As Robert Redford — actor, filmmaker and founder of the Utah-based Sundance Institute — announces his retirement from acting, here’s a look back at his career, and some of his most iconic movie moments:
August 18, 1936 • Charles Robert Redford Jr. is born in Santa Monica, Calif.
1958 • Married Lola Van Wagenen, from Provo, Utah.
1959-63 • Acting in New York, on stage and TV. Highlights included a production of “The Iceman Cometh,” a role in the final episode of “Playhouse 90,” and playing Death in a “Twilight Zone” episode.
1962 • Appears in his first movie, the Korean War drama ”War Hunt."
1963 • Cast by Mike Nichols in the lead of Neil Simon’s comedy ”Barefoot in the Park" on Broadway.
1966 • Wins a Golden Globe for Most Promising Newcomer (male) for “Inside Daisy Clover.”
1967 • Stars in the movie version of “Barefoot in the Park,” with Jane Fonda.
1969 • Stars in his career-making role in the Western ”Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,” alongside Paul Newman. Buys the Timp Haven ski resort in Provo Canyon, and renames it Sundance. Stars in and produces “Downhill Racer,” and the studio’s poor reception inspires Redford to seek ways to foster independent film.
1972 • Stars in the campaign drama ”The Candidate," using his acting to comment on politics.
1973 • Reteams with Newman in “The Sting,” a Best Picture Oscar winner; receives his only Oscar nomination for acting.
1976 • Plays reporter Bob Woodward in the Watergate thriller ”All the President’s Men," a movie he also produced.
1980 • Directs his first film, the dysfunctional family drama ”Ordinary People." The movie wins four Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director.
1981 • Creates the Sundance Institute to support independent film.
1985 • Stars with Meryl Streep in “Out of Africa,” another Best Picture Oscar winner. Sundance Institute takes over operations of the U.S. Film Festival in Park City (renaming it the Sundance Film Festival in 1991). Divorces Lola Van Wagenen.
1988 • Directs "The Milagro Beanfield War,” a comedy-drama about a David-vs.-Goliath water dispute.
1989 • Sundance launches catalog business.
1992 • Directs and narrates “A River Runs Through It,” adapting Norman Maclean’s short story about two brothers who bond through fishing.
1993 • Receives a Razzie nomination for worst actor for “Indecent Proposal.”
1994 • Directs ”Quiz Show," chronicling ‘50s game-show scandals; receives Oscar nominations for director and Best Picture.
1996 • Partners with Showtime and NBCUniversal to launch the Sundance Channel. (Showtime and NBCUniversal sold its share to Rainbow Media, now AMC Networks, in 2008. It was renamed SundanceTV in 2014.)
1998 • Directs and stars in modern Western romance ”The Horse Whisperer."
2000 • Directs golf drama ”The Legend of Bagger Vance."
2002 • Receives an honorary Oscar for his work as an actor, producer, director and founder of Sundance.
2004 • Stars in the hostage drama “The Clearing,” the first time he appears in a movie that debuted at the Sundance Film Festival.
2005 • Chosen for Kennedy Center Honors. Launches The Redford Center, a San Francisco-based nonprofit that encourages filmmakers to spotlight environmental and social issues.
2007 • Directs and co-stars in the modern war drama “Lions For Lambs.”
2009 • Marries his longtime girlfriend, German-born artist Sibylle Szaggars.
2010 • Directs post-Civil War courtroom drama “The Conspirator.”
2012 • Directs and stars in fugitive thriller “The Company You Keep.”
2013 • Garners acclaim and a Golden Globe nomination for his one-man performance in the shipwreck drama “All Is Lost.”
2014 • Plays a villain for the first time in a movie, in Marvel’s “Captain America: The Winter Soldier.”
2015 • Plays anchorman Dan Rather in the drama “Truth.” Plays author Bill Bryson in comedy “A Walk in the Woods.”
2016 • Co-stars in Disney’s remake of “Pete’s Dragon.” Receives Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian medal, from President Barack Obama. Announces he will retire from acting in 2017, to focus on directing.
2017 • Co-stars in science-fiction romance “The Discovery,” which premieres at the Sundance Film Festival. Films the romance “Our Souls at Night” with Jane Fonda, and the heist drama “The Old Man and the Gun.”
2018 • Confirms his retirement from acting, with “The Old Man and the Gun” (opening Sept. 28 in select theaters) as his last movie performance.