Utah, September 18, 2025
News Summary
Robert Redford, the iconic Academy Award-winning actor and founder of the Sundance Film Festival, has passed away at his home in Utah. Known for his roles in classic films such as ‘Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,’ Redford was a pivotal figure in American cinema for over five decades. His commitment to independent film and conservation work has greatly influenced the film industry and community in Utah. The announcement of his death comes as a great loss to fans and the film community alike.
Utah — Robert Redford, the Academy Award winner and founder of the Sundance Film Festival, died at his home in Utah on Tuesday, Sept. 16. He was 89 years old and passed away in his sleep, and his publicist confirmed the news.
Overview: Who died and what is most important
Redford was a leading figure in American film for more than half a century, known both for acting in major studio pictures and for building one of the country’s most influential platforms for independent cinema. His career included roles in All the President’s Men, The Natural, Sneakers, Quiz Show, and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. He also founded the Sundance Film Festival, which grew to become the largest independent film festival in the U.S.
Key details and immediate context
Redford’s last major starring role was in the 2018 film The Old Man & the Gun, which was primarily filmed in Fort Worth, Texas. That film dramatized the true story of Forrest Tucker, who escaped from San Quentin at age 70 and robbed banks; Tucker was apprehended in 2000 and sentenced to 13 years in a Texas facility. Across his career, Redford moved between high-profile Hollywood projects and deeply held commitments to independent film and local conservation efforts.
Personal background and ties to place
Redford was born and raised in Santa Monica, California. He maintained ties to Texas through his mother’s origins from Austin and by spending summers in Austin and San Marcos as a child. He learned to swim in Barton Springs, Texas. Over time he established deep roots in Utah, where he purchased two acres in Provo Canyon in 1961 with his first wife, Lola Van Wagenen, and later bought the Timp Haven ski resort in 1969, renaming it Sundance Mountain Resort.
Family and private life
Redford and Lola Van Wagenen had four children: Scott, Shauna, James, and Amy. Scott died shortly after birth in 1959 from SIDS; James passed away from cancer in 2020 at age 58. Redford married his second wife, Sibylle Szaggars, in 2009 after meeting her at the Sundance resort. He also owned a 30-acre horse ranch in Charleston, Utah, which he named Horse Whisperer Ranch.
Arts and conservation work
Redford’s investment in Utah extended beyond personal property. He envisioned preserving the Sundance property for environmental conservation and artistic endeavors and founded the Sundance Institute at the resort to support independent artists and audiences. He later renamed the Utah/US Film Festival to the Sundance Film Festival in 1991. In 2020, Redford sold Sundance Mountain Resort after more than 50 years of ownership, citing the weight of maintaining the property.
He was active in local community and environmental initiatives throughout his life in Utah. His environmental activism included efforts to prevent the construction of a coal plant and a freeway in Provo Canyon. Redford said life in Utah was a better fit for him than Los Angeles and described Los Angeles as phony and superficial.
What this means for film and local communities
Redford’s death marks the loss of an influential figure who bridged mainstream Hollywood and independent film cultures. His institutional legacy—the Sundance Institute and the Sundance Film Festival—continues to shape which films gain national attention and which filmmakers receive development support. Locally in Utah, his long-term presence shaped conservation debates, property preservation, and community arts programming that have outlasted his ownership of certain properties.
Background timeline
- 1936–1950s: Born and raised in Santa Monica, California; childhood summers in Austin and San Marcos, Texas.
- 1961: Purchased two acres in Provo Canyon, Utah, with wife Lola Van Wagenen.
- 1969: Bought Timp Haven ski resort and renamed it Sundance Mountain Resort.
- 1991: Renamed the Utah/US Film Festival to the Sundance Film Festival.
- 2009: Married Sibylle Szaggars after meeting her at the Sundance resort.
- 2018: Starred in The Old Man & the Gun, filmed primarily in Fort Worth, Texas.
- 2020: Sold Sundance Mountain Resort after more than 50 years of ownership.
- 2025: Died at his home in Utah on Tuesday, Sept. 16, at age 89.
Immediate confirmations and reporting
His publicist confirmed the news. Further details about private services or memorial plans were not included here.
FAQ
Q: When did Robert Redford die?
A: He died at his home in Utah on Tuesday, Sept. 16.
Q: How old was Robert Redford?
A: He was 89 years old and passed away in his sleep.
Q: Who confirmed the news of his death?
A: His publicist confirmed the news.
Q: What are some of Robert Redford’s notable films?
A: Redford was known for his roles in iconic films such as All the President’s Men, The Natural, Sneakers, Quiz Show, and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.
Q: What is Robert Redford’s connection to the Sundance Film Festival?
A: He founded the Sundance Film Festival, now the largest independent film festival in the U.S., and renamed the Utah/US Film Festival to the Sundance Film Festival in 1991.
Q: Where was Robert Redford born and raised?
A: Redford was born and raised in Santa Monica, California.
Q: What ties did Robert Redford have to Texas?
A: He had ties to Texas, including his mother’s origins from Austin; he spent summers in Austin and San Marcos as a child; and he learned to swim in Barton Springs, Texas.
Q: What was Redford’s last major starring role and where was it filmed?
A: His last major starring role was in the 2018 film The Old Man & the Gun, which was primarily filmed in Fort Worth, Texas.
Q: What true story did The Old Man & the Gun tell?
A: The film tells the true story of Forrest Tucker, who escaped from San Quentin at age 70 and robbed banks; Tucker was apprehended in 2000 and sentenced to 13 years in a Texas facility.
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Death | He died at his home in Utah on Tuesday, Sept. 16. |
| Age and circumstances | He was 89 years old and passed away in his sleep. |
| Confirmation | His publicist confirmed the news. |
| Notable films | All the President’s Men; The Natural; Sneakers; Quiz Show; Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid |
| Sundance | He founded the Sundance Film Festival, now the largest independent film festival in the U.S. |
| Birthplace | Redford was born and raised in Santa Monica, California. |
| Texas ties | His mother’s origins from Austin; summers in Austin and San Marcos as a child; learned to swim in Barton Springs, Texas. |
| Last major film | The Old Man & the Gun (2018), primarily filmed in Fort Worth, Texas. |
| Sundance property | Purchased two acres in Provo Canyon, Utah, in 1961; bought Timp Haven ski resort in 1969 and renamed it Sundance Mountain Resort; sold Sundance Mountain Resort in 2020 after more than 50 years of ownership. |
| Family | Married Lola Van Wagenen (four children: Scott, Shauna, James, Amy); Scott died shortly after birth in 1959 from SIDS; James passed away from cancer in 2020 at age 58; married Sibylle Szaggars in 2009. |
| Ranch | Owned a 30-acre horse ranch in Charleston, Utah, named Horse Whisperer Ranch. |
| Activism | Efforts to prevent the construction of a coal plant and a freeway in Provo Canyon; active in local community and environmental initiatives throughout his life in Utah. |
Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic
HERE Resources
Additional Resources
- The New York Times
- People
- Realtor.com
- Fox 13 Now
- KSL TV
- Wikipedia: Robert Redford
- Google Search: Robert Redford Utah
- Google Scholar: Robert Redford film legacy
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Robert Redford
- Google News: Robert Redford death
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