Newman Was Class Act

Friday, Paul Newman died at the age of 83 after losing a fight with cancer. He left behind a body of work that would make any actor one of his culture’s greatest. Robert Redford said, “I have lost a real friend. My life -- and this country -- is better for his being in it.” Perhaps that is the greatest epitaph to which one could aspire.

As an actor, Mr. Newman was capable of sliding into a character with the ease he put on his jacket. Fast Eddie in “The Hustler”, the title role in “Cool Hand Luke,” and washed up hockey player Reg Dunlop in “Slapstick” were roles that might have been played as well by another actor, but surely not better. Add to those the movies with Mr. Redford, “The Verdict” and “The Road to Perdition,” and one could argue that he was the best actor of his generation.

Acting made him a rich man, but Mr. Newman used that money to make the world better for others. He helped start and fund “Hole in the Wall" camps for children with life-threatening illnesses, using all of the profits from his popular food company, Newman's Own, to fund them. The AP noted, “Last year, $28 million from the sale of pasta sauces, salad dressings, popcorn and other products was distributed to a variety of social causes, including the Safe Water Network, which Newman helped start to provide safe drinking water to impoverished communities in places like India and Africa.”

A further passion of his was auto racing. He told the press, “I don't like talking about acting because that's business and pretty boring. And politics can get you in trouble. But I'll always talk about racing because the people are interesting and fun, the sport is a lot more exciting than anything else I do, and nobody cares that I'm an actor. I wish I could spend all my time at the racetrack.” He started his own team, and he was part of the winning team in the Daytona 24-Hours sports car endurance race at the age of 70.

His marriage to Joanne Woodward lasted 50 years. He said it had “correct amounts of lust and respect.” In an industry where marriages sometimes last months rather than years, a half century together is itself a work of art. It ended the only way it could have. Mr. Newman said he had been very lucky in life, and like Mr. Redford said this country is better for having him in it.

© Copyright 2008 by The Kensington Review, Jeff Myhre, PhD, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent. Produced using Fedora Linux.

Kensington Review Home