Robert Redford, the Last All-American Movie Star

“All Americans born between 1890 and 1945 wanted to be movie stars,” wrote Gore Vidal. Robert Redford was an exception. He was an aspiring painter who made a truce with his professional destiny. His handsomeness enchanted moviegoers and magazine editors, but he was more motivated by the acting craft than vanity. He avoided Hollywood during its last golden age and found refuge outside Provo, Utah, on his majestic ranch—initially a two-acre purchase in 1961 when he had some dollars to spare with an uncertain acting future. He died there in his sleep on Tuesday at 89.