Lola Van Wagenen: 5 Essential Facts About The Historian, Activist, And Robert Redford's First Wife (Updated 2025)

Lola Van Wagenen is far more than a footnote in Hollywood history; she is a distinguished American historian, a pioneering activist, and a documentary film producer whose work has profoundly shaped public education in the United States. While many know her as the first wife of actor and director Robert Redford, her professional legacy—spanning decades of environmental advocacy, consumer rights, and award-winning historical scholarship—stands entirely on its own. As of December 2025, she remains an active figure in the historical community, notably through her continued support of local history programs in Vermont, proving her unwavering commitment to educational outreach.

Her life story is a compelling narrative of personal evolution, moving from a young bride in the nascent days of Hollywood to a formidable academic who earned her Ph.D. later in life. Her dedication to bringing complex historical narratives to a wide audience—particularly the stories of women and marginalized groups—has established her as a vital voice in modern historical discourse. This article delves into the essential facts of her remarkable career and personal life, highlighting the impact she has made outside the shadow of her famous ex-husband.

Lola Van Wagenen: Complete Biography and Profile

Lola Van Wagenen’s life is marked by a deep commitment to education, activism, and historical preservation. Her extensive career has seen her transition from a consumer activist to a respected historian and documentary filmmaker.

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• Full Name: Lola Jean Van Wagenen
• Date of Birth: December 19, 1938
• Place of Birth: Provo, Utah, U.S.
• Nationality: American
• Education:
  • Brigham Young University (BYU) (Began formal education in 1957)
  • New York University (NYU) (M.A., 1984)
  • New York University (NYU) (Ph.D. in American History, 1994)
• Ph.D. Dissertation Title: "Sister-Wives and Suffragists: Polygamy and the Politics of Woman Suffrage, 1870–1896"
• Professions: Historian, Activist, Documentary Film Producer, Author.
• Notable Organizations Co-Founded: Consumer Action Now (CAN) (1970), Clio Visualizing History, Inc. (1995).
• First Spouse: Robert Redford (m. 1958; div. 1985)
• Second Spouse: George Burrill (m. 2002; present)
• Children (with Robert Redford): Scott Redford (deceased), Shauna Redford, James Redford (deceased), Amy Redford.

The Activist Roots: From Consumer Action Now to Environmentalism

Lola Van Wagenen's professional journey began not in academia or film, but in the trenches of grassroots activism. Her early life was defined by a commitment to social and environmental change, setting the stage for her later work as a historian.

Co-Founding Consumer Action Now (CAN)

In 1970, Van Wagenen co-founded Consumer Action Now (CAN), a non-profit educational organization focused on consumer rights and environmental issues. This pioneering work in the early 1970s placed her at the forefront of the emerging environmental movement. The organization’s mission was to educate the public and advocate for policies that protected consumers and the environment from harmful practices. This experience provided her with a foundational understanding of public outreach and the power of educational initiatives, which she would later apply to her historical projects.

A Life-Long Commitment to Public Education

Her work with CAN was a precursor to her philosophical belief that public education should be the primary focus of her professional life. This conviction led her to pursue formal education later in life, a testament to her intellectual drive. After raising her four children, she returned to college, ultimately earning a Master of Arts in 1984 and a Ph.D. in American History in 1994 from New York University (NYU). Her doctoral research was a deep dive into the complex history of women’s rights.

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A Scholar’s Legacy: Sister-Wives and Suffragists

Van Wagenen’s most significant contribution to historical scholarship came from her Ph.D. work, which challenged conventional narratives about the American suffrage movement, particularly in the Western United States. Her dissertation, "Sister-Wives and Suffragists: Polygamy and the Politics of Woman Suffrage, 1870–1896," was a groundbreaking study.

The Complexities of Western Suffrage

The research explored the unique and often contradictory role of Mormon women in the fight for the vote. It highlighted how women in the Utah territory, including those in polygamous marriages (known as "sister-wives"), were among the first in the nation to exercise their right to vote in 1870, decades before the 19th Amendment was passed. This work shed light on the intersection of religious practice, federal politics, and women’s political activism, emphasizing that the history of women's suffrage was far from monolithic. The dissertation was later published as a book, solidifying its place as a key text in women's history and Mormon studies.

Clio Visualizing History and Digital Outreach

Building on her academic success and her passion for public education, Van Wagenen co-founded Clio Visualizing History, Inc. in 1995. This non-profit organization was established to promote history education through innovative media, including documentary films and digital resources. One of Clio’s most notable projects is *Click! The Ongoing Feminist Revolution*, a major online resource that explores the history of feminism and women’s rights, bringing historical scholarship to a new generation of digital learners.

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Documentary Filmmaking and the American Experience

As a documentary film producer, Lola Van Wagenen has used the medium to make complex historical topics accessible and engaging for a mass audience. Her work is characterized by a commitment to accuracy and a focus on underrepresented stories.

The Miss America Documentary

Her most widely recognized documentary is *Miss America: A Documentary Film* (2001), which aired on PBS’s prestigious American Experience program. Van Wagenen served as the executive producer for the film, which offered a contextual history of the Miss America pageant. The documentary explored the cultural, political, and social significance of the institution, examining how the pageant reflected and influenced American ideas about womanhood, race, and beauty over the 20th century. Premiering at the Sundance Film Festival, the film demonstrated her ability to blend rigorous historical research with compelling visual storytelling.

A Continued Commitment in 2025

Even in her mid-80s, Van Wagenen remains dedicated to her work. Her commitment to local history is evidenced by her and her current husband, George Burrill's, continued support for the "Activating 21st Century Local History" program in Vermont, a project aimed at revitalizing how local history is taught and preserved in the modern era. This recent activity, mentioned in an October 2025 update, underscores her enduring role as a patron and practitioner of public history.

Personal Life: Beyond the Hollywood Spotlight

Lola Van Wagenen's personal life has been closely intertwined with her professional evolution, marked by a famous first marriage and a quiet, successful second one.

Marriage to Robert Redford

She married Robert Redford in 1958 when she was 19. Their marriage spanned 27 years and produced four children: Scott, Shauna, James, and Amy. The couple's life began far from the glamour of Hollywood, initially struggling financially while Redford pursued his acting career. Their shared history is deeply connected to the founding of Redford's legacy, including the purchase of the land that would eventually become the Sundance Resort and the Sundance Film Festival. The marriage ended in divorce in 1985, but they remained connected through their children and shared legacy.

Second Marriage to George Burrill

In 2002, Van Wagenen remarried to George Burrill, a diplomat and international development specialist. Burrill’s career focused on sustainable development and international relations, aligning with Van Wagenen’s own background in environmental and consumer activism. The couple has maintained a private life, often residing in Vermont, and have been recognized for their philanthropic and educational contributions, including their support for student exchange programs between Vermont and New Zealand.

The Legacy of James Redford

In 2020, Lola and Robert Redford experienced the tragic loss of their son, James Redford, a documentary filmmaker and environmental activist in his own right. James Redford’s work, which often focused on environmental and health issues, mirrored the activist spirit inherited from his mother. The family’s enduring commitment to philanthropy and social issues continues through the work of their surviving children, Shauna and Amy, ensuring that the legacy of activism and historical storytelling remains a central theme for the Van Wagenen-Redford family.