Ayrshire pays tribute to legend Duvall

LEGEND: Robert Duvall poses for a photo at Kilmarnock's Rugby Park (Image: Kilmarnock Football Club)

Ayrshire has been paying tribute to Hollywood legend Robert Duvall who passed away at the age of 95.

The death of the Godfather star was confirmed by wife Luciana on Facebook on 16 February, believing he was a “beloved husband and cherished friend”.

The post by Mrs Duvall added: “Bob passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by love and comfort. To the world, he was an Academy award-winning actor, a director, a storyteller. To me, he was simply everything.”

People in Ayrshire took to social media to praise the late Duvall, who filmed in the region in the late 1990s, and shared their memories of seeing him on-screen.

One comment on a post by East Ayrshire Cooncil, an unofficial page, read: “He was some actor that man and will always be remembered, R.I.P.”

Another user said Duvall came across as “wonderful”, in reference to his appearance in Joel Schumacher’s Falling Down, with a further comment calling him “superb” in Days of Thunder.

The San Diego-born actor is best remembered for his appearances in Apocalypse Now, To Kill a Mockingbird, and his impact as Tom Hagen in two parts of the Godfather in 1972 and 1974.

Duvall once pitched up at Kilmarnock’s Rugby Park in 1999 as one of various filming locations in Scotland for Michael Corrente’s 2000 film A Shot at Glory.

The football themed movie, where Duvall starred alongside former Rangers and Killie star Ally McCoist, saw other stadiums such as Boghead Park, formerly of Dumbarton, and Palmerston Park in Dumfries receive cameos.