The day I met 'Beautiful Bob'
Robert Meyerowitz
So, of course, my friends and I all wanted to be Barbra Streisand.
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Park Record
In advance of Robert Redford’s birthday on Aug. 18, I just had to write about the day I met “Beautiful Bob” in person.

When I was a teenager, Robert Redford was my heartthrob. After watching him appear in movies, my friends and I called him “Beautiful Bob.” His tousled blond hair often looked windblown, yet his charismatic poise always lined up straight. He had the perfect blend of confidence and casualness that translated to the ultimate in boyish charm. He conveyed his point in movies with a few well-chosen words, even as his handsomeness took my breath away.

So, of course, my friends and I all wanted to be Barbra Streisand, Redford’s lady love in “The Way We Were.” When I saw the film, it felt like the two leads were near my age. I was a college journalism major when the film was released. Robert and Barbra are students in a writing class during the movie. The ending of “The Way We Were,” in which he tells her farewell, although their longing for each other remains evident, still pierces my heart on YouTube. During all the years I followed his career and watched his films, I never dreamed I would see him in person someday.

Yet, living in Utah, there was always the slightest chance we might catch sight of him. Before it became a film festival, he owned Sundance Resort. His first wife, Lola Van Wagenen, was a Utah girl. For years, my family and I watched the annual Pioneer Day parade in front of the Liahona Pre-School because he observed the festivities from the roof of a house across the street. He didn’t climb to the top of the roof. Instead, he sat on the edge like a self-assured gargoyle.

I always thought it would be swoon-worthy if he winked at me from his perch. And there was the fairytale day when I saw him up close. My extended family stood in line to enjoy brunch at the Tree Room Restaurant at Sundance. He walked past us with his casual yet confident gait. My sister and I dared each other to ask for his autograph. Gathering courage and holding our breath, we approached him and asked, “May we have your autograph?”

While I’m sure he had a million commitments that day, he calmly sat down and signed his name with a flourish. He graciously replied when I said thank you, “You’re welcome.” Moments later, he headed off to his many famed commitments.

Today, I’m honored to say that out of all the nearly 8 billion people on earth, I am one of a lucky few possessors of Beautiful Bob’s autograph.

One of my favorite bosses also loved him. We worked together as telephone reference librarians back then. Hovering nearby to encourage us to sound upbeat, she said, “Remember, the next caller could be Robert Redford.” We waited and hoped. Years later, I married a man whose birthday was Aug. 18, the same day as Beautiful Bob’s.

Carolyn Campbell

Salt Lake City