Robert Duvall, one of Hollywood’s true greats and George Lucas’ first leading man in 1971’s THX 1138 – has passed away. He was 95, and died peacefully at his home in Middleburg, Virginia on Sunday. Nominated for seven Academy Awards and winning in 1983 for Tender Mercies, Duvall will be best remembered for Tom Hagen in The Godfather Parts 1 and 2, Lieutenant Colonel Bill Kilgore in Apocalypse Now, and in the 90’s in films like Deep Impact and the underrated Falling Down.
Duvall was known for numerous tough-guy roles over an impressive six-decade career, such as the mafia consigliere in The Godfather and the forceful army officer in Apocalypse Now.
He only had a few minutes of screen time but his famous line in Francis Ford Coppola’s 1979 classic, “I love the smell of napalm in the morning”, became legendary.
His role in the Vietnam war epic made him a star.
The character was originally meant to be even more over the top but Duvall toned it down and the name was changed from Captain Carnage to Lieutenant Colonel William Kilgore.
“I did my homework,” Duvall told veteran talk show host Larry King in 2015. “I did my research.
Nominated for seven Oscars, Duvall won best actor in 1983 for playing a washed-up country singer in Tender Mercies.
His other roles included a bullying corporate executive in 1976’s Network, and a Marine officer in 1979’s The Great Santini, as well as parts in 1990’s The Handmaid’s Tale and 2014’s The Judge alongside Robert Downey Jr.
Duvall often said his favourite role was as the Texas Ranger-turned-cowboy Augustus McCrae in Lonesome Dove in the 1989 TV mini-series, based on the novel by Larry McMurtry.
He made his screen debut in the 1963 film adaptation of Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird, playing the reclusive Boo Radley.
