“When I was doing ‘Colors’ in 1988 with Sean Penn, someone asked me how I do it all these years, keep it fresh. Well, if you don’t overwork, have some hobbies, you can do it and stay hungry even if you’re not really hungry,” Duvall told The Associated Press in 1990.
Even into his mid-80s, he continued working, earning a supporting Oscar nomination for The Judge. Later projects included Widows and 12 Mighty Orphans.
Born in 1931 in San Diego and raised in Navy towns including Annapolis, Duvall was the son of a career naval officer. Drawing on his upbringing, he often portrayed complex military figures, including the volatile patriarch in “The Great Santini,” a role partly inspired by his father.
After struggling academically, he found his calling in college drama classes and later studied at the Neighborhood Playhouse in New York, alongside aspiring actors such as Gene Hackman and Dustin Hoffman. Early television roles in “The Naked City” and “The Defenders” followed, setting the stage for one of the most enduring careers in American film.
