Paul Newman, the legendary Hollywood actor, died Friday at his home in Westport, Connecticut, after a long bout with cancer. He was 83.
Newman attained stardom in the 1950s and never lost the movie-star aura, appearing in such classic films as "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof," "Exodus," "The Hustler," "Cool Hand Luke," "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," "The Sting" and "The Verdict."
He finally won an Oscar in 1986 for his eighth nomination in Martin Scorsese's "The Color of Money," a sequel to "The Hustler." He later received two more Oscar nominations.
Known for more than just a pretty face, Newman was a great humanitarian and businessman. In 1982, Newman and his friend A.E. Hotchner founded Newman's Own, a food company that produced food ranging from pasta sauces to salad dressing to chocolate chip cookies. ("The embarrassing thing is that the salad dressing is outgrossing my films," Newman once wryly noted.)
To date, the company -- which donates all profits to charities such as Newman's Hole in the Wall Gang camps -- has given away more than $200 million. Newman established the camp to benefit gravely ill children.
"He saw the camps as places where kids could escape the fear, pain and isolation of their conditions, kick back and raise a little hell," Forrester said.
Today, there are 11 Hole in the Wall Gang camps around the world, with additional programs in Africa and Vietnam. Some 135,000 children have attended the camps -- free of charge.
Newman married actress Joanne Woodward in 1958 and they stayed happily married despite working in Hollywood. He once 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 said.
He was also a race car driver: at age 70, he participated in the 24 Hours of Daytona and he was still racing at age 80.
God bless Paul Newman and his grieving family. He will be missed.
