American actor Robert Duvall, renowned for his role as the Mafia lawyer in 'The Godfather', has died at the age of 95 in Virginia, according to the American magazine Variety. Duvall was nominated for an Academy Award seven times and won once in 1984 for Best Actor for his role in 'Tender Mercies', in which he portrayed a country singer trying to overcome alcoholism. Duvall also played the iconic role of a consigliere to the Corleone family in Francis Ford Coppola's 'The Godfather', earning his first of seven Oscar nominations in 1972. He later reprised the role in the 1974 sequel. Born in San Diego, California, Duvall attended Principia College in Illinois and served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War before moving to New York to study drama under the renowned acting coach Sanford Meisner. He appeared in several stage plays before making his film debut in a small but significant role as Arthur 'Boo' Radley in the 1962 film adaptation of 'To Kill a Mockingbird'. Duvall declined to appear in 'The Godfather Part III' due to a salary dispute. Throughout his career, he portrayed a wide range of characters, from cowboys to military men.
