Charles Robert Redford Jr. (born August 18, 1936), better known as Robert Redford, is an Academy Award-winning American film director, actor, producer, businessman, model, environmentalist, philanthropist, and founder of the Sundance Film Festival. He attended the University of Colorado in the 1950s and received an Honorary Degree in 1983. In 1995, Redford received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from Bard College. He was a 2002 Lifetime Achievement Award/Honorary Oscar recipient at the 74th Academy Awards. In December 2005, he received honors at the Kennedy Center for his contributions to American culture.

The Honors recipients are recognized for their lifetime contributions to American culture through the performing arts: whether in dance, music, theater, opera, motion pictures or television. The University of Southern California (USC) School of Theater has announced the first annual Robert Redford Award for Engaged Artists in 2008. According to the school newspaper Chronicle "The award has been created to honor those who have distinguished themselves in the quality of their work and their commitment to increase awareness of global issues, to inspire and empower young people to help create a better world." Cole Haan has released a men's shoe named after Robert Redford called the Redford. The upper portion of the shoe is made from osterich hide. Currently, he is the narrator for the Cosmic Collision movie at the Denver Nature and Science Planetarium.