Written by Nicole Pedersen

 

Losing Paul Newman is a blow – and not just to movie fans. For the past twenty years Paul Newman, the actor, became equally famous for creating his tasty line of food products. In fact, if he hadn't created the "Newman's Own" line for strictly charitable reasons, I might be writing a very different article right now. The guy was a giver.

He also has a special place in my heart as he created his first "Hole in the Wall Gang" camp for seriously ill children in my own backyard. Opened in Ashford, Connecticut in 1988, the camp was a source of pride for an area that really doesn't have anything else, aside from cows, going for it. Newman supported the area (known as the "Quiet Corner" of the state) by hanging out at our sad little "Motor Speedway" in years past… Did I leave out the fact that the man was also a racing enthusiast? You could almost begrudge Newman all of his talents, good looks and good luck if he hadn't been such an effortlessly genuine and generous man.

Although his resume reads like a partial list of Hollywood's best films from the past fifty years ("Cool Hand Luke," "The Sting," "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," "Cat On A Hot Tin Roof" and "The Hustler") it was his work in philanthropy that elevated him above the level of common celebrity. "Newman's Own" alone has helped raise hundreds of millions of dollars for charities all over the world.

Paul Newman was nominated for an Oscar nine times – finally winning in 1986 for his "Hustler" sequel "The Color of Money." Newman stopped appearing in films several years ago, telling an interviewer that he wasn't "able to work anymore… at the level I want to." After his last role, in HBO's "Empire Falls" miniseries, Newman stuck to voice work - most notably appearing as 'Doc' in Pixar's "Cars."

Newman is survived by his wife of over fifty years – the Oscar winning actress Joanne Woodward. The couple had three daughters and Newman also had two daughters with his first wife. His only son died in 1978 from an accidental drug overdose.

It should go without saying, but Newman will be greatly missed.