Robert Duvall, Hollywood Legend From Apocalypse Now And The Godfather, Dead At 95

Actor Robert Duvall has died at 95 on February 15. The award-winning actor was at home and at peace, per a Facebook post from his wife, Luciana Duvall. The cause of Duvall's death has not been confirmed at this time.

One of the finest actors of his generation, Duvall began his career on the theatrical stage in 1952. He first appeared on TV in 1959, and then proceeded to make his mark on the big screen in 1962's Academy Award-winning "To Kill a Mockingbird." Since his role as Boo Radley, the gentle but distant neighbor of Atticus Finch (Gregory Peck), Duvall became part of even more of the greatest movies of all time, from "The Godfather" to "Apocalypse Now." 

Over the decades, he was nominated for dozens of high profile awards, not all of which came from his work with Francis Ford Coppola. In 1984, he won his first and only Academy Award for best actor for his turn as country singer Mac Sledge in the 1983 drama "Tender Mercies," which also earned him a Golden Globe.

According to the statement by Ms. Duvall, "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."

Watch a legendary movie, and there's a fair chance that you'll see Robert Duvall stealing any scene he can get. In fact, to list his most captivating roles, you might have to list virtually all of his roles. 

Fans might remember Duvall as the mafia family 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," where he delivered the famous line: "I love the smell of napalm in the morning."  

As he did for "To Kill a Mockingbird," Duvall brought to careful, memorable life Major Frank Burns in the 1970 film "M*A*S*H" (the antagonistic character Larry Linville would later take on for the TV series), the retiring Sergeant Martin Prendergast in the Michael Douglas-led rampage flick "Falling Down," and the titular character in George Lucas' first movie, the imaginatively weird sci-fi social commentary "THX 1138." 

These are just a handful of Duvall's biggest or most notable roles. In other words, Duvall was one of those rare actors who could elevate virtually any movie, regardless of genre. A look at Duvall's full resume makes it easy to believe that he was a once-in-a-lifetime talent. Perhaps he was. 

Though Duvall is no longer with us, the actor was enthusiastic 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 depart on. Duvall will be missed, but the work he contributed to will endure.