2008 Woodie Awards
A Long, Hot Summer Concludes: Paul Newman 1925-2008
Annmarie Granstrand
Issue date: 10/2/08 Section: Arts & Entertainment
In all his eighty-three years, Paul Newman was never seen sitting on his hands. From 1954's Somebody Up There Likes Me to voicing Doc Hudson in 2007's Cars, Newman's film career is filled with a wide range of roles and works. For over 50 years, theater-goers have watched him travel the road to perdition, rob people blind with the Sundance Kid, and coolly consume 50 eggs. His calm, blue eyes have entranced over a generation and we can only be thankful for the preservation of his work which resonates today.
Undoubtedly, we can also be thankful for his humanitarian efforts which rival his success in film. According to newmansown.org, Newman's Own has raised over $220 million for various charities and created some amusing cartoons to label everything from salsa to salad dressing with Newman's own smile as well.
A graduate of the esteemed Kenyon College in Ohio, Newman continuously donated to the institution which graduated him in 1949. Although his football career would end here, his pull to the stage strengthened. The Times obituary states he went on to hone his acting talent alongside Marlon Brando, James Dean, and his future wife, Joanne Woodward, at the Actor's Studio in New York City.
Although his magnetic personality and handsome smile would at times overshadow his skill as an actor, Newman only worked harder to prove himself as more than simply a pretty face. This rounded character was an avid racecar fan and a politically active citizen. Supporting liberal causes like Eugene McCarthy's campaign in 1968 to his recent backing of same-sex marriage, Newman remained an informed and opinionated American all his life, even donating to the campaign of PC alumnus, Senator Dodd.
On Sept. 27, a New York Times' reporter recalled a quote from Paul Newman: "We are such spendthrifts with our lives. 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."
The figurehead for film-making through American humility died in his home in Westport, Conn. on Sept. 26, 2008. His well-rooted humanitarian efforts will be carried on by his remaining family and his cultivated achievements in cinema will satisfy audiences for generations to come.
Undoubtedly, we can also be thankful for his humanitarian efforts which rival his success in film. According to newmansown.org, Newman's Own has raised over $220 million for various charities and created some amusing cartoons to label everything from salsa to salad dressing with Newman's own smile as well.
A graduate of the esteemed Kenyon College in Ohio, Newman continuously donated to the institution which graduated him in 1949. Although his football career would end here, his pull to the stage strengthened. The Times obituary states he went on to hone his acting talent alongside Marlon Brando, James Dean, and his future wife, Joanne Woodward, at the Actor's Studio in New York City.
Although his magnetic personality and handsome smile would at times overshadow his skill as an actor, Newman only worked harder to prove himself as more than simply a pretty face. This rounded character was an avid racecar fan and a politically active citizen. Supporting liberal causes like Eugene McCarthy's campaign in 1968 to his recent backing of same-sex marriage, Newman remained an informed and opinionated American all his life, even donating to the campaign of PC alumnus, Senator Dodd.
On Sept. 27, a New York Times' reporter recalled a quote from Paul Newman: "We are such spendthrifts with our lives. 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."
The figurehead for film-making through American humility died in his home in Westport, Conn. on Sept. 26, 2008. His well-rooted humanitarian efforts will be carried on by his remaining family and his cultivated achievements in cinema will satisfy audiences for generations to come.
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