Robert Redford had a distant relationship with his dad but his mom showed him lots of love. She was full of life, full of laughter, full of love. “She was out there. I mean, she would take chances, and she was very risky. And she taught me how to drive a car when I was 10, and nobody knew about it. I mean, that kind of stuff. So, we had a close relationship.” Being full of life and laughter is one of the qualities that Redford inherited from his mother. He was born and raised along the shore of Santa Monica, California, and his passion for the outdoors never stopped. This beachfront city was pristine at the time. Robert was diagnosed with polio at the age of eleven. “Not enough to put me in an iron lung, but enough to keep me bedridden for weeks.”

It was painful for his parents to see him suffer with polio. His mother did everything in her power to stay positive. She prayed for his recovery and stunned her son with a surprise road trip to Yosemite. Eventually, Robert moved to the Sierras and worked at Yosemite National Park. Long before discovering his acting talent, Robert Redford realized he had a knack for sports. He was certain he’d end up excelling in this field, especially after being offered a baseball scholarship from the University of Colorado.

Redford chose this university because of his love for nature, and it was quite an accomplishment to get in since he was known as somewhat of a “scrappy kid.” By this point, it’s pretty obvious he was obsessed with the great outdoors in his youth, but was he interested in academics? Studying was never on Redford’s list of top priorities, but he welcomed the opportunity to go to college with open arms. After spending his entire life in California, he couldn’t wait to go to the University of Colorado and explore the breathtaking Rocky Mountains. As a kid, Robert had made fun of all the romance movie scenes, one day he starred in those scenes. He played a fair share of rebellious characters, but the first words that come to mind when someone mentions his name these days are “sophisticated,” “graceful,” and “legendary.”

Redford was highly influenced by his uncle David and when WWII broke out, this forced him to learn what it felt like to lose someone you love at an early age. His beloved uncle David passed away during the war, and his family never properly coped with this incredible loss. “They just didn’t talk about it”

Losing one of his most important role models was hard enough on the young Redford, but it wasn’t the only big loss he had to face. Redford was only 18 when his mother tragically passed away at age 40 from a rare blood disease. People deal with pain and loss in many different ways. Suppressing emotions and simply moving on was a method that Redford’s family used in this case, but this can erupt in different ways – A rebel as a teenager but he was love-struck by a fellow student named Lola Van Wagenen. The duo quickly realized they wanted to spend the rest of their lives together. Redford still wasn’t the man he wanted to be, and he knew he had to get his own life in order before starting a new one with someone else.

Around the same time that he met Lola, Redford discovered his love for theatre and his career started on stage.After studying art in Paris, France, and Italy, Redford felt it was time to go back to his home country. He had new dreams to fulfill – and putting a ring on Lola’s finger was the first item on his bucket list. The two lovebirds were only 21 when they secretly eloped in Las Vegas.

After becoming a married man, Redford was ready to fully focus on his acting career. Lola Van Wagenen was obviously his lucky charm since he landed his first Broadway role in 1959, only a year after they got married.The first show I ever did was Perry Mason, back in 1959.” Robert and Lola ended up bringing four beautiful children into the world, but their family life was far from perfect. Their relationship was tested when they had to face a heartbreaking tragedy when their first child was born in  September 1959,  Scott Anthony Redford. But their hearts were shattered two and a half months later, when he suffered from sudden infant death syndrome.

This loss took a huge toll on his family, but the actor never went into detail discussing his personal tragedies because he wanted to keep his public and private life separate. Losing his child was one of the biggest heartbreaks of his life, but he had to stay strong for himself and his wife. The 1960s also brought many great things into their lives, including expanding their family. Their daughter became an actress director.  Redford now has 7 grand kids. Redford and Lola parted ways in 1985, but they ended up buying some land in the beautiful state of Utah before separating. It all started in 1969 when the actor invested just $500 in some ski-land in this state, but his lot increased over time – just like his fame.

Redford has been described as “godfather of indie film” Sundance Film Festival provides independent filmmakers with a unique platform to share their work. His non-profit organization Sundance Institute is committed to helping young filmmakers bring their projects to a wider audience and to having their voices heard. In the movie “The end of Life” Robert says he never really thinks of retirement, cause to him, retirement means stopping something or quitting something. He has lived life well with wounds from loss and childhood. Today Robert contributes to the film industry behind the camera more than in films. “Why not live it as much as you can? As long as you can,” explained the legendary actor.

Barefoot in the Park (1967) Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) The Sting (1973) receiving his only nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actor. The Candidate (both 1972), The Way We Were (1973), The Great Gatsby (1974), Three Days of the Condor, and The Great Waldo Pepper (both 1975). All the President’s Men (1976). A Bridge Too Far (1977), and The Electric Horseman (1979). The Natural (1984) Out of Africa (1985).

Sneakers (1992), Indecent Proposal (1993), The Horse Whisperer (1998), An Unfinished Life (2005), All is Lost (2013), A Walk in the Woods (2015), Peter’s Dragon (2016), and The Discovery (2017). Winter Soldier (2014), Endgame (2019). Truth (2015). Our Souls at Night (2017), The Old Man & the Gun (2018). Where is Robert 2023?

“Whether its a captivating landscape, or a shift in perspective, the beauty of fall provides moments for reflection and meditation. Enjoy.” Robert Redford seems to be taking more time privately to ponder eternity. In 1980 he directrd his first film Ordinary People. It won Best Picture with Redford receiving the Best Director Award.

Robert directed these films: A River Runs Through It (1992), Quiz Show (1994), The Legend of Bagger Vance (1998), Lions for Lambs (2007), The Conspirator (2010), and The Company You Keep (2012). In 2002 he received the Academy Honorary Award as an “Actor, director, producer, creator of Sundance, inspiration to independent and innovative filmmakers everywhere.