Robert Duvall
Barter Theatre welcomes Robert Duvall to its Gilliam Stage in Abingdon, Virginia, Oct. 5 at 7:30 p.m. Duvall's appearance, a question and answer session, is a fundraiser for Barter's Annual Fund for Artistic Excellence. The audience will have the opportunity to submit questions for him to answer from the stage.
There are three levels of ticket prices: $250, $375 and $500 per person. At the $500 level, patrons get many perks, including premier seating at the theater and the opportunity to meet Duvall at an exclusive reception and have a photo op in the Martha Washington Hotel parlor.
One of the most celebrated actors of a generation, Duvall began his career in 1955, when he moved to New York and enrolled in the renowned Neighborhood Playhouse on the GI Bill. While there, he shared an apartment with two other aspiring actors: Dustin Hoffman and Gene Hackman. Duvall's film career began with the role of Boo Radley in the 1963 classic "To Kill a Mockingbird." His other film credits during the "60s included "Captain Newman, M.D.," "The Rain People" and "True Grit." He then went on to play the pious Major Frank Burns in "M*A*S*H."
The gifted actor has appeared in a number of now-classic films. He was honored with multiple Academy Award nominations for Best Supporting Actor-including for his role as Tom Hagen in "The Godfather" and for his portrayal of the Custer-like Kilgore in "Apocalypse Now" (It is Kilgore who utters the memorable line "I love the smell of napalm in the morning"). In 1980, Duvall was again nominated for his role as Bull Meechum in "The Great Santini." In 1983, he nabbed his first Oscar for Best Actor for his role in "Tender Mercies" as born-again country music star Mac Sledge.
Duvall has also appeared in the miniseries "Lonesome Dove," for which he was nominated for an Emmy, the Disney musical "Newsies," the HBO original film "Stalin" and 1996's "The Apostle," which he directed and received an Academy Award nomination for his starring role in it. "The Apostle" also garnered six Independent Spirit Awards-the most of any film in 1997.
With his intense expressions and chiseled features, Duvall brings an almost tangible intensity to his roles, tempered by an ability to make his characters completely real. He applies this same passion and commitment to his speaking engagements, mesmerizing audiences with stories from his seasoned life and career.
For more information, consult the Barter Theatre website www.bartertheatre.com or call 276-628-3991.
