard Duvall, a U.S. Navy admiral, and Mildred Virginia Hart Duvall.
- Raised in Annapolis, Maryland, near the U.S. Naval Academy.
- Attended Severn School and Principia College.
- Served in the United States Army for two years after graduating from Principia College.
- Studied acting at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre in New York City, alongside Gene Hackman and Dustin Hoffman.
Career and Major Achievements
- Began his acting career on stage in the late 1950s.
- Made his film debut in 1962 with To Kill a Mockingbird.
- Gained widespread recognition for his role as Major Frank Burns in the film MASH (1970).
- Starred in numerous critically acclaimed films throughout the 1970s, including The Godfather (1972) and Apocalypse Now (1979).
- Received an Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in Tender Mercies (1983).
- Directed and starred in the film The Apostle (1997), for which he wrote the screenplay and received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor.
- Continues to work actively in film and television.
Notable Works
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1962 | To Kill a Mockingbird | Arthur 'Boo' Radley |
| 1972 | The Godfather | Tom Hagen |
| 1974 | The Godfather Part II | Tom Hagen |
| 1979 | Apocalypse Now | Lieutenant Colonel Bill Kilgore |
| 1983 | Tender Mercies | Mac Sledge |
| 1997 | The Apostle | Euliss 'Sonny' Dewey |
Legacy and Impact
Robert Duvall is widely regarded as one of the greatest actors of his generation, known for his versatility, intensity, and commitment to his craft. His performances have left an indelible mark on American cinema. While he was not in The Godfather Part III, his earlier contributions to the saga remain iconic. The absence of the character Tom Hagen in The Godfather Part III was a major topic, highlighting his importance to the series, a fact often discussed in any 'robert duvall biography godfather 3' summary.