Opinion and Commentary By Donna Westfall – February 17, 2026
One of the greats of our time passed away yesterday in his home in Middleburg, Virginia. I can’t think of any movie he was in that I didn’t like.
He was born in San Diego, California. He served two years in the Army and when he got out, went to study acting on the G.I. Bill in New York City. While there he shared an apartment with Dustin Huffman and was close with Gene Hackman. By the way, Gene Hackman lived in Montecito, California during the 1980’s on a grand estate and I would run into him periodically around town. I was sorry to hear about his last days.
For seven decades Duvall acted. The Godfather, Tender Mercies, Lonesome Dove and more. He got an Academy Award for Tender Mercies. In addition to that he won four Golden Globe Awards, two Primetime Emmy Awards, a BAFTA Award, and a Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Award and numerous nominations.
He married his fourth wife, Luciana Pedraza Duvall in 2005. They both shared the same birth date of January 5th, only 41 years apart. His first three marriages ended in divorce. He did not have any children. It was good to hear that his passing was peaceful at the age of 95.
