Profile Text
Redford in 2013, photo by Debby Wong /Bigstock.com
Birth Name: Charles Robert Redford, Jr.
Date of Birth: August 18, 1936
Place of Birth: Santa Monica, Los Angeles, California, United States
Date of Death: September 16, 2025
Place of Death: Sundance, Utah, U.S.
Ethnicity: English, Irish, Scottish, Northern Irish/Scots-Irish, Cornish
Robert Redford was an American actor, director, producer, businessperson, environmentalist, and philanthropist. He won the Academy Award for Best Director for Ordinary People (1980). His film roles include War Hunt , Inside Daisy Clover , The Chase (1966), Barefoot in the Park , Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid , Downhill Racer , Jeremiah Johnson , The Candidate , The Way We Were , The Sting , The Great Gatsby (1974), Three Days of the Condor , All the President’s Men , A Bridge Too Far , The Electric Horseman , Brubaker , The Natural , Out of Africa , Legal Eagles , Havana (1990), Sneakers , Indecent Proposal , Up Close & Personal , The Horse Whisperer , which he directed; The Last Castle , Spy Game , The Clearing , An Unfinished Life , Lions for Lambs , The Company You Keep , both of which he also directed; All Is Lost , Captain America: The Winter Soldier , A Walk in the Woods , Truth (2015), Pete’s Dragon (2016), Our Souls at Night , and The Old Man & the Gun . He also directed The Milagro Beanfield War , A River Runs Through It , Quiz Show , The Legend of Bagger Vance , and The Conspirator . He co-founded the Sundance Film Festival. He is depicted as being the President of the United States from 1989 to c. 2019 on the show Watchmen .
Robert was the son of Martha W. (Hart) and Charles Robert Redford, an accountant. His father was from Rhode Island. His mother was from Texas. His ancestry included English, Irish, Scottish, Scots-Irish/Northern Irish, and Cornish. His father’s family were recent immigrants. His mother’s family had lived in the U.S., and specifically the American South, for many generations. He was mostly raised in Van Nuys, California.
Robert was married to Sibylle Szaggars, until his death. He had four children with his former wife, historian and environmental activist Lola Van Wagenen; including documentary filmmaker and environmental activist James Redford and actress, director, and producer Amy Redford .
Robert’s patrilineal ancestry can be traced to Peter Redford, who was born, c. the early 1700s, in Manchester, Lancashire, England.
Robert’s paternal grandfather was Charles Elisha Redford (the son of Charles Redford and Jane Archie). Robert’s grandfather Charles was born in Westerly, Washington, Rhode Island. Robert’s great-grandfather Charles was born in South Kingstown, Washington, Rhode Island, to English-born parents, of English and Irish ancestry, Elisha Redford, who was born in Manchester, Lancashire, and Mary Ann McCreary. Robert’s great-grandmother Jane was born in Old Machar, Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, the daughter of William M. Archie and Jane Little.
Robert’s paternal grandmother was Lena Taylor (the daughter of Henry Taylor and Mary Tucker). Lena was born in England, to parents who were born in Cornwall. Henry was the son of Jonathan Taylor and Elizabeth Crocker. Mary was the daughter of William Tucker and Grace Tremberth.
Robert’s maternal grandfather was Archibald Woodruff “Tot” Hart (the son of John Gabriel Hart and Ida Woodruff). Archibald was born in Webster Groves, St. Louis, Missouri. John was the son of James Carmichael Hart and Mary Elizabeth Long. Ida was the daughter of William Henry Woodruff and Julia Hannah Jackson.
Robert’s maternal grandmother was Sallie/Sally Pate Green (the daughter of Eugene E. Green and Martha “Mattie” Bugg). Sallie was born in San Marcos, Hays, Texas, to parents who were also born in the state. Eugene was the son of Edwin/Ed Jeremiah L. Green and Eliza Jane Young. Martha was the daughter of Zachariah P. Bugg and Emily J. “Emma” Davis.
Sources: Family history of Robert Redford – http://www.powells.com
Genealogies of Robert Redford – http://famouskin.com https://www.geni.com http://freepages.rootsweb.com
Robert’s father on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Robert’s paternal great-great-grandparents, Elisha Redford and Mary Ann McCreary, on the 1900 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Robert’s paternal grandmother, Lena Taylor, on the 1900 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Genealogy of Robert’s mother – http://www.findagrave.com
Robert’s mother on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org