Heartbreak in Hollywood: The Tragic Loss of Robert Redford’s Two Beloved Children

How Two of Robert Redford’s Children Tragically Passed Away

Robert Redford’s renowned career belies a tale of unfathomable personal loss behind its glitter. The loss of two of his children left the legendary actor dealing with devastating losses. Find out how the life of one of Hollywood’s most iconic actors was impacted by these tragic events.

Throughout his storied career, Robert Redford has experienced significant personal loss. The tragic death of their young boy converted the joy of fatherhood for him and his first wife into sadness. Later, another son’s prolonged health issues and premature death brought them much more grief.

Robert was greatly affected by the death of his children, which changed both his personal and professional life. Every catastrophe changed his perspective and roles by bringing with it great pain and difficult circumstances.

This essay delves into the specifics of Robert’s unfathomable losses and his unwavering love for his kids. It also demonstrates how his legendary career and legacy have been entwined with these encounters.

The Career of Robert Redford

Robert Redford, an American actor and filmmaker, was born in Santa Monica, California, on August 18, 1936. He is currently 84 years old. Robert was a bit of a nuisance when he was younger; he stole hubcaps in high school and, due to his drinking habits, lost his baseball scholarship at the University of Colorado.

But in the end, his high school caricature skill inspired him to take art seriously. Following graduation, he spent a year traveling around Europe by hitchhiking, lodging in youth hostels, and living the life of a painter.

He eventually came to the conclusion that his artwork was poor quality and unimaginative. Robert returned to New York to enrol in the Pratt Institute of Art’s theater design program. He began performing on Broadway in many plays before the end of 1960, including “Barefoot in the Park,” which catapulted him to fame.

Along with his all-American good looks, his theater and TV experience helped him land roles in movies and, at 33, a breakthrough performance in “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” (1969).

Robert was the top earner at the box office for the following three years thanks to “The Way We Were” (1973) and “The Sting” (1973). By using his power, he invested in Utah land and turned it into a ranch and the Sundance ski resort. He also promoted environmental concerns.

Robert won the 1981 Academy Award for Best Director for his first feature film, “Ordinary People” (1980). Eight years later, he resumed directing with the 1988 adaptation of the widely read book “The Milagro Beanfield War” by John Nichols.

He won over both critics and audiences with “A River Runs Through It” in 1992. In 1994, he received another nomination for Best Director with “Quiz Show.” In the 2018 crime/comedy “The Old Man & the Gun,” he played his final significant film role.

He portrayed notorious criminal and escape artist Forrest Tucker in this movie, who, in his later years, escapes from San Quentin State Prison and goes on a murderous rampage. He appeared in “Avengers: Endgame” (2019) as Alexander Pierce as well.

Among the many honors Robert has received are two Golden Globes, a BAFTA Award, and an Academy Award. He was bestowed with the Academy Honorary Award in 2002 and the Honorary César in 2019.

In 1996, he received the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award, and in 1994, he received the Cecil B. DeMille Award. He also received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016 and the Kennedy Center Honors in 2005.

His Family Life: Setbacks and Achievements

Lola Van Wagenen and Robert were wed on August 9, 1958. Together, the couple produced four kids: Scott, Shauna, James, and Amy. Two of their children tragically passed away, which had a long-lasting effect on the family.

Scott, Robert and Lola’s five-month-old baby, passed away from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) in 1959, leaving them grieving. Robert thought back on this sad time and said, “That was a tough hit.” It was the first kid we had. We were penniless when we arrived in New York. It was quite difficult.”

Robert talked candidly about his sadness and ongoing agony after losing Scott in an interview. What impact does that have on my work? I’m not sure. My wife was 20; I was only 21. We were both just starting our lives, and I had recently moved to New York to launch my profession. It was obviously upsetting, and I’m not sure how it will manifest itself in the long run.”

“We had to handle it.That kind of behavior, nevertheless, is not entirely discounted. It most likely manifests itself in a variety of subtle ways that you’re unaware of…But when it does happen, especially when you’re that young, it can be really devastating. You’re not prepared to handle that,” Robert said in conclusion.

David James, referred to as Jamie with affection, was Robert and Lola’s third child, born in May 1962. James has several health issues during his life. Robert used to tell stories about how his son “suffered the furies” of poor health.

James had cirrhosis as a result of his debilitating colitis, and he received a liver transplant in 1993. James was waiting for a second transplant in Omaha throughout the filming of “Quiz Show,” and Robert would travel there every weekend after the first surgery, which sadly didn’t work out.

More difficulties arose when James had a second procedure. Robert said that James gradually got better despite his difficulties, adding, “But now he’s fine.”

In 1984, Shauna, the family’s daughter, drove her automobile into the Jordan River while in mourning for her longtime boyfriend Sidney Wells, causing more pain for the family.

Dorine Staker Rivers, a local, saved Shauna, and when they met at the “The Natural” premiere in 1984, Robert is said to have thanked her. “Expressing gratitude alone is insufficient,” she recalled him stating. “I think Robert was at a lost for what to say. At that moment, he was just a dad.”

At their Marin County home, James’ wife, Kyle Redford, revealed on X on October 16, 2020, that her husband had died of bile-duct cancer in his liver. He was fifty-eight. “Today Jamie passed away. We’re devastated. He was adored by many and had a lovely, meaningful life,” the author said.

“We shall sincerely miss him. “As his spouse of thirty-two years, I’m primarily appreciative of the two amazing kids we brought up together,” Kyle concluded her moving statement.

For Robert, Lola, and their other children, losing another son was terrible. After James passed away, the “All Is Lost” actor remained in regular contact with his family. At the time, Cindi Berger, a spokesman for Robert, told People that the loss of a child was an unbearable grief.

She spoke of James as a loving son, husband, and father whose legacy lived on in his kids, his artistic and cinematic endeavors, and his fervent devotion to environmental preservation.

As a young filmmaker, James struggled with his health. His rare autoimmune condition, Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis, which affects the liver, was identified.

Jamie founded the nonprofit James Redford Institute for Transplant Awareness in 1993 after undergoing two liver transplants. The organization’s mission is to inform people about organ and tissue donation.

Together with his father, he co-founded The Redford Center in 2005, a nonprofit that makes movies and gives money to filmmakers that tackle environmental and climate change-related subjects. James is survived by Dylan and Lena, his two children with Kyle.

Concerning Robert Redford’s Other Offspring

November 1960 saw the birth of Shauna Jean Redford, Robert and Lola’s older daughter. She has kept her life quiet and out of the spotlight while pursuing a career in painting.

On the yard of her parents’ Provo, Utah, home, Shauna tied the knot with Eric Matthew Schlosser in October 1958. She holds a degree from the University of Colorado, and Eric graduated with honors from Princeton University.

Eric graduated from Oxford’s Oriel College with a master’s degree in literature. Known for his work on “Command and Control” and “Fast Food Nation,” he is a successful writer and producer. The pair is still married now and has two kids.

Amy Hart Redford, Robert and Lola’s youngest child, was born in October 1970. Amy, like her father, has established a varied career in the entertainment sector as an actor, producer, and director. With Saffron Burrows in “The Guitar,” she directed her first film.

In addition, Amy created the motion picture “Professor Marston and the Wonder Women.” Amy has other projects going on right now, such as “Claude and the Birthday Cake” and “Roost.”

She is a producer for Showtime’s documentary series “The Lincoln Project” and is working on two more documentaries about homelessness and LGBTQ+ children in Utah. In addition, Amy is a producer and host for the podcast “Scrappy Broads”.

In addition to directing and producing numerous music videos, Amy has acted in a number of movies and TV shows, including “Sunshine Cleaning,” “Law & Order: Criminal Intent,” and “The Sopranos.”

She has appeared in the plays “Bhutan” and “The Shape of Things.” Along with her husband and their three daughters, Amy lives in Los Angeles. She discussed her relationship with her father in an interview from 2008, stating:

“I am able to talk to my dad in a way a lot of people can’t — he still drives me nuts, he’s still my dad, but I have to say, in light of what his universe was, he had his eye on the ball in terms of having kids, and part of that was being raised in Manhattan.”

Robert Redford’s final public appearance as a devoted father

Being a father has always been something Robert has loved. He said, “People think it’s been easy for me,” in a 1998 interview. You can’t live with that. It is utterly false. Seeing your children struggle is the toughest thing in the world.”

“I’ve produced some engaging films, and I’m happy with the job overall, but if someone asked me to sum up my accomplishments, what would it be? I would respond, ‘The kids. “They’re the greatest thing I’ve ever had,” the devoted father said.

Robert was present at the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation’s 14th annual Planetary Health Awards presentation on October 29, 2021. This was the actor from “Out of Africa”‘s final public appearance.

The Grimaldi Forum Monaco’s Salle des Princes hosted the event, which honored notable people and groups that are dedicated to environmental preservation. Students from the IPCC received grants for studying soil and climate change.

Robert Szaggars Redford’s second wife, Sibylle Szaggars Redford, developed a special environmental-themed performance for the event, “The Way of the Rain – Hope for Earth,” to commemorate the foundation’s fifteen years. Since being married in July 2009, the couple has been together.

Robert’s involvement in this occasion demonstrated his continued dedication to environmental problems, a cause he has supported throughout of his professional life.

Robert Redford’s life demonstrates a strong sense of resiliency and unwavering love for his family despite both success and tragedy. His personal setbacks have influenced both his public and private life.