Robert Duvall has passed away aged 95.
The Academy Award-winning actor who starred in classics including The Godfather, Apocalypse Now and Tender Mercies, passed away peacefully in his home in Middleburg, Virginia on Sunday.
A statement from his family posted on the star’s Facebook page confirmed his death, with his wife writing a tribute to the actor.
“Yesterday we said goodbye to my beloved husband, cherished friend, and one of the greatest actors of our time,” she began in her tribute.
“Bob passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by love and comfort.”
“To the world, he was an Academy Award-winning actor, a director, a storyteller. To me, he was simply everything,” she continued.
“His passion for his craft was matched only by his deep love for characters, a great meal, and holding court.
“For each of his many roles, Bob gave everything to his characters and to the truth of the human spirit they represented.
“In doing so, he leaves something lasting and unforgettable to us all.
“Thank you for the years of support you showed Bob and for giving us this time and privacy to celebrate the memories he leaves behind.”
Duvall was known for his versatile acting, playing the stoic Corleone family consigliere, Tom Hagen, in Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather. That role landed him his first Oscar nomination, and two years later, in 1974, he reprised the role in The Godfather Part II.
He did not play in the third sequel of the film, due to a pay dispute.
In Apocalypse Now he played a a surf-loving Army colonel, while in Tender Mercies he played washed-up country crooner and even did his own singing for the film which landed his first Academy Award.
In the 1980s, he appeared in The Natural (1984) and Colors (1988), later earning strong acclaim for the 1989 miniseries Lonesome Dove.
Throughout the 1990s, he featured in major films including Days of Thunder (1990), The Paper (1993), Falling Down (1994), Phenomenon (1995) and Deep Impact (1998), and received an Oscar nomination for A Civil Action (1998).
Born in San Diego, California, Duvall played in a number of plays in his earlier years, before being cast in the film version of To Kill a Mockingbird.
He attended Principia College in Illinois and served in the army during the Korean War before moving to New York and studying drama under renowned acting coach Sanford Meisner.
Following To Kill a Mockingbird, he landed an array of other roles in films like, True Grit, M*A*S*H and THX 1138.
Duvall is survived by his wife, actor and director Luciana Pedraza. The actor was previously married to Barbara Benjamin Marcus, Gail Youngs and Sharon Brophy.
In the statement posted on Monday, his family have said that no formal service will be held, instead they encouraged fans to honour his memory by “watching a great film, telling a good story around a table with friends, or taking a drive in the countryside to appreciate the world’s beauty”.
Image: Featureflash Photo Agency / Shutterstock.com
