Legendary Actor Robert Duvall Has Passed Away at 95
Robert Duvall largely avoided horror films, but he did star in Apocalypse Now, which is a literal descent into hell.
From THR: Robert Duvall, the steely-eyed actor whose performances in the first two Godfather films, Apocalypse Now, The Great Santini, Lonesome Dove, and The Apostle made him one of the finest actors of any generation, has died. He was 95.
Duvall, who received an Academy Award — one of his seven Oscar nominations — for his performance as an alcoholic country singer in Tender Mercies (1983), died Sunday at home on his Virginia ranch “surrounded by love and comfort,” his wife, Luciana, announced.
“To the world, he was an Academy Award-winning actor, a director, a storyteller. To me, he was simply everything,” she said in a statement. “His passion for his craft was matched only by his deep love for characters, a great meal, and holding court. For each of his many roles, Bob gave everything to his characters and to the truth of the human spirit they represented. In doing so, he leaves something lasting and unforgettable to us all. Thank you for the years of support you showed Bob and for giving us this time and privacy to celebrate the memories he leaves behind.”
Duvall’s line in Apocalypse Now, “I love the smell of napalm in the morning,” became the stuff of movie legend.
He also appeared in a 1964 episode of The Outer Limits called “The Chameleon”, a sci-fi horror episode centered on identity loss, transformation, and invasive experimentation.
He can also be seen in the Twilight Zone episode “Miniature” (1963), as Charley Parkes, a shy, socially alienated man who finds solace in a museum’s dollhouse. He believes the miniature figures come to life and ultimately chooses to enter their world to escape the pressures of reality.
Funnily enough, Duvall makes an uncredited appearance in the 1978 version of Invasion of the Body Snatchers.
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