Robert Redford Learned This Skill In Texas

Robert Redford wasn't originally from Texas but he spent a lot of time here and learned a crucial life skill here as a young boy.

Robert Redford was a Hollywood icon who starred in an untold number of films and tv shows over a career that spanned almost 7 decades. His first movie was released in 1960 and his last role was cameo in a 2025 episode of Dark Winds.

He was 89.

Robert Redford was born in California but his mother was from Austin so, (especially as a kid), he spent a lot of time there visiting relatives and just hanging out. He was a devout environmentalist and once credited his love of nature to his childhood experiences in Austin and San Marcos, Texas.

What Life Skill Did Robert Redford Learn In Texas?

At the age of 5, he learned to swim at Barton Springs Pool, a small, spring fed lake in Austin. Ironically, in one of my all time favorite westerns, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Redford's character, (the Sundance Kid), confesses that he can't swim.

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This happens right before a major stunt scene that involved swimming after a crazy cliff dive. Redford usually did all his own stunts but, even though he really could swim, he declined this one for safety reasons.

That scene though is one of the most epic ones ever, involving different cliffs in different states, shot from different angles and featuring different actors but it was edited so perfectly that ... way before green screens and CGI ... it looks like one long, continuous shot.

No cause of death has yet been announced but Redford's publicist said he died in his sleep.