Robert Redford dead: Oscar winner and ‘Barefoot in the Park’ icon was 89

nypost.com ^ | Sep. 16, 2025 | Samantha Ibrahim and Tracy Swartz

[V_TWIN]

Robert Redford — a two-time Oscar winner who charmed audiences with “The Way We Were” and “Barefoot in the Park,” directed the complex dramas “Ordinary People” and “Quiz Show,” and founded the Sundance Institute to promote independent storytelling — has died. He was 89.

The Hollywood icon passed away early Tuesday morning at his home in Utah, Rogers & Cowan PMK chief executive Cindi Berger told the New York Times.

Berger said that Redford died in his sleep. No cause of death was given.

[kosciusko51]

I haven’t seen that one. I’ll have to check it out.

[Cletus.D.Yokel]

!! emot for the dead lefty !

Seinfeld: That’s a shame.

[dfwgator]

Had no idea he was that old.

[circlecity]

“ Big lefty but great actor.”

He was a lefty but I don’t recall him being obnoxious about it or using his celebrity to castigate those who disagreed with him. I respect his, and anyone else’s, right to their views. It never interfered with my respect and enjoyment of his art.

[No name given]

He was a talented actor, but that doesn’t mean I agreed with his politics.

[Bernard]

Not obnoxious, but sanctimonious. Similar to Ron Howard.

Tried watching The Natural, but the script made that feel like a 3 Stooges movie. Never really saw the acting appeal in any of his work, but opinions may vary.

[simpson96]

The authors must be young’uns, to put that film in the title when he had so many other more successful and memorable roles.

I’ve noticed this when other actors/singers have died recently.

[lowbridge]

“founded the Sundance Institute to promote independent storytelling”

As i understand it, he created the Sundance film festival because he saw small time, independent filmmakers getting squeezed out of showing their films at other film festivals.

The slots for film festivals were/are limited. There are thousands of new films every year and film festivals dont have the time to exhibit all the films out there. Its limited to anywhere from a couple dozen to a couple hundred. And more often than not, those limited slots went to the productions put out by major film studios with a cast of famous actors and huge budgets.

But as the years passed, the sundance film festival has turned into an A-List event, one of those festivals that featured movies that are produced by powerful people in hollywood, big budgets, and name casts.

[Chickensoup]

One of my favorite independent films PRIMER came out of Sundance.

[Ol' Dan Tucker]

Wow! He died again?! Second time today.

[MplsSteve]

I loved his performances in...

Sneakers
The Electric Horseman
Brubaker
The Last Castle
Lions For Lambs

[circlecity]

“ Tried watching The Natural, but the script made that feel like a 3 Stooges movie. Never really saw the acting appeal in any of his work, but opinions may vary.”

we can agree to disagree on that and still break bread together on that brother.

[Ge0ffrey]

Sundance Institute had telations with Havana.

[kosciusko51]

I forgot about Brubaker. He was good in that with a great ensemble cast.

[lasereye]

He and Jane Fonda were very good in Barefoot in the Park. It was very funny as you would expect of a Neil Simon play.

[Sequoyah101]

The Last Castle was a surprise and a decently made movie. Redford made a lot of watchable movies in his time.

I did not find him overtly obnoxious with his politics so didn’t care about that.

Condolences to the family. Rest in Peace.

[Repealthe17thAmendment]

These days actors speak of their job as being a craft, and one that requires all sorts of emotional risks. I have no idea, since I'm not an actor. But whenever I saw Robert Redford in a movie, or even his early TV work, it was difficult to see past what was his incredible presence. Sure, he delivered the lines with realism, and could draw you into the story. But there was always the sense that this guy was a movie star. And he always seemed to pick great stories, and was not afraid to team up with a screen rival like Paul Newman, who likely eclipsed him with star power. The two movies they made together, The Sting and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid are simply the best of their kind.