Robert Duvall, a prominent figure of the “New Hollywood” era whose career spanned seven decades, has died at the age of 95.
Duvall’s wife, Luciana, confirmed his death on Feb. 16 with a Facebook post.
“Yesterday we said goodbye to my beloved husband, cherished friend, and one of the greatest actors of our time,” she wrote. A cause of death is not known, but Luciana’s post continued, “Bob passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by love and comfort.”
Known for his chameleonic abilities, Duvall disappeared into roles in iconic films like “The Godfather,” “Apocalypse Now” and “Network.” He was honored with seven Academy Award nominations throughout his career, ultimately winning one for his work in “The Great Santini.”
Luciana’s tribute continued, “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.”
The actor’s filmography is sprawling, but here are 14 movies and shows we recommend checking out on streaming to celebrate the life of a great actor.
Duvall’s illustrious film career started here. The actor, who started acting on stage and in minor television roles, made his film debut in a beloved adaptation of a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel as Boo Radley, the terrifying and fascinating neighbor of the Finch family who ultimately has a major impact on the plot.
Stream “To Kill a Mockingbird” on: Prime Video (buy or rent)
In 1970, Duvall appeared in another film with an enduring legacy: Robert Altman’s “M*A*S*H,” which inspired the television series of the same name. He plays Major Frank Burns, the ultra-religious primary antagonist and “straight man” type in the black comedy.
Stream “M*A*S*H” on: Prime Video (buy or rent)
Over the course of his career, Duvall would be nominated for seven Oscars, but it all started here. He nabbed his first Academy Award nomination for “The Godfather,” where he played Tom Hagen, the consigliere to Don Vito Corleone and unofficial adopted member of the Corleone family. Duvall reprised his role in “The Godfather Part II” two years later.
Stream “The Godfather” and “The Godfather Part II” on: Paramount+
“Network” has endured as a biting satirical takedown of big corporations, and in the Sidney Lumet film, Duvall plays Frank Hackett, the soulless “company man”-type figurehead for the corporation at the heart of the film, the Union Broadcasting System.
Stream “Network” on: Prime Video (buy or rent)
Duvall’s second Oscar nom is for his supporting work in “Apocalypse Now,” which also reunited him with “Godfather” collaborators Marlon Brando and Francis Ford Coppola. As Lieutenant Colonel Bill Kilgore, Duvall delivers one of the most iconic movie quotes of all time according to AFI: “I love the smell of napalm in the morning.”
Stream “Apocalypse Now” on: Prime Video (buy or rent)
Just one year later, Duvall was nominated for an Oscar again; this time, he scored his first nomination as a lead actor for “The Great Santini.” He plays the titular character, a fighter pilot named Bull Meechum who dubs himself The Great Santini. The film follows Meechum as he adjusts to life at home after the way, unable to turn off his brash and competitive nature at the cost of his relationship with his wife and son.
Stream “The Great Santini” on: Prime Video (buy or rent)
Duvall finally won an Academy Award (on his fourth nomination) for his leading role in “Tender Mercies.” He plays Mac Sledge, a former country music star whose alcoholism destroyed his career and relationship with his ex-wife and daughter. Sledge hopes to turn his life around through a new relationship with a young widow and her son in rural Texas. Duvall sang his own songs in the movie and played in country bands to prepare for the role..
Stream “Tender Mercies” on: Prime Video (free)
Duvall’s first Emmy nomination came for for his work in “Lonesome Dove,” a four-part miniseries adapted from the Larry McMurtry novel of the same name. In the sprawling western epic, Duvall plays Captain Augustus “Gus” McCrae, a widower and womanizer who runs a livery along the Rio Grande with Tommy Lee Jones’ Captain Woodrow F. Call.
Stream “Lonesome Dove” on: Prime Video (free trial)
“Days of Thunder” (1990)
To kick off the ’90s, Duvall played the second lead in “Days of Thunder,” a sports action drama directed by Tony Scott. He portrays Harry Hogge, who leaves retirement behind to become the crew chief to Tom Cruise’s hotshot NASCAR driver Cole Trickle.
Stream “Days of Thunder” on: Paramount+, AMC+ (free trial)
Duvall was once again Oscar-nominated as the lead actor in “The Apostle,” which he also wrote and directed. He stars as a charismatic Pentecostal preacher who flees the state of Texas after beating his wife’s lover into a coma, reinventing himself as “Apostle E.F.” in Louisiana and opening a new church with the help of a retired reverend.
Stream “The Apostle” on: Prime Video (buy or rent)
One year later, Duvall snagged his sixth Oscar nomination for his supporting work in the John Travolta-led “A Civil Action.” Based on the 1995 book by Jonathan Harr, the film tells the true story of a court case about cancer-causing environmental pollution that took place in Woburn, Massachusetts in the 1980s.
Stream “A Civil Action” on: Prime Video (buy or rent)
Duvall won his only Emmy awards for “Broken Trail,” an AMC limited series; he was awarded as the lead actor and also won Outstanding Miniseries as a producer on the show. The two-part series follows an aging cowboy and his nephew (Thomas Haden Church) who transport 500 horses from Oregon to Wyoming to sell them to the British Army, while also rescuing and protecting five Chinese girls from a slave trader.
Stream “Broken Trail” on: Prime Video (buy or rent)
Duvall’s seventh and final Academy Award nomination was for “The Judge,” where he plays the titular judge. The film follows a successful attorney (Robert Downey Jr.), who returns to his childhood home after the death of his mother only to discover that his estranged father (Duvall) is suspected of murder. Determined to find the truth, he must reconnect with the family he left behind years ago.
Stream “The Judge” on: Prime Video (buy or rent)
One of Duvall’s last film roles was in the sports drama “Hustle.” Duvall played Rex Merrick, the fictional owner of the Philadelphia 76ers, in the film, which follows an NBA scout for the 76ers (Adam Sandler) who discovers a talented Spanish basketball player and prepares him for the NBA draft.
Stream “Hustle” on: Netflix
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