Born in San Diego, CA on Jan. 5, 1931, Robert Selden Duvall was raised in Annapolis, MD. The son of a Navy admiral, Duvall served in the US Army and later drew from this background for such performances as Kilgore in "Apocalypse Now" (1979) and career military man Bull Meecham in "The Great Santini" (1979). Duvall would also use his early experiences to inform a wide variety of Southern parts – an affinity perhaps owing to his father's Virginia roots – beginning with Boo Radley. During the mid-1950’s, Duvall gravitated to New York City, where he appeared off-Broadway in Horton Foote's one-act play, "The Midnight Caller" (1958) – the first of his many associations with the playwright. Duvall also acted in an acclaimed off-Broadway revival of Arthur Miller's "A View from the Bridge" (1965).

Duvall began acting on television in the early 1960s, racking up guest shots on series like "The Outer Limits" (ABC, 1963-65), "The Twilight Zone” (CBS, 1959-1964), "Route 66" (CBS, 1960-64) and "The Defenders" (CBS, 1961-65). As his film career blossomed, however, small screen credits eventually dwindled. Duvall’s rare television appearances nevertheless made an impact. Among his most famous was his Emmy-nominated portrayal of retired Texas Ranger Captain Augustus 'Gus' McCrae in the TV miniseries adaptation of Larry McMurtry's "Lonesome Dove" (CBS, 1989). In 2006, Duvall found himself back in familiar territory when he starred in the western “Broken Trail” (AMC, 2005-06), a two-part miniseries about an old cowboy (Duvall) and his nephew (Thomas Haden Church) who are forced to become protectors of five kidnapped Chinese women who have been sold into sexual slavery. For his work, Duvall earned a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Performance by an Actor in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television. He was also honored by the Screen Actors Guild, earning an award nomination for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries.

Duvall would remain, however, first and foremost, a movie actor. Having gained a solid reputation by the late 1960’s, Duvall closed out the decade with two notable performances. The first was as the unpredictable Ned Pepper in “True Grit” (1969), regarded by many as the definitive “John Wayne western.” That same year, Duvall earned kudos for his performance in Francis Ford Coppola’s drama, “The Rain People” (1969), marking the first of five collaborations between the actor and filmmaker.

Duvall continued to challenge himself with unusual roles through much of the 1970’s. Having portrayed an astronaut in director Robert Altman's "Countdown" (1968), Duvall reunited with the director for "M*A*S*H" (1970), a cutting anti-war dramedy set in Korea. As super-pious surgeon Major Frank Burns, Duvall showed off his formidable comedic chops, invoking flashes of brilliance not seen since his villainous turn in “True Grit.” The following year, Duvall gave one of his most unusual performances as the title character in George Lucas' feature directing debut, "THX 1138" (1971). Though the Orwellian sci-fi thriller did poorly in its initial release, the film since came to be re-evaluated in a more positive light. Duvall’s next project was the Horton Foote-scripted "Tomorrow" (1972) – regarded by many as the best film adaptation of a William Faulkner work. The story of a handyman who falls for an abandoned pregnant woman (Olga Bellin), “Tomorrow” garnered respectful reviews, but little business.

Bigger things lied in store for the actor, however. In late 1971, director Francis Ford Coppola tapped Duvall for the part of Tom Hagen, the loyal Corleone family consigliere in “The Godfather” (1972). One of Duvall’s best-known roles, Tom Hagen was an instrumental part of the Godfather story. Masterfully underplayed, yet powerfully effective, Duvall’s character would be fleshed out significantly in “The Godfather: Part II” (1974). Released just two years after, the sequel picked up where the original left off, continuing Mario Puzo’s inter-generational family saga. Interestingly, when Paramount green-lighted “The Godfather: Part III” (1990) some 16 years later, Duvall was naturally expected to participate. When he and the studio were unable to come to terms over salary, however, the character of Tom Hagen was regrettably dropped from the final script. Although financial issues led Duvall to pass on appearing in the less than operatic "Part III," the actor did join former co-stars Marlon Brando and James Caan in reprising their characters vocally for the much-anticipated videogame, "The Godfather: The Game."

Professionally speaking, Duvall truly came into his own as an actor towards the late 1970’s and early 1980’s. Already considered one of Hollywood’s top supporting actors by that point, Duvall left his indelible mark on a number of superior films. In 1979, the actor gave a tour-de-force performance as the sadistic Lt. Col. Bull Meechum in the film adaptation of Pat Conroy’s “The Great Santini.” Nominated for two Oscars, the film successfully re-energized Duvall’s career. Later that same year, Duvall appeared as the nothing-if-not-gung-ho Colonel Kilgore in Francis Ford Coppola’s epic war drama, “Apocalypse Now” (1979). Though his part was relatively small, Duvall would deliver one of modern cinema’s most memorable lines: “I love the smell of napalm in the morning… smells like victory.” However, it was not until the Oscar-winning "Tender Mercies" (1983) that the actor’s talents would formally be recognized. Delivering a career performance as faded country singer, Mac Sledge, Duvall perfectly captured the pain, heartache and despair of a once beloved entertainer. One of the best films of the year, “Tender Mercies” deservedly received two Osca