Fresh Air — Robert Redford, Over The Years

Original Air Date: September 19, 2025
Host: Terry Gross (with David Bianculli)
Guest: Robert Redford (archival interviews from 1998 and 2013)
Theme: Celebrating the life, legacy, and artistry of Robert Redford, reflecting on his enduring career as an actor, director, environmentalist, and founder of the Sundance Film Festival.

Episode Overview

This special edition of Fresh Air is devoted to the memory of Robert Redford, who died Tuesday at age 89. David Bianculli introduces the episode with a career overview, emphasizing Redford’s iconic roles, his Oscar-winning directorial achievements, and his deep impact on independent film through the Sundance Film Festival. The core of the episode re-airs two intimate and revealing interviews between Terry Gross and Robert Redford (from 1998 and 2013), exploring his artistic journey, early influences, approach to fame, and his multifaceted legacy.

Key Themes & Discussion Points

1. Early Life and Artistic Formation

[00:30–08:58]

• Family & Artistic Interests:
  Redford grew up in Santa Monica, excelling in athletics and early art (drawing/painting), which later informed his approach to acting.

  “My life began as an artist, as a painter.” — Robert Redford [14:46]

• Entry to Acting:
  After a trip around Europe, Redford shifted focus from visual art to dramatic arts, starting with small TV and stage roles in the 1960s.

• Beat Poetry & Jazz Influences:
  In the 1950s, Redford was captivated by the innovation and freedom of jazz and beat poetry, encountering figures like Gerry Mulligan, Chet Baker, and going to venues such as City Lights bookstore (San Francisco).

  “I hooked into something that was just starting. I think that association gave me… my passion about it because I felt that I was part of something new.” — Robert Redford [11:34]

• On Freedom and Nonconformity:
  Redford recounts his discomfort with post-war conformity and longing for the freewheeling lifestyles of jazz musicians and beat poets.

  “The essential ingredient for me was freedom… The lifestyle of being on the road or being freewheeling was enormously appealing to me.” — Robert Redford [13:02]

2. Evolution as Actor and Director

[08:58–14:46; 29:46–35:33]

• TV Apprenticeship:
  Redford describes the 1960s TV years (Maverick, Perry Mason, Twilight Zone) as his apprenticeship, learning the craft and refusing to be typecast merely as a "glamorous" figure.

  “I always felt I was an actor… I would be an actor that would play many different kinds of roles, which I did.” — Robert Redford [29:46]

• First Major Successes:
  Success on Broadway with Barefoot in the Park led to a film adaptation and then the breakthrough role in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969).

• Craft, Range, and Memory:
  Redford expresses pride in his craft and the dichotomy between being remembered for good looks versus versatility as an actor, e.g. roles in Jeremiah Johnson and The Candidate.

3. Iconic Films and Collaborations

[03:30–07:59; 40:04–46:19]

• Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid:
  Behind-the-scenes account of the casting (Redford and Newman switching roles), Redford’s preference for playing the Sundance Kid, and the challenge of studio resistance.

  “Paul Newman was the one that really pushed [the studio] aside… He said, 'I’ll do it with Redford.' I never forgot that gesture.” — Robert Redford [40:32]

• Memorable Scenes:
  Discussion of the legendary waterfall-jumping scene and its enduring appeal.

  • Clip excerpt: "I can't swim." — Redford as the Sundance Kid [44:01]

  “Why are you crazy? The fall will probably kill you.” — Paul Newman as Butch Cassidy [44:10]

• Unexpected Elements:
  Redford’s initial confusion over the inclusion of “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head” and surprise at the film’s eventual popularity.

  “I thought, ‘Well, just killed the film. It made no sense to me.’ And, you know, how wrong can you be?” — Robert Redford [44:51]

• All the President’s Men:
  Securing film rights before the Watergate story broke, and fascination with portraying the mundane drama and integrity of journalism:

  • Scene excerpt: Redford as Bob Woodward relentless in phone calls [07:07–07:59]

4. Sundance and the Power of Independent Film

[07:59–08:58; 14:46–20:25; 24:50–25:55]

• Origins of the Sundance Institute and Festival:
  Redford’s vision was more about preservation and nurturing artists than real estate. Recounts being overruled on the name “Sundance.”

  “I did not want to name it Sundance. I was overruled...the other names weren’t very good.” — Robert Redford [18:27]

• Philosophy:
  He viewed Sundance as a means to foster freedom and innovation in film, paralleling the jazz and beat environments of his youth.

• Legacy:
  Importance of launching directors like Steven Soderbergh, Quentin Tarantino, Ava DuVernay.

  “The filmmakers he has supported at Sundance are equally noteworthy.” — David Bianculli [07:59]

5. Fame, Freedom, and Personal Challenge

[15:00–17:23]

• Impact of Sudden Fame:
  Redford talks candidly about the “freedom” he lost after Butch Cassidy, dangers of becoming a celebrity “object,” and ongoing efforts to remain authentic.

  “If you surround yourself with too much protection… you become insulated to the point of losing a sense of reality, and begin to behave like the very thing that people are viewing you as.” — Robert Redford [15:00]

• Paul Newman’s Advice:

  “Best thing you could do would be to have a mind like mine, which is essentially empty… That’s the way you survive in this business.” — Paul Newman (recounted by Redford) [17:34]

6. Environmentalism and Activism

[07:59]

• Nature and Conservation:
  Redford speaks to his passion for nature, opposition to unchecked development (in Los Angeles), advocacy for the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts, and founding of The Redford Center to support environmental filmmaking.

  “I realized that nature was going to be a huge part of my life.” — Robert Redford [24:50]

7. Childhood, Loss, and Education

[22:14–27:49]

• Illness:
  Surviving "mild" polio as a child shaped his sense of fragility and resilience.

• Loss:
  Recounts the impact of losing his mother at age 18:

  “She was a wonderful person. She died very young. She was full of life, full of laughter, full of love.” — Robert Redford [23:59]

• Education:
  Uninspired by formal academics, Redford left college, finding real education in travel and artistic exploration in Europe (pursuing painting).

8. Notable TV and Early Experiences

[29:17–35:33]

• Memorable TV Roles:
  • Twilight Zone (“Nothing in the Dark”): Noted as early standout performance.
  • Route 66: Redford jokes about disowning his early work, but Gross plays a meaningful, dramatic clip [33:24].
  • Playhouse 90 with Charles Laughton: Redford shares an anecdote about slapping Laughton during a tense live scene, earning Laughton’s approval.

    “When it came time I thought, who's he to tell me what I can do or can't do? So I hauled up and really whacked him.” — Robert Redford [37:42]

Notable Quotes and Moments

• On Artistic Freedom:

  “For me, it was somehow... I guess I was more quite a maverick kid. I was not drawn to convention, and I was bothered by the conventions I was forced to live in.” — Robert Redford [11:51]

• On Authenticity and Fame:

  “You have to identify what part of it you really did like and be able to be honest about it and say, this feels good, and then separate out from the part that didn’t.” — Robert Redford [16:37]

• On Craft:

  “I always took pride in whatever role I was playing. I would be that character.” — Robert Redford [29:46]

• On Paul Newman:

  “He and I… became really, really good friends. And that friendship carried on to the next film, and then it carried on into our personal lives.” — Robert Redford [41:55]

• On Legacy:

  “Maybe in time that film [Butch Cassidy] will be forgotten, to the point at least as it relates to the name.” — Robert Redford [20:25]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Introduction & Career Overview: [00:17–03:30]
• Early Acting: Twilight Zone, Barefoot in the Park, Butch Cassidy: [03:30–07:59]
• All the President’s Men & Directing Ordinary People: [07:59–08:58]
• Beat Poetry, Jazz, and Rebellion: [08:58–14:46]
• Impact of Butch Cassidy on Celebrity & Freedom: [14:46–17:23]
• Paul Newman’s Influence: [17:23–18:16]
• Naming Sundance: [18:27–20:25]
• Personal Challenges & Environmentalism: [22:14–25:55]
• Struggles in Education & Artistic Discovery: [24:40–27:49]
• TV Memories & Craft Reflections: [29:17–35:33]
• Anecdote: Charles Laughton Slap: [35:33–38:24]
• Making of Butch Cassidy — Casting, Stunts, and Success: [40:04–46:16]
• Iconic Waterfall Jump Scene: [43:22–44:19]
• Reflections on “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head”: [44:29–46:16]

Tone and Style

• The conversation is reflective, candid, and often warm and humorous. Redford is self-deprecating, philosophical, and frank about the costs and contradictions of fame, his restlessness, and his enduring search for authenticity.
• Terry Gross is empathetic and insightful, gently guiding the conversation into deep and sometimes personal territory.

Conclusion

Fresh Air’s tribute offers a compelling, mosaic portrait of Robert Redford: screen icon, storyteller, activist, and creative force. From stories of beatnik jazz dives to the mountains of Utah, from struggles with instant fame to squabbles over the name “Sundance,” listeners get an intimate, firsthand sense of Redford’s restless spirit, wit, and lifelong devotion to the creative freedom he found in art, nature, and film.

The episode stands as a fitting remembrance, both for fans and those newly discovering Redford’s legacy.

For full details, listen to: Fresh Air, September 19, 2025 — “Robert Redford, Over The Years.”