CELEBRITY BIRTHDAY SPOTLIGHT

Robert Duval
Born: January 5, 1931
Place: San Diego, CA

Duvall grew up in a military family, living for a time in Annapolis, Maryland near the United States Navel Academy.

He served in the United States Army from 19 August 1953 to 20 August 1954, leaving as Private First Class. While stationed at Fort Gordon in Georgia, Duvall acted in an amateur production of the comedy “Room Service" in nearby Augusta.

After leaving the Army, Duvall studied acting at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of Theatre in New York under Sanford Meisner. While working to become an actor, he worked as a Manhattan post office clerk.

Duvall is friends with actors Dustin Hoffman and Gene Hackman whom he knew during their years as struggling actors. At one point, Duvall roomed with Hoffman while they were looking for work.

Duvall's screen debut was as Boo Radley in the critically acclaimed To Kill a Mockingbird (1962). Duvall later played the notorious malefactor Ned Pepper in True Grit (1969), but his breakout role was that of Tom Hagen in The Godfather (1972) and The Godfather Part II (1974), the former film earning him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. He received another Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor in A Civil Action and for his role as Lt. Colonel Kilgore in Apocalypse Now (1979). He also received a nomination for Best Actor in a Leading Role in The Great Santini as Lt. Col. "Bull" Meechum who was loosely based on world famous Marine Aviator, Colonel Donald Conroy. He won Oscar's Best Actor in Tender Mercies (1983).

He directed the critically acclaimed The Apostle, about a preacher on the run from the law, and Assassination Tango (2002). He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on September 18, 2003.

Duvall has been married four times. He speaks fluent Spanish and maintains a farm in The Plains in Virginia. He is an avid Tango dancer and soccer fan.