Robert Redford, the iconic actor who embodied Hollywood stardom, has died at 89. For novelist Jack Engelhard, whose Indecent Proposal became one of Redford’s biggest hits, the memory is deeply personal — and forever tied to a million-dollar smile and a timeless respect between writer and star.
When the news broke yesterday morning that Robert Redford had passed away at the age of 89, it felt like a kick in the head. With him, an entire golden age of Hollywood truly ends. He was the last movie star — not an actor, but a legend.
Friends quickly asked me: how do you feel, knowing Redford was the lead in Indecent Proposal, the blockbuster film based on my novel?
Did I meet him? Did I know him? Did I like him?
Yes. Yes. And absolutely yes.
But let’s be honest: movie stars — the real ones — are not like us. They walk in another world. They don’t just act; they become immortal. On screen, they are larger than life, unattainable, unforgettable.
And Robert Redford fit that description perfectly.
I first met him on the Las Vegas set of Indecent Proposal. Producer Sherry Lansing had invited me, courtesy of my bestseller that had Hollywood buzzing. Director Adrian Lyne was nervous around me, worried I’d critique his work. But Redford? Redford came over, extended his hand with that million-dollar smile, and said:
“Great book. I hope we make a great movie.”
Then he added something I’ll never forget:
“Writers deserve the best we can give. You gave it your best. Now it’s our turn.”
That was Redford — respectful, professional, and above all, a mensch.
He filmed the now-famous casino scene with Demi Moore — which seemed ordinary in person, but when projected on the big screen, it became electrifying. That was his genius. He could turn the simple into the spectacular.
From Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid to The Sting, All the President’s Men, The Way We Were, Out of Africa, The Natural, and Barefoot in the Park, Redford defined Hollywood greatness. And through it all, he carried himself not as a divinity, but as a man of warmth, charm, and humility.
Yes, he was the last of the true movie stars. But more than that — he was a mensch.
— Jack Engelhard, author of Indecent Proposal
