Robert Redford's Life in Photos: A Look Back at the Oscar Winner's Legacy After His Death at 89

Born on August 18, 1936, in Santa Monica, Calif., Robert Redford attended Van Nuys High School, where he developed an early interest in art and sports.

Following his high school graduation, he attended the University of Colorado but was later expelled due to his drinking habits. After traveling and living briefly across Europe, he returned to the U.S. and studied theatrical design at the Pratt Institute of Art. He also took classes at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.

Redford launched a career on Broadway and TV, scoring roles in Perry Mason, The Play of the Week, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Whispering Smith and Maverick, to name a few.

In 1963, Redford strengthened his empire by playing the role of Paul Bratter in Neil Simon's Broadway play, Barefoot in the Park. The previous year, he made his film debut in the 1962 flick, War Hunt.

Redford also had acting credits in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Jeremiah Johnson, Inside Daisy Clover, The Chase, Downhill Racer and Tell Them Willie Boy Is Here.

The award-winning actor worked with Barbra Streisand in The Way We Were, which became one of the highest-grossing films of 1973.

In addition to appearing on TV, Redford dominated the big screen with his charm.

He had breakthrough roles in The Candidate, Brubaker, The Sting, The Great Waldo Pepper, The Way We Were, All the President's Men, Three Days of the Condor, The Natural and many more.

Redford spent time behind the camera as executive producer, producer and director.

In 1980, he won the Academy Award for Best Director for his work on Ordinary People. The following year, he founded the nonprofit Sundance Institute, which sponsors the Sundance Film Festival.

"Sundance is only one of his truly remarkable achievements," said Frank Pierson, who was the Academy's president at the time. "When you look at the sum total of everything he has done as a producer, director and actor, there are not many people who have dedicated themselves so completely to their ideals as Bob Redford."

Redford's directorial efforts were also highlighted in A River Runs Through It, The Legend of Bagger Vance, Quiz Show, Lions for Lambs and The Conspirator, to name a few.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences presented Redford with an Honorary Award in March 2002. The award-giving body applauded his creation of the Sundance Institute, highlighting his encouragement of independent filmmaking.

Redford, who was first married to Lola Van Wagenen from 1958 to 1985, found love again with his second wife, Sibylle Szaggars.

They first met at Redford's Sundance Mountain Resort in 1996 and tied the knot in a private ceremony at the Louis C. Jacob Hotel in Hamburg, Germany, in July 2009.

Redford and Wagenen welcomed four children before their divorce: Scott Anthony, Shauna, James and Amy.

Their first child, Scott Anthony, died of SIDS at 2 months old on November 19, 1959.

"I was only 21; my wife was 20. We were just starting our lives; I was just starting my career in New York," he told Esquire. "Of course it was traumatic, and how that plays out over time, I don't know. We had to deal with it. You have to move on. And we had other children who came. But something like that doesn't get completely dismissed. It probably shows up in various small ways you're not even aware of."

In November 2016, Redford was named one of the recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, joining Bruce Springsteen, Bill Gates, Tom Hanks, Robert De Niro, Michael Jordan, Cicely Tyson and more stars.

"The Presidential Medal of Freedom is not just our nation's highest civilian honor - it's a tribute to the idea that all of us, no matter where we come from, have the opportunity to change this country for the better.From scientists, philanthropists, and public servants to activists, athletes, and artists, these 21 individuals have helped push America forward, inspiring millions of people around the world along the way," then-President Barack Obama said in a statement.

In addition to his Best Director from the Academy Awards, Redford brought home trophies from the Golden Globe Awards and the BAFTA Awards.

In his final years, Redford continued appearing in films like A Walk in the Woods, The Discovery, Our Souls at Night and The Old Man & the Gun.

In an interview for the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis in 2016, he revealed he was done with acting as he was "getting tired" of it.

"Once they're done then I'm going to say, 'Okay, that's goodbye to all that,' and then just focus on directing," he stated. "I'm an impatient person, so it's hard for me to sit around and do take after take after take."

Redford made his last film appearance in Avengers: Endgame, in which he reprised his role as Secretary Alexander Pierce.

Meanwhile, a RadarOnline.com source claimed Redford made a surprise cameo on Dark Winds to "prove that rumors of his demise have been greatly exaggerated."

"Bob has laid so low in recent years, there were whispers he was seriously ill or even dying. He wanted to pull the rug out from under them with this surprise appearance and show that he looks and feels great for his age," the insider added. "Robert wanted the Dark Winds appearance to be a fun surprise for his fans, and although the crew was buzzing about it, he demanded a closed set and that everyone keep their lips sealed!"

Redford also worked as a producer on the AMC show.

Redford passed away at his home in the mountains outside of Provo, Utah, in the morning of September 16, The New York Times reported. According to Rogers & Cowan PMK Chief Executive Cindi Berger, the accomplished director died in his sleep at the age of 89.

No cause of death was given.