Robert Duvall, Oscar-Winning Acting Legend, Dies at 95

Academy Award-winning actor Robert Duvall died Sunday evening at his home in Middleburg, Virginia, his family announced in a statement on Monday. He was 95. His wife, Luciana Duvall, was by his side.

Born Jan. 5, 1931, in San Diego to U.S. Navy Rear Admiral William Duvall and Mildred Hart, Duvall was the middle of three children. He grew up primarily in Annapolis alongside his brothers, William Jr. and John “Jack” Duvall. After earning a bachelor’s degree in drama and briefly serving in the U.S. Army, he moved to New York to study at the Neighborhood Playhouse School under renowned acting teacher Sanford Meisner, laying the foundation for a career that would span more than six decades.

He became a household name as Tom Hagen, the consigliere to the Corleone family, in Francis Ford Coppola’s “The Godfather” (1972) and reprised the role in “The Godfather Part II.”

In 1984, Duvall won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance as country singer Mac Sledge in “Tender Mercies,” a role widely considered among the finest in American film. Over the years, he earned multiple Oscar nominations and acclaim for performances that ranged from stoic lawmen to complex antiheroes.

In keeping with his wishes, no formal service will be held. His family encourages those who wish to honor his memory to do so in a way that reflects the life he lived: by watching a great film, sharing a good story around a table with friends, or taking a drive through the countryside to appreciate the world’s beauty.

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