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Paul Newman 1925 - 2008

Paul Newman of Westport, Fairfield County, Connecticut United States was born on January 26, 1925 in Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, OH, and died at age 83 years old on September 26, 2008 in Westport, Fairfield County, CT. Paul Newman was buried at Cremated. in Westport.

Paul Newman

Paul Leonard Newman - only at birth

Westport, Fairfield County, Connecticut United States

January 26, 1925

Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States

September 26, 2008

Westport, Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States

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Paul Newman Paul Newman (1925 - 2008)

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Paul Newman's History: 1925 - 2008

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Introduction

Paul Leonard Newman (January 26, 1925 – September 26, 2008) emerged as one of Hollywood's most distinguished and enduring actors, leaving an indelible mark on the silver screen. Born in Shaker Heights, Ohio, Newman's journey from humble beginnings to becoming an iconic figure in the world of entertainment is a testament to his unwavering dedication and immense talent. Newman's breakthrough came in the 1950s with roles in films like "Somebody Up There Likes Me" (1956) and "The Long, Hot Summer" (1958), which showcased his charismatic presence and ability to inhabit complex characters. However, it was his role in "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" (1958) that propelled him to stardom, earning him his first Academy Award nomination. His range as an actor was evident in his diverse roles, from the rebellious and charming "Cool Hand Luke" (1967) to the introspective and conflicted Fast Eddie Felson in "The Hustler" (1961) and its sequel, "The Color of Money" (1986), for which he won his first Oscar. Beyond his numerous accolades and critical acclaim, Newman's commitment to his craft extended beyond the camera. He ventured into directing with the acclaimed drama "Rachel, Rachel" (1968), further showcasing his artistic depth. Newman's unparalleled acting career, characterized by his magnetic presence, versatility, and dedication to his roles, solidified his status as a Hollywood legend whose influence continues to resonate in the hearts of audiences worldwide.
01/26

1925

Birthday

January 26, 1925

Birthdate

Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio United States

Birthplace

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Ethnicity & Family History

His father, Arthur Sigmund Newman (1893–1950), was of Jewish descent, hailing from Hungary, Poland, and Germany. His mother, Theresa Fetsko Newman (1894–1982) , had Swiss and Slovak ancestry. This rich blend of backgrounds contributed to Newman's unique identity and perspective. Growing up in a suburb of Cleveland, with brother Arthur Sigmund Newman Jr (1924–2020), Newman's upbringing was shaped by the values of hard work and determination instilled by his father, a successful sporting goods store owner. These principles would later influence his commitment to both his acting career and his philanthropic endeavors. The fusion of his multicultural heritage, coupled with his family's emphasis on education and ambition, played a significant role in shaping Newman's character. These roots provided him with a sense of identity that transcended ethnic boundaries, enabling him to connect with a wide range of audiences throughout his illustrious career. He was father to Alan Scott Newman (1950–1978).
Nationality & Locations

Born in Shaker Heights, Ohio, he spent his formative years in this suburban enclave near Cleveland, where he developed a strong foundation of values and work ethic from his father's successful business and his family's upbringing. Newman's pursuit of higher education led him to enroll at Ohio University, where he studied drama and joined the Navy V-12 program during World War II. His naval service took him to various locations, including Yale University, where he furthered his education and training. However, it was in New York City that Newman truly launched his acting career, honing his craft at the famed Actor's Studio and appearing in various theater productions before making his way to the silver screen. His breakout role in "Somebody Up There Likes Me" (1956) marked his emergence as a Hollywood star. While his acting career led him to many film sets around the world, Newman's personal life found a central hub in Westport, Connecticut. He and his wife, Joanne Woodward, settled in this charming town, becoming prominent members of the community and raising their family there. Their deep connection to Westport extended beyond their residence, with the establishment of the renowned Westport Country Playhouse, which became a cultural cornerstone.
Early Life & Education

Newman initially attended Shaker Heights High School. It was during these formative years that he developed a passion for acting, participating in school plays and performances that hinted at his future career. After graduating from high school, Newman continued his education at Ohio University, where he pursued studies in drama and theater. However, his academic path was soon intertwined with his sense of duty when he joined the Navy V-12 program during World War II. He was assigned to the United States Naval Reserve Midshipmen's School at Columbia University and then to the V-12 program at Yale University, where he furthered his education and naval training. Newman's post-war return to civilian life marked a pivotal turning point in his pursuit of acting. He attended the renowned Actor's Studio in New York City, where he refined his skills and embraced the Method acting techniques that would become central to his performances. His dedication to honing his craft was a testament to his determination and commitment to his chosen profession.
Religious Beliefs

Paul Newman's religious beliefs were marked by a sense of personal exploration and a departure from traditional religious affiliations. Born to a Jewish father, Arthur S. Newman, and a mother with Swiss and Slovak ancestry, Theresa Fetzer, Newman was exposed to a diverse blend of cultural backgrounds from an early age. However, he did not strictly adhere to any particular religious doctrine throughout his life. Newman's religious inclinations appeared to be more aligned with a humanist philosophy, emphasizing ethical and moral values rather than adherence to a specific faith. He often described himself as a "Jewish-Buddhist" or an "agnostic." This spiritual fluidity was reflective of his broader worldview and his approach to life. Despite not being tied to a specific religious tradition, Newman's actions and philanthropic endeavors exemplified a deep sense of social responsibility and compassion. His establishment of the Newman's Own Foundation, which donated the profits from his food products to various charitable causes, showcased his commitment to making a positive impact on society.
Military Service

After Newman graduated from Shaker Heights High School in 1943, he joined the Navy's V-12 program at Yale University in the hopes of becoming a pilot. His hopes were dashed, however, when it was discovered that he was color blind. Instead of completing the program, Newman was shipped to basic training where he qualified to be a rear-seat radioman and gunner for torpedo bombers. In 1944, Newman was sent to Barber's Point where he operated in torpedo bomber squadrons designed to train replacement pilots. He was later stationed on an aircraft carrier as a turret gunner for an Avenger aircraft. One of Newman's later posts was aboard the USS Bunker Hill which fought in the Battle of Okinawa in 1945. In a stroke of fate, his pilot developed an ear infection and they were held back from flying in the Okinawa campaign. Because of this, he and his pilot avoided the destruction of their ship, and the deaths of the sailors aboard. Newman was discharged in 1946 in Washington. Hs military honors included the American Area Campaign medal, the Good Conduct medal, and the World War II Victory medal. After less than a year at Ohio University at Athens, he joined the Navy Air Corps to be a pilot. When a test showed he was colorblind, he was made an aircraft radio operator.
Professional Career

Primarily known as a legendary actor, Newman's career spanned over five decades, earning him an iconic status in Hollywood. He showcased his acting prowess through a wide range of roles, from charismatic leading men to complex and troubled characters. Newman's acting career gained prominence in the 1950s with roles in films like "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" (1958) and "The Hustler" (1961), the latter earning him an Academy Award nomination. He solidified his superstar status with a string of memorable performances, including "Cool Hand Luke" (1967), "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" (1969), and "The Sting" (1973). In 1986, he clinched the Academy Award for Best Actor for his reprisal of Fast Eddie Felson in "The Color of Money." Beyond acting, Newman demonstrated his creative acumen by venturing into directing. His directorial debut, "Rachel, Rachel" (1968), earned critical acclaim and highlighted his artistic depth. He also helmed other projects, including "The Glass Menagerie" (1987) and "Harry & Son" (1984). Newman's multifaceted career extended beyond the entertainment industry. He gained recognition as a successful entrepreneur, co-founding Newman's Own, a food company that donated its profits to charitable causes. His philanthropic endeavors went even further with the establishment of the Newman's Own Foundation, which has contributed millions to various charitable organizations. In 1982, as a lark, he decided to sell a salad dressing he had created and bottled for friends at Christmas. Thus was born the Newman’s Own brand, an enterprise he started with his friend A. E. Hotchner, the writer. More than 25 years later the brand has expanded to include, among other foods, lemonade, popcorn, spaghetti sauce, pretzels, organic Fig Newmans and wine. (His daughter Nell Newman runs the company’s organic arm.) All its profits, of more than $200 million, have been donated to charity, the company says. Several years before the establishment of Newman’s Own, on Nov. 28, 1978, Scott Newman, the oldest of Mr. Newman’s six children and his only son, died at 28 of an overdose of alcohol and pills. His father’s monument to him was the Scott Newman Center, created to publicize the dangers of drugs and alcohol. It is headed by Susan Newman, the oldest of his five daughters. In a surprising turn, Newman revealed a passion for auto racing, becoming a respected figure in motorsports. He competed professionally, even participating in prestigious events like the 24 Hours of Le Mans. His love for racing culminated in the founding of Newman/Haas Racing, a successful IndyCar team.
Personal Life & Family

In 1958 he married actress Joanne Woodward, beginning a legendary partnership that lasted until his passing. Their enduring love and mutual respect were evident both on and off-screen, as they shared the screen in several films, including "The Long, Hot Summer" (1958) and "Mr. & Mrs. Bridge" (1990). Their marriage was a beacon of stability in the tumultuous world of Hollywood, and their three daughters, Nell, Melissa, and Claire, further enriched their family life. Newman's commitment to philanthropy was a hallmark of his personal life. He channeled his fame and success into impactful charitable endeavors. Co-founding Newman's Own in 1982, he turned the profits from his food products into a vehicle for supporting a wide range of charitable causes. The establishment of the Newman's Own Foundation further solidified his dedication to giving back. Beyond his acting career and philanthropy, Newman's personal interests extended to auto racing. His passion for the sport led him to become a respected figure in the racing world, even co-founding Newman/Haas Racing, a successful IndyCar team. This enthusiasm for racing was just one of the many facets that made up his vibrant personality. Paul Newman's personal life was a tapestry woven with love, compassion, dedication, and a zest for exploration. His enduring marriage, meaningful philanthropic contributions, and unique passions all contributed to the legacy of a man who left an indelible mark not only on the entertainment industry but on the lives of those he touched.
09/26

2008

Death

September 26, 2008

Death date

Unknown
Cause of death

Westport, Fairfield County, Connecticut United States
Death location

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Gravesite & Burial

mm/dd/yyyy
Funeral date
Cremated. in Westport, Fairfield County, Connecticut U.S.A.
Burial location
Obituary

Paul Newman, a Magnetic Titan of Hollywood, Is Dead at 83 By ALJEAN HARMETZ SEPT. 27, 2008 Paul Newman, one of the last of the great 20th-century movie stars, died Friday at his home in Westport, Conn. He was 83. He acted in more than 65 movies over more than 50 years, drawing on a physical grace, unassuming intelligence and good humor that made it all seem effortless. Stardom arrived a year and a half later, when he inherited from James Dean the role of the boxer Rocky Graziano in “Somebody Up There Likes Me.” Mr. Dean had been killed in a car crash before the screenplay was finished. Mr. Newman’s filmography was a cavalcade of flawed heroes and winning antiheroes stretching over decades. In 1958 he was a drifting confidence man determined to marry a Southern belle in an adaptation of “The Long, Hot Summer.” In 1982, in “The Verdict,” he was a washed-up alcoholic lawyer who finds a chance to redeem himself in a medical malpractice case. And in 2002, at 77, having lost none of his charm, he was affably deadly as Tom Hanks’s gangster boss in “Road to Perdition.” It was his last onscreen role in a major theatrical release. (He supplied the voice of the veteran race car Doc in the Pixar animated film “Cars” in 2006.) As Hud Bannon in “Hud” (1963) Mr. Newman was a heel on the Texas range who wanted the good life and was willing to sell diseased cattle to get it. The character was intended to make the audience feel “loathing and disgust,” Mr. Newman told a reporter. Instead, he said, “we created a folk hero.” Mr. Newman’s three younger daughters are the children of his 50-year second marriage, to the actress Joanne Woodward. Mr. Newman and Ms. Woodward both were cast — she as an understudy — in the Broadway play “Picnic” in 1953. Starting with “The Long, Hot Summer” in 1958, they co-starred in 10 movies, including “From the Terrace” (1960), based on a John O’Hara novel about a driven executive and his unfaithful wife; “Harry & Son” (1984), which Mr. Newman also directed, produced and helped write; and “Mr. & Mrs. Bridge” (1990), James Ivory’s version of a pair of Evan S. Connell novels, in which Mr. Newman and Ms. Woodward played a conservative Midwestern couple coping with life’s changes. When good roles for Ms. Woodward dwindled, Mr. Newman produced and directed “Rachel, Rachel” for her in 1968. Nominated for the best-picture Oscar, the film, a delicate story of a spinster schoolteacher tentatively hoping for love, brought Ms. Woodward her second of four best-actress Oscar nominations. (She won the award on her first nomination, for the 1957 film “The Three Faces of Eve,” and was nominated again for her roles in “Mr. & Mrs. Bridge” and the 1973 movie “Summer Wishes, Winter Dreams.”) Mr. Newman also directed his wife in “The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds” (1972), “The Glass Menagerie” (1987) and the television movie “The Shadow Box” (1980). As a director his most ambitious film was “Sometimes a Great Notion” (1971), based on the Ken Kesey novel. In an industry in which long marriages might be defined as those that last beyond the first year and the first infidelity, Mr. Newman and Ms. Woodward’s was striking for its endurance. But they admitted that it was often turbulent. She loved opera and ballet. He liked playing practical jokes and racing cars. But as Mr. Newman told Playboy magazine, in an often-repeated quotation about marital fidelity, “I have steak at home; why go out for hamburger?” The director Josh Logan and the playwright William Inge gave him a small role in “Picnic,” a play that was to run 14 months on Broadway. Soon he was playing the second male lead and understudying Ralph Meeker as the sexy drifter who roils the women in a Kansas town When Mr. Penn adapted the Billy the Kid teleplay for his first Hollywood film, “The Left Handed Gun,” in 1958, he again cast Mr. Newman in the lead. Even so, Mr. Newman was saddled for years with an image of being a “pretty boy” lightweight.“Paul suffered a little bit from being so handsome — people doubted just how well he could act,” Mr. Penn told the authors of the 1988 book “Paul and Joanne.” By 1957 Mr. Newman and Ms. Woodward were discreetly living together in Hollywood; his wife had initially refused to give him a divorce. He later admitted that his drinking was out of control during this period.With his divorce granted, Mr. Newman and Ms. Woodward were married on Jan. 29, 1958, and went on to rear their three daughters far from Hollywood, in a farmhouse on 15 acres in Westport, Conn. That same year Mr. Newman played Brick, the reluctant husband of Maggie the Cat, in the film version of Tennessee Williams’s “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” earning his first Academy Award nomination, for best actor. In 1961, with “The Hustler,” he earned his second best-actor Oscar nomination. He had become more than a matinee idol. Many of his meaty performances during the early ’60s came in movies directed by Martin Ritt, who had been a teaching assistant to Elia Kazan at the Actors Studio when Mr. Newman was a student. After directing “The Long, Hot Summer,” Mr. Ritt directed Mr. Newman in “Paris Blues” (1961), a story of expatriate musicians; “Hemingway’s Adventures of a Young Man” (1962); “Hud” (1963), which brought Mr. Newman a third Oscar nomination; “The Outrage” (1964), with Mr. Newman as the bandit in a western based on Akira Kurosawa’s “Rashomon”; and “Hombre” (1967), in which Mr. Newman played a white man, reared by Indians, struggling to live in a white world. Among his other important films were Otto Preminger’s “Exodus” (1960), Alfred Hitchcock’s “Torn Curtain” (1966) and Jack Smight’s “Harper” (1966), in which he played Ross Macdonald’s private detective Lew Archer. Paul Newman with his wife, Joanne Woodward, in 2002 outside the Westport Country Playhouse in Westport, Conn. Credit Sara Krulwich/The New York Times A politically active liberal Democrat, Mr. Newman was a Eugene McCarthy delegate to the 1968 Democratic convention and appointed by President Jimmy Carter to a United NationsGeneral Assembly session on disarmament. He expressed pride at being on President Richard M. Nixon’s enemies list. When Mr. Newman turned 50, he settled into a new career as a character actor, playing the title role — “with just the right blend of craftiness and stupidity,” Janet Maslin wrote in The New York Times — of Robert Altman’s “Buffalo Bill and the Indians” (1976); an unscrupulous hockey coach in George Roy Hill’s “Slap Shot” (1977); and the disintegrating lawyer in Sidney Lumet’s “Verdict.” Most of Mr. Newman’s films were commercial hits, probably none more so than “The Sting” (1973), in which he teamed with Mr. Redford again to play a couple of con men, and “The Towering Inferno” (1974), in which he played an architect in an all-star cast that included Steve McQueen and Faye Dunaway. After his fifth best-actor Oscar nomination, for his portrait of an innocent man discredited by the press in Sydney Pollack’s “Absence of Malice” (1981), and his sixth a year later, for “The Verdict,” the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 1986 gave Mr. Newman the consolation prize of an honorary award. In a videotaped acceptance speech he said, “I am especially grateful that this did not come wrapped in a gift certificate to Forest Lawn.” His best-actor Oscar, for “The Color of Money,” came the next year, and at the 1994 Oscars ceremony he received the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award. The year after that he earned his eighth nomination as best actor, for his curmudgeonly construction worker trying to come to terms with his failures in “Nobody’s Fool” (1994). In 2003 he was nominated as best supporting actor for his work in “Road to Perdition.” And in 2006 he took home both a Golden Globe and an Emmy for playing another rough-hewn old-timer, this one in the HBO mini-series “Empire Falls.” Besides Ms. Woodward and his daughters Susan and Nell, he is survived by three other daughters, Stephanie, Melissa and Clea; two grandchildren; and his brother. Mr. Newman returned to Broadway for the last time in 2002, as the Stage Manager in a lucrative revival of Thornton Wilder’s “Our Town.” The performance was nominated for a Tony Award, though critics tended to find it modest. When the play was broadcast on PBS in 2003, he won an Emmy. This year he had planned to direct “Of Mice and Men,” based on the John Steinbeck novel, in October at the Westport Country Playhouse in Connecticut. But in May he announced that he was stepping aside, citing his health. Mr. Newman’s last screen credit was as the narrator of Bill Haney’s documentary “The Price of Sugar,” released this year. By then he had all but announced that he was through with acting. “I’m not able to work anymore as an actor at the level I would want to,” Mr. Newman said last year on the ABC program “Good Morning America.” “You start to lose your memory, your confidence, your invention. So that’s pretty much a closed book for me.” But he remained fulfilled by his charitable work, saying it was his greatest legacy, particularly in giving ailing children a camp at which to play. “We are such spendthrifts with our lives,” Mr. Newman once told a reporter. “The trick of living is to slip on and off the planet with the least fuss you can muster. I’m not running for sainthood. I just happen to think that in life we need to be a little like the farmer, who puts back into the soil what he takes out.”

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Paul Newman lived 10 years longer than the average family member when died at the age of 83.

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17 Memories, Stories & Photos about Paul

Amanda S. Stevenson

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10/02/2023

Paul Newman

Marvelous Head Shot.

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Amanda S. Stevenson

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10/02/2023

Paul Newman and Shirley Knight

Paul Newman and Shirley Knight in SWEET BIRD OF YOUTH.

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Amanda S. Stevenson

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03/31/2019

Paul Leonard Newman

A photo of Paul Leonard Newman

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Rocky Graziano with Paul Newman who played Rocky in Somebody Up There Likes Me.

Amanda S. Stevenson

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01/29/2018

Rocky Graziano with Paul Newman who played Rocky in Somebody Up There Likes Me.

A photo of "Rocky Graziano" and Paul Newman.

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Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward and their four daughters.

Amanda S. Stevenson

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01/15/2022

Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward and their four daughters.

Got the dog in it too.

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Amanda S. Stevenson

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10/19/2019

Pier Angeli, Rocky Graziano movie

A photo of Pier Angeli with Paul Newman in "Somebody Up There Likes Me. I worked for Rocky Graziano. I met Paul Newman and Perry Como who sang the theme song.

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