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Renowned actor Robert Duvall has passed away at the age of 95. On February 15, the acclaimed actor died peacefully at his residence, as confirmed by a Facebook post from his wife, Luciana Duvall. The exact cause of his death remains undisclosed as of now.
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Regarded as one of the finest actors of his era, Duvall’s illustrious career began in 1960, and he graced some of cinema’s most iconic films, including “The Godfather” and “Apocalypse Now.” Over the years, he received numerous award nominations, winning several. In 1984, he took home the Academy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of country singer Mac Sledge in the 1983 drama “Tender Mercies,” and he earned six additional Oscar nominations throughout his career.
In a heartfelt statement, his wife shared, “To the world, he was an Academy Award-winning actor, a director, a storyteller. To me, he was simply everything. His passion for his craft was matched only by his deep love for characters, a great meal, and holding court.”
When watching a classic film, chances are Robert Duvall will be there, skillfully commanding scenes. Attempting to highlight his standout performances might require listing nearly all of his roles.
Many will recall Duvall as the consigliere lawyer Tom Hagen in “The Godfather” series or as the intense Lieutenant Colonel Kilgore in “Apocalypse Now,” where he famously declared, “I love the smell of napalm in the morning.” He embodied characters such as Boo Radley in “To Kill A Mockingbird,” Major Frank Burns in the 1970 film “MASH,” Sergeant Martin Pendergast in “Falling Down” alongside Michael Douglas, and the lead in George Lucas’s debut film, the sci-fi social commentary “THX 1138.” His ability to enhance any film, regardless of genre, made Duvall a truly exceptional actor.
An esteemed actor with countless classic roles
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Watch a legendary movie, and there’s a fair chance that you’ll see Robert Duvall stealing a good few scenes. In fact, to list his most captivating roles, you might have to list virtually all of his roles.
You might remember Duvall as consigliere lawyer Tom Hagen in “The Godfather” and “The Godfather Part II,” or for his equally stellar, yet drastically different turn as Lieutenant Colonel Kilgore in “Apocalypse Now,” in which capacity he delivered the famous “I love the smell of napalm in the morning” line. He brought to life characters like Boo Radley in “To Kill A Mockingbird,” Major Frank Burns in the 1970 movie version of “MASH,” Sergeant Martin Pendergast in the Michael Douglas rampage flick “Falling Down,” and the titular character in George Lucas’ first movie, the sci-fi social commentary “THX 1138” — as well as countless other iconic characters. In other words, Duvall was one of those very, very rare actors who could elevate virtually any movie, regardless of the genre.
A look at Duvall’s résumé makes it easy to believe that he was a once-in-a-lifetime talent, and this may very well be the case. Still, though he isn’t with us anymore, the actor himself was extremely positive about the future of his craft. “There will always be good actors,” Duvall told WBUR in 2021. “I feel that the work done now ensemble-wise is better than before. It goes on and on and on and on.”
A fine sentiment to leave us with. Duvall will be missed.