Robert Duvall
Robert Duvall was born in January 5, 1931 in San Diego, California, the son of Mildred Virginia an amateur actress and relative of American Civil War General Robert E. Lee, and William Howard Duvall, a Virginia-born U.S. Navy admiral.Duvall’s father was a Methodist and his mother was a Christian Scientist, and Duvall was reared in the Christian Science religion. Duvall grew up in a military family, living for a time in Annapolis, Maryland, near the United States Naval Academy. He attended Severn School in Severna Park, Maryland and The Principia in St. Louis, Missouri and graduated, in 1953, Principia College in Elsah, Illinois. He served in the United States Army (service number 52 346 646) from 19 August 1953 to 20 August 1954, leaving as Private First Class. While stationed at Camp Gordon (now known as Fort Gordon) in Georgia, Duvall acted in an amateur production of the comedy “Room Service” in nearby Augusta.
After leaving the Army, Duvall studied acting at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of Theatre in New York under Sanford Meisner. While working to become an actor, he worked as a Manhattan post office clerk. Duvall is friends with actors Dustin Hoffman and Gene Hackman whom he knew during their years as struggling actors. At one point, Duvall roomed with Hoffman while they were looking for work.
Duvall has been married four times, first to Barbara Benjamin from 1964 until 1975. He then married Gail Youngs (1982–1986) (temporarily being the brother-in-law of John Savage and Robin Young) and Sharon Brophy (1991–1996).
In 2005, Duvall wed Luciana Pedraza, granddaughter of famous Argentine aviator Susana Ferrari Billinghurst. He met Pedraza on a street in Buenos Aires, Argentina. They were both born on January 5, but Duvall is 41 years older. They have been together since 1997. Duvall and Luciana have been active supporters of Pro Mujer, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping Latin America’s poorest women help themselves through micro-credit, business training and health care linkages.
Duvall’s political views are variously described as libertarian or conservative. He was personally invited to Republican President George W. Bush’s inauguration in 2001. In September 2007, he announced his support for Republican Presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani. Duvall worked the floor at the GOP’s 2008 national convention and, according to a 29 August 2008 MSNBC article, Duvall narrated most of the videos for the convention. In September 2008, he appeared on stage at a John McCain-Sarah Palin rally in New Mexico, and he told an October 2008 GOP fundraiser that “As far as I’m concerned, we’ve got to keep this guy Barack Obama out of the White House.”
Duvall is related to former President Harry S. Truman, former Vice-President Dick Cheney and Wallis, Duchess of Windsor through the same common ancestor
