Robert Duvall

He tied the nuptials four times, with Barbara Benjamin (1964-75), Gail Youngs (1982-86), Sharon Brophy (1991-96) and lastly to Luciana Pedraza (2005 - till date).

Not many know that he is a trained Argentina Tango dancer and has a Tango Studio of his own in Argentina and the United States.

Besides his work commitments and crazy schedule, he works for the Robert Duvall Children’s Fund which he founded along with his wife Pedraza for assisting families in Northern Argentina through renovations of homes, schools, and medical facilities.

Robert Selden Duvall was born to William Howard Duvall and Mildred Virginia in San Diego, California. While his father was a Virginia-born US Navy admiral, his mother was an amateur actress.

He had an English, German, Swiss German, French Huguenot, Welsh and Scottish ancestry. He was raised in Christian Science religion.

He received his formal education from Severn School. He graduated from The Principia in St Louis Missouri in 1953 and later enrolled at the Principia College in Illinois.

From 1955 until 1957, he studied at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of Theater in New York, wherein he was trained by Sanford Meisner. It was there that he befriended Dustin Hoffman and Gene Hackman

Besides receiving his acting training, he took up odd jobs for survival which included working as a clerk in Manhattan post office, doing clerical work at Macy’s and driving a truck

His first stint at acting professionally was in 1952, playing the role of a Pilot for a stage show, Laughter in the Stars, an adaptation of The Little Prince.

He was drafted to serve the United States Army for a year from 1953 to 1954. It was during his service at the military that he acted in an amateur production of the comedy, ‘Room Service’.

After relieving himself of the military duties, he returned to theater and was cast in a variety of roles in 1955 including, Eddie Davis in Ronald Alexander's ‘Time Out For Ginger’, Hal Carter in William Inge's ‘Picnic’, Charles Wilder in John Willard's ‘The Cat And The Canary’, Paris in Arthur Miller's ‘The Crucible’ and John the Witchboy in William Berney and Howard Richardson's ‘Dark Of The Moon’.

Just as the 1955 season, the 1956 season was even jam-packed for this budding star who was seen in a number of theatre productions such as Frederick Knott's ‘Dial M For Murder’, Inge's ‘Bus Stop’ and John van Druten's ‘I Am A Camera’.

Tremendous artistic capabilities and acting talent won him much popularity and varied roles. Year 1957 witnessed him play the characters of Mr. Mayher in Agatha Christie's ‘Witness For The Prosecution’, Hector in Jean Anouilh's ‘Thieves' Carnivall’ and Eddie Carbone in Arthur Miller's ‘A View from the Bridge’

For his exemplary artistic talent and acting skills, he has been nominated six times to the prestigious Academy Awards, winning once for ‘Tender Mercies’. Furthermore, out of his six nominations at the Golden Globe, he won four times.

In addition to this, he has won one each of BAFTA, Screen Actors Guild Award, and Emmy Award.

He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2003.

In 2005, he was felicitated by President George W. Bush with the National Medal of Arts at the White House.