A Texas Legend
Friday, February 25, 2011 at 9:17PM Tweet by Bennett Owen
Everything’s big in Texas and their heroes seem larger than life as well, spanning the gamut from Davy Crockett to Lance Armstrong. And now a Hollywood legend ranks among them as well…the mighty…the immortal…Robert Duvall.
Dave Rossman /For the Chronicle: Bob Schieffer and Robert Duvall with Lester and Sue Smith, chairs of "An Evening with Legend Robert Duvall and a Tribute to the Texas Epic Lonesome Dove"
He was the guest of honor Thursday evening (Feb. 23) as a part of the annual fundraising dinner to benefit the Texas Children’s Cancer Center in Houston.
Duvall is a native Californian but considers himself an honorary Texan based on his love of Tex Mex cooking. But Texans revere him for his portrayal of crusty Texas Ranger Augustus McCrae in the western epic, Lonesome Dove. Austin native, and CBS News personality Bob Schiefer interviewed Duvall, whose money quote for the evening was…”Let the English play Hamlet. I’ll play Augustus McCrae.”
Here’s a compilation of past honorees in the Texas Legends event…
More than 800 people attended this year…tables were going for up to $75,000 and the dress code was “Cowboy Chic”. The fund raising drive netted nearly $9 million for the Children’s Cancer Center.
This also allows me the opportunity to show my favorite scene from Lonesome Dove…the smirk of satisfaction on Duvall’s face at 1:38 is positively priceless.