NEW YORK - Robert Redford, the screen legend and Oscar winner, has announced that he's retiring from acting at the grand old age of 81, with upcoming movie "The Old Man & The Gun" his last gig in front of the camera.

The actor, director and founder of the Sundance Institute and its film festival, began his career on stage 60 years ago, before moving into television and film, and eventually into directing.

"Never say never, but I pretty well concluded that this would be it for me in terms of acting," he told Entertainment Weekly. "(I'll) move toward retirement after this 'cause I've been doing it since I was 21," he said.

"I thought, well, that's enough. And why not go out with something that's very upbeat and positive?"

His publicist Cindi Berger confirmed the article was accurate.

When asked if his prospective retirement would extend to directing, his agent did not elaborate. "We'll see about that," Redford told Entertainment Weekly.

Despite his fame, Redford steers clears of many award shows and public film festivals, and is a passionate conservationist and environmentalist.

In 2002, he won an honorary Oscar as an actor, director, producer and creator of Sundance. To date, he has also won six Golden Globes and one BAFTA. - AFP