Screen legend Paul Newman has died at the age of 83 after losing his battle against cancer.
I loved his movies, hated his politics, admired him for his philanthropy. I was most impressed with Newman in that he maintained his marriage to Joanne Woodward for so many years.
(CNN.com) Newman was half of one of the most successful showbiz marriages — to Joanne Woodward, whom he married in 1958. He observed that just because he was a sex symbol there was no reason to commit adultery.
“Why would I go out for a hamburger when [I] have steak at home?” he asked.
That is character I can admire.
Paul Newman 1925-2008
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18 Responses to ““Cool Hand Luke” dies at 83”Search
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Oh my! Paul Newman gone. I also admired him for his long marriage Whew it’s hard loosing those we grew up.
The first movie I saw with Paul Newman was Hud. The movie made such an incredible impression on me. It was also the first time I began to recognize the symbolic imagery in film. There is a scene where Hud’s father has to take out his oldest herd bull and cow and shoot them. One was white and one was black. It was the end of our understanding of good and evil. The momentum of modernity was surrendering the morality of the ages to the selfish cynicism of Newman’s younger, dissipated character.
He was a hell of a good race car driver too. RIP
“The Hustler” was another great one of his.
Paul Newman is gone, but not forgotten.
I like many of his flicks, but my favorite is Cool Hand Luke. Kinda makes one want to go out and saw the heads off of a few parking meters.
Sometimes nuthin’ is a real cool hand.
I agree with you bob42. CHL is one of the few movies I bothered to purchase on DVD. Most I watch once and that’s plenty. I watch CHL once a year or so.
And I agree with Squawk on the character part too. That seems to be a rarity among the Hollywood types these days.
Squawkster WELL posted SUH!
Always tough to lose the GREAT ones…………………………..ole Cool Hand Luke finally swallered 1 too many hard boiled eggs (metaphorically speakin)
R.I.P.
Paul Newman could act way Fast Eddie could shoot pool.
and they both felt the same way about thier craft. I think that’s why Newman is so memorable in The Hustler. It is my favorite neman flick, with CHL a close second.
If you didn’t catch it, you need to see his performance alongside Tom Hanks in Road to Peridition. It didn’t do all that well in the box office, but it’s a fitting role for his last appearance on the Big Screen. You can sense while watching Newman and Hanks together that there’s a passing of the torch from the greatest actor of the last generation to possibly the greatest of ours.
I remember seeing Paul Newman on one of the old, live broadcast TV dramas back in the 50’s, long before Hollywood claimed him,. Don’t remember which program it was - maybe Robert Montgomery Presents - or the name of the drama - but Newman made such an impression on me I looked for his name in the credits. Since then, I’ve tried to see all his pics. Some were better than others, but Newman always turned in a first rate performance.
He’ll be missed!
Whenever I hear people disparage liberals, I think of two men…my Father and Paul Newman.
Two decent men living their convictions and doing the best they can for the folks around them, We are less for their passing.
Hallo zu sagen, mein Papa. You two will have a lot to talk about.
Simple
Closer to home here… Ray “The Eyes of Texas” Miller died today as well.
Our internet/phone went down yesterday. I have no idea if it was storm related, but it’s up and running now. Ray Miller, what a Texas gem. As a newcomer to Texas, he showed me more of Texas than I will ever get to see with my own eyes. I loved his program.
Under the heading of “Some people really need to get a life”.
I received an email complaining about Newman’s comment
It seems this person believes that the comment was sexist and did not show respect to Ms. Woodward. Seems “they” think Newman thought his wife was just a piece of meat.
I love my job.
Good grief.
#13 Squawk, Good grief is right. That comment was made how many decades ago? Would it have been perfectly fine if hamburger had instead been glass and steak been the Hope Diamond? Sheesh.
Squawk looking for sympathy…BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
Me??? Looking for sympathy???? That’ll be the day.
Muhwahahahahahahahahahaha
Newman was old school, first class wonderful. Casting more than a movie fan’s glance at the man’s whole picture, it would seem that Newman’s life and love and marriage were, in the end, his greatest achievement. His films were merely the means.
The first Paul Newman film I saw was Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. The interplay between him and Robert Redford was subtle and it just seemed like they really were lifelong friends.
I also remember a commercial where he was all decked out in a race car driver suit at a motorcycle race. There was this studly matador music playing in the background as he strides through the pit area. All the other riders were getting on huge bikes, then he gets to his pit and they hand him his. It was one of those little tiny pocket rocket scooters. The look on his face was priceless.
The other thing I really appreciate about his off-screen activities was that you never heard about them other than the racing team and his ranch/charity. I don’t recall him ever getting all preachy and political or getting into trouble. Truly a giant among the rest.