The death of Hollywood legend Robert Redford hit a lot of fans and friends hard yesterday. Redford was an absolute icon of the industry who made more great films than almost anyone to ever do the job. Many who knew the man, or simply loved his work, have been sharing thoughts about their favorite Redford films or other moments from his life.
I never expected one of my favorite theme parks to be included in a remembrance of Robert Redford, but then I suppose I wasn’t thinking about the fact that Universal Studios Hollywood is part of an actual film studio, one where Redford obviously worked over the years. John Murdy, who is currently the lead designer for USH’s Halloween Horror Nights, took to Twitter to mention a period when he saw Redford in the park daily, making one of my favorite of his films. Murdy said:
I never met Mr Redford but remember when he was making “Sneakers” on the lot. He used to jog up and down the Starway escalator steps every single day when he was making that film. Used to watch that in awe. A Hollywood legend that will be truly missed.
For the uninitiated, the Starway is the path between the upper and lower lots of Universal Studios Hollywood. It requires multiple escalators connected by platforms to raise and lower guests 18 stories between the two halves of the park. Nearly all guests, of course, use the escalators, but there are stairs available, 345 of them. We knew Robert Redford was an exceptional actor, but to be able to jog the Starway day after day, he was clearly also in exceptional shape.
The hillside that separates the two halves of Universal Studios Hollywood is unusable for almost anything theme park-related. The Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift roller coaster is currently being constructed around the Starway, as it’s just about the only attraction that could go there.
A couple of years ago, mostly just to say I did it, I walked up the Starway using the stairs. If somebody had asked me to go down them again, I would have used what energy I had left to punch them. The idea that Robert Redford was jogging these stairs in both directions every morning just impresses the hell out of me.
The fact that this all surrounded the making of Sneakers, one of my absolute favorite Robert Redford movies, and best heist movies ever, makes the anecdote all the more special. After jogging these steps, he would go to work with an incredible cast to make an incredibly fun movie.
The next time I visit Universal Studios Hollywood and travel down the starway, I know I’ll think of Robert Redford jogging those steps. Maybe I’ll even walk them again one day. Going downhill, and probably just the once more.
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