Robert Duvall, Star of The Godfather and The Great Santini, Dies at 95

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Robert Duvall, the acclaimed actor known for his roles in over 100 films and television shows – including classics like The Godfather, Apocalypse Now, and The Great Santini – has died at the age of 95. His wife, Luciana Duvall, announced that he passed away peacefully at home on February 15th, surrounded by loved ones. The Academy Award-winner leaves behind a remarkable legacy.

Luciana Duvall remembered him as far more than just an Oscar-winning actor and director. To her, he was everything. He poured his heart into his work and had a great love for acting, good food, and being with people. He fully embodied each character he played, bringing truth and humanity to every role. His work will be remembered forever. The family thanks everyone for their years of support and asks for privacy as they celebrate his life and memories.

Robert Duvall Dies at 95

Robert Duvall was born in San Diego, California, on January 5, 1931. He once joked that acting was the only thing he was good at. In the 1950s, he studied acting with Sanford Meisner, where he met future stars like Dustin Hoffman, Gene Hackman, and James Caan. Duvall began his career on stage, performing in plays such as A Streetcar Named Desire, before making his television debut in 1960 with appearances in popular shows like Alfred Hitchcock Presents, The Twilight Zone, The Virginian, The Untouchables, and The Wild Wild West. Around the same time, he landed his first film role as the mysterious Boo Radley in the classic movie To Kill a Mockingbird.

As a huge Robert Duvall fan, I’ve always been amazed by his work with Francis Ford Coppola. They first connected on the set of George Lucas’ THX-1138, where Coppola was an executive producer. That led to one of Duvall’s most famous roles – Tom Hagen in The Godfather and The Godfather Part II! He even got his first Oscar nomination for the first film. But their collaboration didn’t stop there. He then played Lt. Colonel Kilgore in Apocalypse Now, giving us that unforgettable line about napalm, and earning him another Oscar nomination. It’s just incredible to see how well they worked together!

In the same year Robert Duvall appeared in Apocalypse Now, he also starred in the war film The Great Santini, which earned him another Academy Award nomination. He finally won an Oscar in 1984 for Best Actor in Tender Mercies. Over the course of his career, Duvall received three more Oscar nominations: Best Actor for The Apostle (a film he also wrote and directed) in 1997, and Best Supporting Actor nominations for A Civil Action in 1998 and The Judge in 2014.

This is a developing story, it will be updated.

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2026-02-16 21:45