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What Is Robert Redford: The Biography by Michael Feeney Callan?
Robert Redford: The Biography is a 2011 book by Michael Feeney Callan that covers the life and career of the actor, director, and Sundance founder. Knopf released the book on May 5, 2011. Topics include Redford’s childhood, acting career, directing work, environmental activism, and the Sundance Film Festival.
What Are the Book’s Quick Facts?
The table below lists 8 publication facts about the book. Each row names an attribute, and each cell gives its value.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Title | Robert Redford: The Biography |
| Author | Michael Feeney Callan |
| Publisher | Alfred A. Knopf |
| Year | 2011 |
| Length | 468 pages (hardcover) |
| ISBN | 978-0-679-45055-9 |
| Subject | Robert Redford |
| Includes | Bibliography, filmography, and index |
Library records list the Knopf hardcover at 468 pages. Publishers Weekly gives the ISBN. The book includes a bibliography, a filmography, and an index.
Who Is Michael Feeney Callan?
Michael Feeney Callan is an Irish-born poet, novelist, filmmaker, and biographer. He has written biographies of Sean Connery, Anthony Hopkins, Richard Harris, and Julie Christie. He won a Hennessy Literary Award for his short fiction. Goodreads describes the Redford biography as a New York Times bestseller. [internal link: Michael Feeney Callan Biographies]
What Research Supports the Book?
The book draws on 3 main research sources. They are listed below.
- 14 years of interviews conducted by Callan with Redford and his associates
- Excerpts from Redford’s personal journals
- Hundreds of hours of taped interviews
Kirkus Reviews reports 14 years of self-conducted interviews and generous journal excerpts. The publisher’s synopsis adds Redford’s script notes, correspondence, and hundreds of hours of taped interviews.
What Does Robert Redford: The Biography Cover?
The book covers 7 major subjects from Redford’s life. They are listed below.
- Family background and childhood
- Early struggles in acting
- The death of his son
- His working relationship with director Sydney Pollack
- The creation of the Sundance Film Festival
- Political and environmental activism
- Artistic successes and failures
The publisher’s synopsis names each of these subjects.
How Does the Book Treat Redford’s Film Work?
Kirkus Reviews notes that Callan gives equal weight to Redford’s acting, his environmental activism, and his role as founder of Sundance. The book also discusses Redford’s uncredited contributions to The Candidate and All the President’s Men, and a directing style shaped by his painter’s training.
How Did Critics Review Robert Redford: The Biography?
The table below summarizes 4 critic reviews. The columns show the outlet and its main assessment.
| Outlet | Main Assessment |
|---|---|
| Kirkus Reviews | Positive, intimate portrait |
| Publishers Weekly | Insightful but repetitive |
| New York Journal of Books | Exhaustive, with limited personal insight |
| Film Comment | Admiring in tone |
What Did Kirkus Reviews Say?
Kirkus Reviews called the book a gripping, intimate treatment of one of cinema’s last great iconic stars.
What Did Publishers Weekly Say?
Publishers Weekly praised the access the book gives to Redford’s mind but found it repetitive. The review noted that Callan details nearly every film Redford made. The review said this suits staunch fans more than general readers.
What Did the New York Journal of Books Say?
The New York Journal of Books described the biography as exhaustive and questioned whether the personal side of Redford, as husband and father, appears in its pages.
What Did Film Comment Say?
Film Comment reviewer David Ehrenstein described the book as sober and leaning toward admiration of its subject.
Which Formats Does the Book Come In?
The book is available in 5 formats. They are listed below.
- Hardcover
- Paperback
- Ebook
- Compact disc audiobook
- Downloadable audiobook
Publishers Weekly lists the hardcover, paperback, open ebook, compact disc, and downloadable audio editions. Library systems offer the ebook in EPUB, Kindle, and Libby formats.
Who Was Robert Redford?
Robert Redford was an American actor, director, producer, and the founder of the Sundance Film Festival. Audiences know him as the Sundance Kid, Bob Woodward, Johnny Hooker, Jay Gatsby, and Roy Hobbs. Redford died on September 16, 2025, at the age of 89. The biography was published in 2011, 14 years before his death. [internal link: Robert Redford Biography]
People Also Ask
Who Wrote Robert Redford: The Biography?
Michael Feeney Callan wrote Robert Redford: The Biography.
When Was Robert Redford: The Biography Published?
Knopf published the book on May 5, 2011.
How Many Pages Is Robert Redford: The Biography?
The Knopf hardcover has 468 pages.
What Sources Did Michael Feeney Callan Use?
Callan used 14 years of interviews, Redford’s personal journals, and archival research.
Does the Book Cover the Sundance Film Festival?
Yes, the book covers the creation of Sundance.
What Is the Robert Redford Biography by Michael Feeney Callan in Summary?
Robert Redford: The Biography is a 468-page Knopf book published in 2011. Michael Feeney Callan built it on 14 years of interviews and Redford’s personal journals. The book covers Redford’s childhood, acting, directing, Sundance, and activism. Reviewers from Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, the New York Journal of Books, and Film Comment gave it mixed to positive assessments. [internal link: Michael Feeney Callan Biographies]