We are much saddened by the death of Robert Redford, the “golden boy” of American film and the one of the greatest 20th century movie stars.

Specifically, Redford died on Sept. 16 at age 89 at his home at Sundance in the mountains of Utah, a place he loved, surrounded by those who he loved.

Regarding Redford’s “significance,
AI Overview noted on Sept. 26 that “Robert Redford’s legacy encompasses his influential acting career, his visionary founding of the Sundance Institute and Sundance Film Festival which championed independent film, and his dedicated environmental activism and philanthropy through the Redford Center,

“He is remembered as a cinematic icon, an advocate for artistic freedom, and a champion for environmental protection.”

Redford was a staunch Democrat and a long-time critic of conservative Republican President Donald Trump, at one point calling the president “dictator-like.” The actor also slammed Trump as someone who “degrades everything he touches” in a 2019 op-ed for The Washington Post. 

However, upon Redford’s death, Trump, much to his credit, did not address the actor’s previous criticisms of him politically, and instead praised the two-time Oscar-winner’s body of work.

When then pressed by reporters to name his favorite Redford film, the president replied, “Well, you have a lot of them … I’d say he made seven or eight great movies, they were really great. There was a period of time when he was the hottest... I thought he (Redford) was great.”

Among the terrific films in which Redford either starred, or co-starred, were his two Oscar-winners, “Ordinary People” and “The Sting,” along with much-loved classics such as “Butch Cassidy and Sundance Kid,” “The Natural,” “The Great Gatsby,” “All the President’s Men,” “Jeremiah Johnson” and “Three Days on the Condor” and “Barefoot in the Park.”

In his film career, Redford played many iconic roles, including the cunning criminal, “the Sundance Kid,” which he stated was his favorite role.

Ultimately, we salute Redford for “the way he was” in his smashing career as an actor, director and producer -— and for the great films he made for the everlasting entertainment, inspiration and delight of humanity.