Robert Duvall, the legendary actor who passed away on Sunday at the age of 95, was celebrated for his uncanny ability to transform into any character. Throughout his decades-long career, he delivered defining performances as a sharp Mafia lawyer, a napalm-loving military officer, and a world-weary cowboy, among many others.
His journey in film began in the 1960s, driven by a constant quest for authenticity. Duvall would immerse himself in his roles, seeking inspiration from real life – from tracking down specific accents in East Texas to spending time with former criminals in East Harlem, and even shadowing police detectives for an investigator role.
Despite the acclaim for his precise portrayals, Duvall famously downplayed his transformative method. In a 1989 interview, he stated, “I don’t become the character! It’s still me — doing myself, altered.”
Let’s take a journey through some iconic moments from his celebrated career.
One early significant role was in the 1962 classic “To Kill a Mockingbird,” his debut film. In it, Duvall played Boo Radley, the reclusive but kind neighbor who ultimately saves Atticus Finch’s children from an attack. This black-and-white photo shows a man standing by a child’s bed, with another child looking up at him, capturing the film’s poignant essence.
The 1960s saw Duvall’s career gaining momentum. He honed his craft through intense character studies, as seen in an episode of “The Twilight Zone,” where he depicted Charley Parkes, an isolated misfit. A black-and-white photo captures him intently reading a piece of paper, reflecting his meticulous approach.
In 1971, Duvall collaborated with George Lucas on the set of “THX 1138,” Lucas’s feature directorial debut. A black-and-white photo shows Duvall, with a bald head, in conversation with a bespectacled George Lucas in a stark white room, highlighting their creative partnership.
For his role as the hustler Teach in David Mamet’s 1977 Broadway play “American Buffalo,” Duvall delved deep into research. He spent time with an ex-convict, from whom he adopted the unique mannerism of carrying his gun over his genitals. A black-and-white photo shows three men, with one sitting in the foreground and the other two standing over him with serious expressions, likely from the production.
Fans for years would approach Duvall, eager to recite a memorable line from Francis Ford Coppola’s 1979 war epic “Apocalypse Now.” He played Lt. Col. Bill Kilgore, famous for his declaration of loving “the smell of napalm in the morning.” A photo shows Duvall, on the left, speaking with Francis Ford Coppola while sitting on a camouflage green military vehicle, labeled “SQD. COM. LT. WM. KILGORE.”
Coppola was a frequent collaborator who helped solidify Duvall’s place in Hollywood, not only with “Apocalypse Now” but also with the first two “Godfather” films. Duvall’s portrayal of Tom Hagen, the Corleone family’s consigliere, is iconic. He is seen here in “The Godfather” (1972), leaning back in a black leather chair with a skeptical expression.
Duvall’s early life in a Navy family meant frequent relocations. This transient upbringing helped him develop a keen ear for diverse speech patterns and an eye for human mannerisms—skills that would profoundly shape his versatile acting career. A black-and-white portrait shows him looking out a window, dressed in a casual suit, with binoculars in front, against a floral wallpaper backdrop.
He earned his sole Academy Award for his role as Mac Sledge, a country singer, in Bruce Beresford’s 1983 drama “Tender Mercies.” A black-and-white photo captures him on stage, smiling and accepting his Oscar, embraced by a smiling Dolly Parton.
Another notable military role was Col. Bull Meechum, the frustrated warrior without a war, in “The Great Santini” (1979). A black-and-white photo shows him smiling in military gear, including a helmet.
In the 1998 courtroom drama “A Civil Action,” Duvall received an Oscar nomination for his performance as a lawyer, starring opposite John Travolta. The two later appeared together on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” that year. A photo shows them smiling on a festive stage, adorned with holiday décor, alongside Oprah Winfrey.
Duvall often shared in interviews that his favorite role was not a major big-screen character, but Augustus McCrae, an aging Texas Ranger on a cattle drive in “Lonesome Dove.” This 1989 CBS television mini-series was based on a Larry McMurtry novel. A black-and-white photo depicts him with a cowboy hat, smiling while seated on a chair outside a rustic home.
Although he was nominated for an Emmy for “Lonesome Dove,” he waited two decades for a win. His Emmy finally came for a performance of a similar nature: the worn-out cowboy Print Ritter in “Broken Trail” (2006), a two-part AMC movie. An image shows a man in a cowboy hat riding a horse across a vast grassy landscape, followed by other horses.
Duvall was photographed in 2010 at his home in The Plains, Fauquier County, Virginia, west of Washington. He and his wife, Luciana Duvall, chose a sprawling horse farm over Hollywood. He passed away peacefully at home. A portrait shows an older man in a blue shirt, looking out of frame to his right.
A correction was made on Feb. 17, 2026: An earlier version of a picture caption with this article misstated the name of the character Robert Duvall played in “Broken Trail.” It was Print Ritter, not Gus McCrae, who was his character in “Lonesome Dove.”
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