Early Life
The son of a U.S. Navy admiral, Duvall studied drama at Principia College and trained at the Neighborhood Playhouse in New York under Sanford Meisner.
Career
He made his film debut in To Kill a Mockingbird (1962) as Boo Radley, then played Tom Hagen in The Godfather (1972) and its sequel, and Lt. Col. Kilgore in Apocalypse Now (1979). He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for Tender Mercies (1983) and earned nominations for The Great Santini, The Apostle (which he also wrote and directed), A Civil Action and The Judge.
Legacy
Duvall received the National Medal of Arts in 2005. He died on February 15, 2026, at age 95.
Sources and further reading
Last updated: 2026-09-24