RIP - Robert Redford

[formulanone]

My dad used to take me to R rated movies all the time when I was a little kid.  I recall my mom being furious over RoboCop in particular.  The reasons for her anger went over my head at the time.

Saw RoboCop in the theatre when I was 13 with my brother and father. There was also a party of younger kids with some parents a couple rows ahead of us who were kind of noisy for the first few minutes of the movie...until the ED-209 appeared on the screen.

They were completely silent 30 seconds later.

[Henry]

Four of Robert Redford's best moments as Roy Hobbs stand out to me.

Striking out the Whammer before a fan shoots him in a Chicago hotel room:

Knocking the cover off the ball in his first Knights game:

Smashing the Wrigley Field clock:

And, of course, winning the NL pennant with the light-breaking walkoff home run:

Being a Red Sox fan, it makes sense that he patterned Hobbs after Ted Williams, who was a left-handed batter/thrower and wore the number 9.

[SEWIGuy]

Bolding those I haven't heard of off the top of my head. Born in 1982.

_	_	_	_	_
2010s	|	2000s	|	1990s
Leonardo DiCaprio	|	Leonardo DiCaprio	|	Tom Hanks
Robert Downey, Jr.	|	Tom Cruise	|	Tom Cruise
Vin Diesel	|	Russell Crowe	|	Jim Carrey
Chadwick Boseman	|	Tom Hanks	|	Matt Damon
Gwyneth Paltrow	|	Orlando Bloom	|	Mel Gibson
Scarlett Johansson	|	Brad Pitt	|	Harrison Ford
Tom Hardy	|	Will Smith	|	Al Pacino
Jeremy Renner	|	Seth Rogen	|	Arnold Schwarzenegger
Michael Keaton	|	Viggo Mortensen	|	Tommy Lee Jones
Chris Evans	|	Mel Gibson	|	Kevin Spacey
Mark Ruffalo	|	Denzel Washington	|	Pierce Brosnan
Jonah Hill	|	George Clooney	|	Gene Hackman
Benedict Cumberbatch	|	Jim Carrey	|	Morgan Freeman
Jennifer Lawrence	|	Johnny Depp	|	Kevin Costner
Bryce Dallas Howard	|	Steve Carell	|	Robin Williams
_	_	_	_	_
1980s	|	1970s	|	1960s
Harrison Ford	|	Al Pacino	|	Peter O'Toole
Bill Murray	|	Robert Redford	|	Audrey Hepburn
Eddie Murphy	|	Diane Keaton	|	Jack Lemmon
Michael Douglas	|	Woody Allen	|	John Wayne
Sigourney Weaver	|	Dustin Hoffman	|	Lee Marvin
William Hurt	|	Barbra Streisand	|	Natalie Wood
Tom Cruise	|	Faye Dunaway	|	Sean Connery
Glenn Close	|	Richard Dreyfuss	|	Omar Sharif
Tom Berenger	|	Clint Eastwood	|	Steve McQueen
Christopher Lloyd	|	Ellen Burstyn	|	Gregory Peck
Kathleen Turner	|	Roy Scheider	|	Richard Harris
Jack Nicholson	|	Julie Christie	|	Paul Newman
Meryl Streep	|	Jane Fonda	|	Hayley Mills
Danny DeVito	|	Jack Nicholson	|	Burt Lancaster
Dan Aykroyd	|	Harrison Ford	|	Sidney Poitier
_	_	_	_	_
1950s	|	1940s	|	1930s
Marlon Brando	|	Katharine Hepburn	|	Fred Astaire
Grace Kelly	|	Teresa Wright	|	The Marx Brothers
James Stewart	|	Gregory Peck	|	Tyrone Power
Yul Brynner	|	Gary Cooper	|	Norma Shearer
Danny Kaye	|	Ingrid Bergman	|	Judy Garland
Elizabeth Taylor	|	Judy Garland	|	Greta Garbo
Frank Sinatra	|	Bing Crosby	|	James Stewart
Dean Martin	|	Bob Hope	|	David Niven
William Holden	|	Greer Garson	|	Charles Laughton
Montgomery Clift	|	Cary Grant	|	Errol Flynn
Jerry Lewis	|	Clark Gable	|	Shirley Temple
Burt Lancaster	|	Bette Davis	|	Clark Gable
Humphrey Bogart	|	Olivia de Havilland	|	Jean Arthur
John Wayne	|	Spencer Tracy	|	Marlene Dietrich
Cary Grant	|	Celeste Holm	|	Ginger Rogers
_	_	_	_	_

Man, Kathleen Turner was all over the place in the 80s.

[hotdogPi]

Bolding those I haven't heard of off the top of my head. Born in 1999.

_	_	_	_	_
2010s	|	2000s	|	1990s
Leonardo DiCaprio	|	Leonardo DiCaprio	|	Tom Hanks
Robert Downey, Jr.	|	Tom Cruise	|	Tom Cruise
Vin Diesel	|	Russell Crowe	|	Jim Carrey
Chadwick Boseman	|	Tom Hanks	|	Matt Damon
Gwyneth Paltrow	|	Orlando Bloom	|	Mel Gibson
Scarlett Johansson	|	Brad Pitt	|	Harrison Ford
Tom Hardy	|	Will Smith	|	Al Pacino
Jeremy Renner	|	Seth Rogen	|	Arnold Schwarzenegger
Michael Keaton	|	Viggo Mortensen	|	Tommy Lee Jones
Chris Evans	|	Mel Gibson	|	Kevin Spacey
Mark Ruffalo	|	Denzel Washington	|	Pierce Brosnan
Jonah Hill	|	George Clooney	|	Gene Hackman
Benedict Cumberbatch	|	Jim Carrey	|	Morgan Freeman
Jennifer Lawrence	|	Johnny Depp	|	Kevin Costner
Bryce Dallas Howard	|	Steve Carell	|	Robin Williams
_	_	_	_	_
1980s	|	1970s	|	1960s
Harrison Ford	|	Al Pacino	|	Peter O'Toole
Bill Murray	|	Robert Redford	|	Audrey Hepburn
Eddie Murphy	|	Diane Keaton	|	Jack Lemmon
Michael Douglas	|	Woody Allen	|	John Wayne
Sigourney Weaver	|	Dustin Hoffman	|	Lee Marvin
William Hurt	|	Barbra Streisand	|	Natalie Wood
Tom Cruise	|	Faye Dunaway	|	Sean Connery
Glenn Close	|	Richard Dreyfuss	|	Omar Sharif
Tom Berenger	|	Clint Eastwood	|	Steve McQueen
Christopher Lloyd	|	Ellen Burstyn	|	Gregory Peck
Kathleen Turner	|	Roy Scheider	|	Richard Harris
Jack Nicholson	|	Julie Christie	|	Paul Newman
Meryl Streep	|	Jane Fonda	|	Hayley Mills
Danny DeVito	|	Jack Nicholson	|	Burt Lancaster
Dan Aykroyd	|	Harrison Ford	|	Sidney Poitier
_	_	_	_	_
1950s	|	1940s	|	1930s
Marlon Brando	|	Katharine Hepburn	|	Fred Astaire
Grace Kelly	|	Teresa Wright	|	The Marx Brothers
James Stewart	|	Gregory Peck	|	Tyrone Power
Yul Brynner	|	Gary Cooper	|	Norma Shearer
Danny Kaye	|	Ingrid Bergman	|	Judy Garland
Elizabeth Taylor	|	Judy Garland	|	Greta Garbo
Frank Sinatra	|	Bing Crosby	|	James Stewart
Dean Martin	|	Bob Hope	|	David Niven
William Holden	|	Greer Garson	|	Charles Laughton
Montgomery Clift	|	Cary Grant	|	Errol Flynn
Jerry Lewis	|	Clark Gable	|	Shirley Temple
Burt Lancaster	|	Bette Davis	|	Clark Gable
Humphrey Bogart	|	Olivia de Havilland	|	Jean Arthur
John Wayne	|	Spencer Tracy	|	Marlene Dietrich
Cary Grant	|	Celeste Holm	|	Ginger Rogers
_	_	_	_	_

(edit: add Jerry Lewis to the list; I thought he and Jerry Lee Lewis were the same person when I did it initially)

[DTComposer]

I think the 1970's was a peak era of the American movie industry. That was the last decade where Hollywood's movie studios took a lot of serious chances. Even "Star Wars" was one hell of a gamble back then. Since then it has been a long slide into increasingly predictable territory (we can blame that on "Star Wars" too). Today, a lot of series TV is objectively better than what Hollywood studios are putting into 2 hour movies.

You could even argue that was the *only* decade where studios took a lot of serious chances. If you look at a list of the "greatest" movies from earlier decades, they're dominated by well-established genre films: westerns, musicals, suspense, etc. The 70s existed in a small sliver of time between the demise of the old studio system and the rise of the new studio system (i.e., franchises and blockbusters).

I agree that television today is far outpacing films in terms of storytelling and acting - it's notable that a lot of actors who previously worked exclusively (or nearly so) in film are now showing up on television series.

Another thing that occurred to me: many of the enduring or "recognizable" names from earlier decades are perhaps known more for an overarching type or personality trait/quirk - one that could be easily impersonated or goofed on. Thanks to Warner Bros., I understood who Jimmy Cagney or Humphrey Bogart or Mae West or Bing Crosby or Jimmy Stewart were long before I saw any of their films. It would take me a minute to name a John Wayne movie, but I could bust out a (bad) impression of him on the spot.

Those types of actors have become less and less common, perhaps. You can do a Jimmy Stewart impersonation, but how do you do Tom Hanks (whose career is often compared to Stewart's)? Someone like Robert Redford, who was a huge star, a great actor, and very handsome in his prime, doesn't have that "quirk" that would make him indelible, or easily imitated.

[JayhawkCO]

The 1970s were fifty years ago.  That's over a decade more than our country's median age.  More people were born after the 1980s than were alive during the 1980s.  Redord's star power in the 1970s is almost irrelevant, and growing more so with every passing year.

Yet I've heard of 10/15 of the listed 30's actors and 12/25 from the 40's, all in and around the same time/delta.

I think the big divide in this thread isn't necessarily strictly age. Those who were in their teen years before smartphones became a thing had a much higher focus on movies than anyone younger.

And there's Kyle.

[Molandfreak]

I didn't think I'd ever hear from somebody who doesn't know who Robin Williams was in my life, but here we are...

[hotdogPi]

I didn't think I'd ever hear from somebody who doesn't know who Robin Williams was in my life, but here we are...

I've probably heard the name before, but it's a common enough first name and common enough last name that I couldn't definitively say someone famous with that name existed. I still don't know whether this person is male or female.

[JayhawkCO]

I didn't think I'd ever hear from somebody who doesn't know who Robin Williams was in my life, but here we are...

I've probably heard the name before, but it's a common enough first name and common enough last name that I couldn't definitively say someone famous with that name existed. I still don't know whether this person is male or female.

I don't really care that much about pop culture in general, but if there were a single actor on the list that I wish everyone knew, it would probably be Robin Williams.

[1995hoo]

I didn't think I'd ever hear from somebody who doesn't know who Robin Williams was in my life, but here we are...

I've probably heard the name before, but it's a common enough first name and common enough last name that I couldn't definitively say someone famous with that name existed. I still don't know whether this person is male or female.

Robin Williams is the man wearing the glasses:

[JayhawkCO]

Robin Williams is the man wearing the glasses:

And the one with the beard:

[Molandfreak]

Eh, I'd give a pass to Gen Alpha on not knowing Robert Redford, but you'd have to live under a rock to not know who he is otherwise, especially given his appearance in the Marvel movies.

And, if those who don't know who he is are genuinely interested by your terse "Who?" posts in here, but unwilling to Google on your own, I'll gladly assign you homework due to your interest in being educated:

Please watch the movies Sneakers (1992), Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid (1969), All the President's Men (1976) and, heck, why not Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014).

Write a 1000-word report on your reactions.

New assignment/watch list:

Popeye (1980), The World According to Garp (1982), Good Morning, Vietnam (1987), Dead Poets Society (1989), Hook (1991), Aladdin (1992), Mrs. Doubtfire (1993), Jumanji (1995), Jack (1996), Flubber (1997), Good Will Hunting (1997), Patch Adams (1998), One Hour Photo (2002), Robots (2005), Night at the Museum (2006), Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (2009), Old Dogs (2009), The Butler (2013), Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb (2014).

And heck, might as well binge watch the series Mork & Mindy (1978-1982).

[JayhawkCO]

New assignment/watch list:

Popeye (1980), The World According to Garp (1982), Good Morning, Vietnam (1987), Dead Poets Society (1989), Hook (1991), Aladdin (1992), Mrs. Doubtfire (1993), Jumanji (1995), Jack (1996), Flubber (1997), Good Will Hunting (1997), Patch Adams (1998), One Hour Photo (2002), Robots (2005), Night at the Museum (2006), Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (2009), Old Dogs (2009), The Butler (2013), Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb (2014).

And heck, might as well binge watch the series Mork & Mindy (1978-1982).

For a Cliff's Notes version, just Good Morning, Vietnam; Dead Poets Society; Hook; and Good Will Hunting would suffice.

[formulanone]

New assignment/watch list:

Popeye (1980), The World According to Garp (1982), Good Morning, Vietnam (1987), Dead Poets Society (1989), Hook (1991), Aladdin (1992), Mrs. Doubtfire (1993), Jumanji (1995), Jack (1996), Flubber (1997), Good Will Hunting (1997), Patch Adams (1998), One Hour Photo (2002), Robots (2005), Night at the Museum (2006), Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (2009), Old Dogs (2009), The Butler (2013), Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb (2014).

And heck, might as well binge watch the series Mork & Mindy (1978-1982).

For a Cliff's Notes version, just Good Morning, Vietnam; Dead Poets Society; Hook; and Good Will Hunting would suffice.

Extra credit: one of his HBO comedy specials

[kphoger]

I agree that television today is far outpacing films in terms of storytelling and acting - it's notable that a lot of actors who previously worked exclusively (or nearly so) in film are now showing up on television series.

And how about that wonderful little project from Steve Martin, Selena Gomez, and Martin Short:  Only Murders in the Building?  Part of the reason it's so good is that they allow themselves to deviate from the traditional TV format.

My dad used to take me to R rated movies all the time when I was a little kid.

Saw RoboCop in the theatre when I was 13 with my brother and father.

I grew up watching all sorts of movies at home with my family.  There's no way I could tell you the first R-rated movie I ever saw.  I do remember, from back in the first grade or so, being scared of claw-handled sinks because I'd watched A Nightmare on Elm Street 3—but I think that's the only movie that ever gave me any bad dreams or daytime fears.  I think I probably saw The Silence of the Lambs sometime around sixth grade or so with my dad and sister.

It was a small town where I grew up, and the movie theater only had one screen.  Less popular movies would play one week-end, more popular movies would play more than one.  From fifth grade through at least junior high, I used to go see every movie with one or two friends, no matter what movie it was.  If it was rated R, then I could simply call my parents from the theater, they'd tell the theater staff that it was OK for me to see the movie, and that was good enough.  Most of time, nobody even bothered making me call, though.  I have to bite my lip when people suggest that good Christian parents would never let their kids watch movies with sex and gore and drugs and stuff, because that stuff was never off limits in this pastor's kid's home in the 1990s.

Yet I've heard of 10/15 of the listed 30's actors and 12/25 from the 40's, all in and around the same time/delta.

I think the big divide in this thread isn't necessarily strictly age. Those who were in their teen years before smartphones became a thing had a much higher focus on movies than anyone younger.

And there's Kyle.

A big part of it is that I've just never been very good at remembering (or caring to learn) what the names of different actors are.  With most people, if they're trying to remember the name of a movie, they could say something like "You know, it's the one with Boaty McBoatface and Eugenia Wigglesworth in it", and then everyone else would say, "Oh, yeah, do you mean _______?"  But, with me, if I can't think of the name of a movie, and someone asks me who stars in it, chances are my answer will be "I don't know."  There's a short list of actors and actresses whose names I can match up, but there aren't many on that list.

I didn't think I'd ever hear from somebody who doesn't know who Robin Williams was in my life, but here we are...

I've probably heard the name before, but it's a common enough first name and common enough last name that I couldn't definitively say someone famous with that name existed.

He's definitely on my short list of actors I know by name.

[DTComposer]

New assignment/watch list:

Popeye (1980), The World According to Garp (1982), Good Morning, Vietnam (1987), Dead Poets Society (1989), Hook (1991), Aladdin (1992), Mrs. Doubtfire (1993), Jumanji (1995), Jack (1996), Flubber (1997), Good Will Hunting (1997), Patch Adams (1998), One Hour Photo (2002), Robots (2005), Night at the Museum (2006), Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (2009), Old Dogs (2009), The Butler (2013), Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb (2014).

And heck, might as well binge watch the series Mork & Mindy (1978-1982).

For a Cliff's Notes version, just Good Morning, Vietnam; Dead Poets Society; Hook; and Good Will Hunting would suffice.

I love Hook, but I would replace it with Aladdin, recognizing just how little of what he did was scripted. Then I would add one of the comedy specials, probably A Night at the Met. Maybe add The Birdcage.

I think the goal would be to show how, for most of us, Williams came into our consciousness as a (cocaine-fueled) absolute ball of manic improvisational genius, then showed us remarkable range and depth as an actor.

[JayhawkCO]

New assignment/watch list:

Popeye (1980), The World According to Garp (1982), Good Morning, Vietnam (1987), Dead Poets Society (1989), Hook (1991), Aladdin (1992), Mrs. Doubtfire (1993), Jumanji (1995), Jack (1996), Flubber (1997), Good Will Hunting (1997), Patch Adams (1998), One Hour Photo (2002), Robots (2005), Night at the Museum (2006), Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (2009), Old Dogs (2009), The Butler (2013), Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb (2014).

And heck, might as well binge watch the series Mork & Mindy (1978-1982).

For a Cliff's Notes version, just Good Morning, Vietnam; Dead Poets Society; Hook; and Good Will Hunting would suffice.

I love Hook, but I would replace it with Aladdin, recognizing just how little of what he did was scripted. Then I would add one of the comedy specials, probably A Night at the Met. Maybe add The Birdcage.

I think the goal would be to show how, for most of us, Williams came into our consciousness as a (cocaine-fueled) absolute ball of manic improvisational genius, then showed us remarkable range and depth as an actor.

I just think part of what makes Robin Williams special were his facial expressions and just general physicality. I love Aladdin, and watch it far too often with a 3-year-old, but Hook, to me, shows up Williams' range even better.

[Max Rockatansky]

I guess a lot of people are just now finding out this meme features Robert Redford:

[DTComposer]

I agree that television today is far outpacing films in terms of storytelling and acting - it's notable that a lot of actors who previously worked exclusively (or nearly so) in film are now showing up on television series.

And how about that wonderful little project from Steve Martin, Selena Gomez, and Martin Short:  Only Murders in the Building?  Part of the reason it's so good is that they allow themselves to deviate from the traditional TV format.

It's one of the handful of shows I make time to watch nowadays.

I was also thinking of Harrison Ford in Shrinking - a late-career comic lean into his lovable curmudgeon persona.

[JayhawkCO]

I guess a lot of people are just now finding out this meme features Robert Redford:

It just looks so much like Zach Galifianakis.

[Scott5114]

I don't care if you're too lazy to click on it or not.

I hate to break this to you, but this place isn't just about you. There are many here who know don't know what the link is. Your apathy doesn't preclude others from discussing.

Cute...but ultimately a failure. I clearly stated that I don't care if he reads it or not.

If you don't care whether anyone reads your posts, then I can just not do that and pretend they're about something more interesting than Robert Redford.

No, pineapple on pizza isn't the wave of the future, you unfettered charlatan.

That might be you, but most old people do watch movies

FTFY

[Takumi]

I'm more familiar with Ellen Burstyn because she plays Detective Stabler's mother in the Law & Order universe than anything else.

[Rothman]

New assignment/watch list:

Popeye (1980), The World According to Garp (1982), Good Morning, Vietnam (1987), Dead Poets Society (1989), Hook (1991), Aladdin (1992), Mrs. Doubtfire (1993), Jumanji (1995), Jack (1996), Flubber (1997), Good Will Hunting (1997), Patch Adams (1998), One Hour Photo (2002), Robots (2005), Night at the Museum (2006), Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (2009), Old Dogs (2009), The Butler (2013), Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb (2014).

And heck, might as well binge watch the series Mork & Mindy (1978-1982).

For a Cliff's Notes version, just Good Morning, Vietnam; Dead Poets Society; Hook; and Good Will Hunting would suffice.

Extra credit: one of his HBO comedy specials

You guys forgot Awakenings.

[formulanone]

New assignment/watch list:

Popeye (1980), The World According to Garp (1982), Good Morning, Vietnam (1987), Dead Poets Society (1989), Hook (1991), Aladdin (1992), Mrs. Doubtfire (1993), Jumanji (1995), Jack (1996), Flubber (1997), Good Will Hunting (1997), Patch Adams (1998), One Hour Photo (2002), Robots (2005), Night at the Museum (2006), Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (2009), Old Dogs (2009), The Butler (2013), Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb (2014).

And heck, might as well binge watch the series Mork & Mindy (1978-1982).

For a Cliff's Notes version, just Good Morning, Vietnam; Dead Poets Society; Hook; and Good Will Hunting would suffice.

Extra credit: one of his HBO comedy specials

You guys forgot Awakenings.

Didn't know we were IMDBRoads...

[Rothman]

New assignment/watch list:

Popeye (1980), The World According to Garp (1982), Good Morning, Vietnam (1987), Dead Poets Society (1989), Hook (1991), Aladdin (1992), Mrs. Doubtfire (1993), Jumanji (1995), Jack (1996), Flubber (1997), Good Will Hunting (1997), Patch Adams (1998), One Hour Photo (2002), Robots (2005), Night at the Museum (2006), Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (2009), Old Dogs (2009), The Butler (2013), Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb (2014).

And heck, might as well binge watch the series Mork & Mindy (1978-1982).

For a Cliff's Notes version, just Good Morning, Vietnam; Dead Poets Society; Hook; and Good Will Hunting would suffice.

Extra credit: one of his HBO comedy specials

You guys forgot Awakenings.

Didn't know we were IMDBRoads...

In a thread about a movie actor, the discussion will typically involve movies.