BLUF: Lola Van Wagenen is an 87-year-old American historian, activist, and documentary producer — and the former first wife of Hollywood legend Robert Redford. She built an independent career in education, environmental advocacy, and public history that goes far beyond her famous marriage.
Who Is Lola Van Wagenen?
Lola Van Wagenen is not just a celebrity ex-wife. She is a published historian, nonprofit co-founder, and award-winning documentary producer. Most people find her name through Robert Redford searches. But her own story is richer, more surprising, and largely untold by competitors.
She was born on December 19, 1938, in Provo, Utah, USA. She grew up as the eldest of six children in a devout Mormon family. Her father ran a local radio station, and her ancestors were polygamists — a background that later shaped her doctoral research on women's suffrage in 19th-century Utah.
Quick Bio Table
| Detail | Information |
| Full Name | Lola Jean Van Wagenen |
| Date of Birth | December 19, 1938 |
| Age (2026) | 87 years old |
| Birthplace | Provo, Utah, USA |
| Nationality | American |
| Religion | Raised Mormon; later explored broader spiritual thought |
| Height | 5 feet 8 inches (173 cm) |
| Weight | Approx. 88 kg |
| Eye Color | Hazel |
| Hair Color | Blonde |
| Zodiac Sign | Sagittarius |
| Net Worth (2026) | Estimated $1–3 million USD |
| First Husband | Robert Redford (m. 1958 – div. 1985) |
| Second Husband | George Carleton Burrill (m. July 17, 2002) |
| Children | 3 surviving (Shauna, James†, Amy) + 1 who died in infancy (Scott) |
Early Life and Education
Lola grew up with strong roots in Utah's Mormon community. She was already 19 when she married Robert Redford in 1958 — leaving college behind to support his acting career. That choice was not permanent.
After her divorce in 1985, she went back to school and rebuilt her academic identity from scratch. Here is her full education timeline:
- 1982 — Earned her Bachelor's Degree from Vermont College (formerly Goddard College), Plainfield, VT
- 1984 — Completed a Master's Degree in Public History and Liberal Studies at New York University (NYU)
- 1994/1995 — Earned a PhD in American History from NYU
- 2003 — Published her doctoral dissertation as the book Sister-Wives and Suffragists: Polygamy and the Politics of Woman Suffrage, 1870–1896
- 2012 — Received the Distinguished Alumnae Achievement Award from NYU's Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
She also holds an Honorary Doctorate in Science from the Pratt Institute, awarded in 1979, recognising her early environmental advocacy work.
Career: Activist, Producer, and Historian
Lola Van Wagenen's career spans three distinct chapters. Each one is impressive on its own terms.
Chapter 1: Environmental and Consumer Activist (1970s)
- 1970 — Co-founded Consumer Action Now (CAN), a nonprofit educating Americans about how their purchasing choices impact the environment. She served as co-chair for 10 years.
- 1978 — Organised SunDay in New York, a landmark event promoting solar energy awareness
- 1979 — Served as a member of the National Commission on the International Year of the Child
- She also held leadership roles at UNICEF, the National Audubon Society, and the Vermont Historical Society
Chapter 2: Documentary Film Producer (1990s–2015)
As an executive producer, her most notable credits include:
| Film / Project | Year | Platform |
| The Mike Douglas Show (appeared as "Lola Redford") | 1975 | Syndicated TV |
| Miss America: A Documentary Film | 2002 | PBS American Experience |
| The State of Marriage | 2015 | Documentary Film |
Miss America premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2002 — the same festival tied to her ex-husband's legacy. Van Wagenen admitted feeling nervous about this overlap, telling one interviewer she had always tried to remain a very private person.
Chapter 3: Historian and Education Innovator (1995–Present)
- 1995 — Co-founded Clio Visualizing History, Inc. with historian Jeanne Houck
- The organisation creates educational films and online history resources for students
- 2002 — Clio restructured as a not-for-profit to expand public access
- She is currently Director of Clio Films, based in Vermont
Her published academic work, Sister-Wives and Suffragists, is a peer-reviewed contribution to understanding how polygamy and women's suffrage intersected in 19th-century America. It remains a reference work in American Women's History courses.
Lola Van Wagenen and Robert Redford: The Full Story
This is what most people search for — and most competitor articles get it wrong or leave key facts out.
- 1957 — Lola and Robert met in Los Angeles, living in the same apartment building
- August 9, 1958 — They married in Las Vegas, Nevada. Lola was 19. Robert was 21.
- Together they had four children — Scott Anthony (born Sept. 1959, died Nov. 1959 from SIDS), Shauna Redford (b. 1960), James Redford (b. 1962, died October 2020 from bile-duct cancer), and Amy Redford (b. 1970)
- 1985 — The couple quietly divorced after 27 years of marriage. There were no public disputes.
- Redford later said the divorce was "mutual and it was right to move on," noting they retained "great love, great affection, great friendship"
Lola's Utah roots directly influenced Robert's decision to found the Sundance Institute and Sundance Film Festival in 1978. Robert Redford passed away on September 16, 2025, at his home at Sundance, Utah, at age 89.
Current Husband: George Carleton Burrill
After more than 15 years as a single woman, Lola remarried. She wed George Carleton Burrill on July 17, 2002. The couple keeps a very private life. Lola currently resides in Vermont, where she continues her work with Clio Films.
Unlike many celebrity ex-wives, Lola has never used her marriage to Redford as a platform. She avoids social media entirely — no Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook accounts.
Lola Van Wagenen Net Worth 2026
Lola's net worth is estimated at between $1 million and $3 million USD as of 2026. Her income sources include:
- Co-founding and running Consumer Action Now (10 years)
- Executive producing documentary films for PBS and independent distributors
- Academic publishing and history education work through Clio Visualizing History
- Speaking and advisory roles with nonprofits including UNICEF and the Audubon Society
Her ex-husband Robert Redford had an estimated net worth of $170–200 million at the time of his death in 2025. Lola's independent wealth reflects her own career, not her marriage.
What Is Lola Van Wagenen Doing in 2026?
Lola Van Wagenen remains active as a historian and filmmaker, though largely outside the public eye. She continues to direct Clio Films in Vermont. She has not sought renewed public attention following Robert Redford's death in September 2025.
She has consistently declined most media requests. Her focus remains on expanding access to American history education through documentary film and online resources.
If you want to explore similar stories of women who built independent careers beyond famous relationships, check out the biography of Joanna Shimkus — another Hollywood-adjacent woman who defined herself on her own terms.
What Competitor Articles Miss About Lola Van Wagenen
Most rival pages reduce Lola to three bullet points: ex-wife, activist, author. Here is what they consistently fail to cover:
- Her role organising SunDay 1978 — a pioneering solar energy event in New York
- Her 1979 Honorary Doctorate from Pratt Institute
- The Distinguished Alumnae Award from NYU in 2012
- The emotional story of premiering her own documentary at Sundance in 2002
- Her current role as Director of Clio Films in Vermont
- Her second marriage to George Carleton Burrill in 2002 — omitted by many competitor pages
- The fact that son James Redford died in October 2020 — a detail relevant to her family history as of 2026
FAQs
Q: How old is Lola Van Wagenen in 2026?
A: Lola Van Wagenen is 87 years old in 2026. She was born on December 19, 1938, in Provo, Utah, USA. Her zodiac sign is Sagittarius. She remains active as a documentary filmmaker and historian based in Vermont.
Q: Who is Lola Van Wagenen's current husband?
A: Lola Van Wagenen's current husband is George Carleton Burrill. They married on July 17, 2002. She was previously married to actor Robert Redford from 1958 to 1985. She keeps her current marriage very private and maintains no social media presence.
Q: Did Lola Van Wagenen remarry after Robert Redford?
A: Yes. Lola Van Wagenen married George Carleton Burrill on July 17, 2002, more than 15 years after her 1985 divorce from Robert Redford. She and Burrill live quietly in Vermont. She has rarely discussed her second marriage publicly.
Q: What is Lola Van Wagenen's net worth?
A: Lola Van Wagenen's net worth is estimated at $1 million to $3 million USD as of 2026. She earned this through her career as a documentary producer, nonprofit co-founder, and academic historian. Her wealth is independent from her former marriage to Robert Redford.
Q: What did Lola Van Wagenen do after her divorce from Robert Redford?
A: After her 1985 divorce, Lola returned to school. She earned a Bachelor's from Vermont College (1982), a Master's from NYU (1984), and a PhD in American History from NYU (1994–95). She then co-founded Clio Visualizing History in 1995 and produced documentary films for PBS. Her post-divorce career became entirely her own.
Q: Did Lola Van Wagenen help start the Sundance Film Festival?
A: Lola did not co-found Sundance directly, but her influence was significant. Her Utah roots inspired Robert Redford to establish the Sundance Institute and Sundance Film Festival in 1978. She later premiered her own documentary, Miss America: A Documentary Film, at Sundance in 2002.
Q: How many children did Lola Van Wagenen and Robert Redford have?
A: Lola Van Wagenen and Robert Redford had four children together. Their first son, Scott Anthony, died in infancy in November 1959 from SIDS. Their surviving children were Shauna Redford (b. 1960), James Redford (b. 1962, died 2020), and Amy Redford (b. 1970).
Q: What book did Lola Van Wagenen write?
A: Lola Van Wagenen published Sister-Wives and Suffragists: Polygamy and the Politics of Woman Suffrage, 1870–1896 in 2003. The book was based on her PhD dissertation from NYU. It examines how Mormon polygamy intersected with the women's suffrage movement in 19th-century America.
Q: Is Lola Van Wagenen on social media?
A: No. Lola Van Wagenen has no known presence on Instagram, Twitter/X, Facebook, or any other platform. She has consistently maintained a private profile throughout her career. Most information about her comes from academic records, IMDb, and archived newspaper interviews.
Q: What happened to Robert Redford's first wife?
A: After their 1985 divorce, Lola Van Wagenen earned two advanced degrees, co-founded a history education nonprofit, produced PBS documentaries, and remarried in 2002. She lives in Vermont and continues to work with Clio Films. She did not seek public attention after Redford's death in September 2025.
Quick Facts Summary
- Born: December 19, 1938, Provo, Utah
- Education: PhD in American History, NYU (1994–95)
- Published Work: Sister-Wives and Suffragists (2003)
- Producer Credits: Miss America: A Documentary Film (PBS, 2002), The State of Marriage (2015)
- Nonprofits Founded: Consumer Action Now (1970), Clio Visualizing History (1995)
- Marriages: Robert Redford (1958–1985), George Carleton Burrill (2002–present)
- Residence: Vermont, USA
- Net Worth: ~$1–3 million (2026 estimate)
Also worth reading for context on similar figures: Grant Goodeve biography and Henry Samuel biography.
References (nofollow)
- Wikipedia — Lola Van Wagenen: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lola_Van_Wagenen
- IMDb — Lola Van Wagenen: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0888238/bio/
- Famous People Today: https://famouspeopletoday.com/lola-van-wagenen/
- The List — What Happened to Robert Redford's First Wife: https://www.thelist.com/1970815/what-happened-robert-redford-first-wife-lola-van-wagenen/
- Seven Days VT — Profile Interview: https://www.sevendaysvt.com/on-screen/here-she-comes-robert-redfords-ex-gets-film-credit-for-the-sundance-sanctioned-miss-america-2564543/
- Yahoo News Canada — Robert Redford's 2 Wives: https://ca.news.yahoo.com/robert-redfords-2-wives-relationships-154538646.html
- Spun With Tears — Robert Redford First Wife: https://www.spunwithtears.com/robert-redford-first-wife/
