Anecdotes

He often did his own stunts in action sequences but made sure the stunt men who were hired for it were paid, so as not to put anyone out of work.

Dislikes watching his own films. The only film in which he was completely satisfied with his own performance was L'Arnaque (1973).

He is the founder of the Sundance Film Festival, which he named after his character from the movie Butch Cassidy et le Kid (1969).

Was considered for the role of Michael Corleone in Le Parrain (1972).

2002: Awarded an honorary Academy Award for lifetime achievement as the creator of Sundance, an inspiration to independent and innovative filmmakers everywhere.

Father of Shauna Redford (born on 15 November 1960), James Redford (born on 15 May 1962) and Amy Redford (born on 22 October 1970). His oldest son Scott was born in 1959 and died shortly after from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.

He was pitcher on the University of Colorado baseball team, before losing his scholarship due to drinking.

His performance as the Sundance Kid in Butch Cassidy et le Kid (1969) is ranked #20 on the American Film Institute's 100 Heroes & Villains. This is a ranking he shares with Paul Newman, who portrayed Butch Cassidy.

Like his dear friend Paul Newman, both men had firstborn sons named Scott who predeceased their fathers.

His daughter, Shauna, was in a relationship with Sid Wells for three years until he was murdered on August 1, 1983. The suspect, roommate Thayne Smika, has been on the run since 1986 over theft charges. The first grand jury did not issue an indictment for murder believed to be a result of misconduct by the district attorney. After a cold case investigation in December 2010 an arrest warrant for the murder was issued. This was featured on The Hunt With John Walsh, which aired on August 10, 2014.

Lost out on the role of Ben Braddock in Le lauréat (1967) because director Mike Nichols didn't think anyone would believe Redford would have trouble getting "the girl".

1960: He spent his last $500 on two acres of land in Utah, an investment that would ultimately grow to 5,000 acres becoming home to his Sundance Institute. Redford purchase Timp Haven (ski resort) in 1969 and changed the name to Sundance Ski Resort which began operating under Redford's environmentally friendly policies. Sundance is located at the base of Utah's picturesque Mt. Timpanogos and in 1981 Redford formed the Sundance Institute and later the Sundance Film Festival which became too large for Sundance Ski Resort and was moved primarily to Park City, Utah.

His performance as Bob Woodward in Les Hommes du président (1976) is ranked #27 on the American Film Institute's 100 Heroes & Villains. This is a ranking he shares with Dustin Hoffman, who portrayed Carl Bernstein.

He appeared in five films written by William Goldman: Butch Cassidy et le Kid (1969), Les quatre malfrats (1972), La kermesse des aigles (1975), Les Hommes du président (1976) and Un pont trop loin (1977).

Along with Warren Beatty, Clint Eastwood, Mel Gibson, Richard Attenborough and Kevin Costner one of six people to win and Academy Award for Best Director, though they are mainly known as actors.

Was originally attached to Le verdict (1982), but dropped out prior to production because he didn't want the character to be "such a loser". Director Sidney Lumet was dismayed by Redford's demands to change the script. The role of Frank Galvin was taken over by his friend Paul Newman, who won an Oscar nomination.

He set up the Sundance Film Institute in Utah for independent filmmakers and in 1997 announced the creation of Sundance Cinemas, a venture with a major distributer to set up a chain of theaters for the screening of independent films. As of 2011, at least two are open.

He is an environmental conservationist and often advocates and supports natural causes.

Appeared in 7 movies that were directed by Sydney Pollack: Propriété interdite (1966), Jeremiah Johnson (1972), Nos plus belles années (1973), Les 3 jours du Condor (1975), Le cavalier électrique (1979), Out of Africa - Souvenirs d'Afrique (1985) and Havana (1990). They also both appeared in Le Mal de tuer (1962).

During the filming of All Is Lost (2013), Redford was so repeatedly soaked by a huge water hose, he suffered an infection in his left ear that ultimately cost him 60% of his hearing.

Lifelong friends with Sydney Pollack both men having made their feature film acting debuts in Le Mal de tuer (1962). Redford's very first acting job, however, was a bit part in the Perry Mason series The Case of the Treacherous Toupee (1960), as revealed to interviewer Lee Cowan on "Celebrating 40 Years of CBS Sunday Morning" (Sep 2018).

As a guest on Actors Studio (1994) (30 Jan. 2005), Redford confessed to host James Lipton that his favorite and least favorite words were, respectively, "Possible" and "Whatever".

Speaks Spanish fairly well, having lived in the south of Spain during the '50s.

Le Trésor de la Sierra Madre (1948) is his favorite film.

Directed 4 actors in Oscar nominated performances: Mary Tyler Moore, Judd Hirsch, Timothy Hutton and Paul Scofield. Hutton won for his performance in Des gens comme les autres (1980).

Turned down the leading roles in Qui a peur de Virginia Woolf? (1966), Le lauréat (1967), Rosemary's Baby (1968), Love Story (1970) and Chacal (1973).

During his senior year at Van Nuys High School, he met 15-year old sophomore Natalie Wood, who was already a star. They later worked together in Daisy Clover (1965) and Propriété interdite (1966) and became good friends. She also played herself in a cameo in his film Votez Mc Kay (1972). Eventually they lost touch, and Redford did not attend Wood's funeral after she died in a suspicious boating accident, at 43, in 1981.

1970s: Considered running for the U.S. Senate seat in his home state of Utah.

He was voted the 30th Greatest Movie Star of all time by Entertainment Weekly.

Was given a fishing rod in lieu of the agreed $75 payment for his first professional acting appearance, on a TV game show.

The # 1 seat of the Henri Langlois cinema of the Cinémathèque française in Paris bears a plaque of his name since 23 February 2019.

He is of English, Irish, Scottish, and Cornish descent. His patrilineal Redford line originates in Manchester, Lancashire, England. His paternal grandmother was born in England.

Married his longtime girlfriend, 51-year-old Sibylle Szaggars in Germany on July 11, 2009 at Louis C. Jacob hotel.

1995: Chosen by Empire magazine as one of the 100 Sexiest Stars in film history (#4).

He received a chevalier of the French Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (knight) for his work through the Sundance Institute, promoting independent film.

In Germany he shares his dubbing voice with Patrick Stewart and Sir Anthony Hopkins.

2005: Recipient of the Kennedy Center Honors. Other recipients were Tina Turner, Tony Bennett, Suzanne Farrell and Julie Harris.

He has appeared in three films that have been selected for the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically or aesthetically" significant: Butch Cassidy et le Kid (1969), L'Arnaque (1973) and Les Hommes du président (1976).

Robert Young, who was a star at MGM in the 1930s and starred in the TV series "Father Knows Best" and "Marcus Welby MD", was a cousin of his mother.

Alumnus of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts (AADA), Class of 1959.

He has appeared in four films that have been nominated for the Best Picture Oscar: Butch Cassidy et le Kid (1969), L'Arnaque (1973), Les Hommes du président (1976) and Out of Africa - Souvenirs d'Afrique (1985). The Sting and Out of Africa won in the category. He has also directed two Best Picture nominees: Des gens comme les autres (1980) and Quiz Show (1994), with the former winning in the category.

Lyrics to Mel Tillis' song "Coca Cola Cowboy" refer to "an Eastwood smile and Robert Redford hair".

German painter Bylle Szaggars-Redford has been his longtime companion since 1996.

He and famed Brooklyn Dodgers pitcher Don Drysdale were in the same high school graduating class (Van Nuys High School, Class of 1954).

After his suggestions of Warren Beatty, Alain Delon and Burt Reynolds to play the role of Michael Corleone in Le Parrain (1972) were rejected by Francis Ford Coppola, Paramount production chief Robert Evans suggested Redford. When Coppola demurred, preferring his first choice of Tony Award-winning Broadway actor Al Pacino, Evans explained that Redford could fit the role as he could be perceived as "northern Italian." Evans lost the struggle, Pacino was cast and a star was born.

He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian award, by President Barack Obama, in a live televised ceremony held in the East Room of the White House, on November 22, 2016, along with twenty other recipients, the the largest, and final Medal of Freedom ceremony of Obama's presidency. At this ceremony, the twenty-one recipients, in alphabetical order, included: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Elouise Cobell (posthumous award given to her son), Ellen DeGeneres, Robert De Niro, Richard Garwin, Bill Gates, Melinda Gates, Frank Gehry, Margaret Hamilton (as Margaret H. Hamilton), Tom Hanks, Rear Admiral Grace Hopper (posthumous award given to her niece), Michael Jordan, Maya Lin, Lorne Michaels, Newton Minow, Eduardo Padron (as Eduardo Padrón), Robert Redford, Diana Ross, Vin Scully, Bruce Springsteen, and Cicely Tyson.

Born to Charles Robert Redford Sr., an accountant, and his wife Martha W. (Hart). His father was from Rhode Island. His mother was born in Texas.

Stanley Kubrick offered him the titular role in Barry Lyndon (1975). Redford declined, and Kubrick gave the role to Ryan O'Neal.

Worked for two summers at Yosemite National Park.

He and his Un pont trop loin (1977) co-star Laurence Olivier are the only people to act in and direct different Academy Award for Best Picture winners: (1) Olivier played Maximilian de Winter in Rebecca (1940) and directed Hamlet (1948), in which he also played the title role and (2) Redford played Johnny Hooker in L'Arnaque (1973) and Denys Finch Hatton in Out of Africa - Souvenirs d'Afrique (1985) and directed Des gens comme les autres (1980).