Cancer: Paul Newman's Friend Confirms Ill, Newman Turns Over $120 Million To Charity

NEW HAVEN, Conn. — A longtime neighbor and business partner of Paul Newman has told The Associated Press the 83-year-old actor is battling cancer.

Writer A.E. Hotchner, who partnered with Newman to start Newman's Own salad dressing company in the 1980s, says Newman told him about the disease about 18 months ago. He doesn't say what kind of cancer.

Concerns about Newman's health have been circulating for months. Last month, officials at Connecticut's Westport Country Playhouse cited unspecified health issues when they announced that Newman wouldn't direct "Of Mice and Men" this fall.

In response to reports of Newman's illness, the actor's spokesman issued a statement Tuesday saying that Newman is "doing nicely." The statement doesn't specifically address cancer.

****

Fox News reports:

Movie star Paul Newman has quietly turned over the entire value of his ownership in Newman's Own -- the company that makes salad dressing and cookies -- to charity.

Completed over a two-year period in 2005 and 2006, the amount of his donations to Newman's Own Foundation Inc. comes to an astounding $120 million.

This is unprecedented for any movie star or anyone from what we call Hollywood. Of course Newman and actress wife Joanne Woodward have never been Hollywood types. They've lived their lives quietly in Westport, Conn., for the last 50 years. (They were married in January 1958. And people said it wouldn't last!)

This column learned about this extraordinary gift as news started coming out recently about Newman's battle

Newman in May:

Comments

[astein1]

If anyone would like to donate to one of his charities in Paul's name, please check out the Hole-in-the-Wall camps. These camps are the brainchild of Mr. Newman and they provide free summer camps for sick, and sometimes terminally ill children. Every dollar helps provide staff for these camps.

Thank you.

[cultkicker]

Mr. Newman,

I pray you will be able to survive your bout with cancer. Should you be interested in alternatives to conventional care, please look into Anvirzel, Sutherlandia OPC, and/or oleander soup. Extracts made from nerium oleander have shown to greatly extend the lifespans of cancer patients, and many times completely rid the body of cancer itself. Google it. Best of luck to you sir, you have ALWAYS been a class act, and you have done so much for humanity it will be a great loss if you were to leave us. We need you!

[javagirl322]

God bless you, Paul Newman...

[liberalissima]

Thank you Mr. Newman for all you hve done; How many billionaires have done what you have done.
You deserve the best in this world.

[rjlwis]

When today's so called "celebrities" grab headlines for all the wrong reasons, it takes a real "STAR" like Mr. Newman to show all of us how to live one's life.

[Okieborn]

I would like to thank Joanne Woodward and Paul Newman for all the great movies that they brought to the big screen.
I have always enjoed Newmans salad dressing IT'S THE BEST !!
These are two REAL STARS of America not only for their careers in the movie industry but all of their silent work with charities that they never wanted applause for.

Thank You !!!!!

[NotBeatenYet]

Sadly, there are no Republican equivalents to Mr. Newman.

[longislandlol]

Dear God- do a mitsvah and let him live till election day to see Barack President.­.

[middlevillage]

Paul Newman....­the very very best, in every way. When I was a kid he was certainly the handsomest man I ever saw on screen. When I lived in Hollywood I happened to spot him in a restaurant and stood next to him. He looked at me with the blazing blue eyes and smiled. I nearly fainted. He was just as handsome off screen. Was there ever a better human being in show biz? Generous, faithfull, exciting and a terrific actor!!!! Praying for his recovery. Love ya Paul.

[PatA]

The last real movie star.

[sharonh]

This world will be less for his absence. I am going to go buy some salad dressing and spaghetti sauce and watch Cool Hand Luke for the umpteenth time.

[Glowcy]

What we don't have here, is a failure to communicate.

God speed, Mr. Newman.

[highlyamused]

Aww that makes me sad. He was one of my first 'crushes'.
Paul Newman and Steve McQueen,

He's a class act.

[benalbanach]

In Paul Newman I saw an America I liked and respected. Good actor ,good man. The reverse side of the coin that bears the head of GW Bush.

[robiform]

Paul Newman was also my first crush (Ari Ben-Canaan in "Exodus"). I had his pictures on my dorm room walls in college, saw the movies, bought the salad dressings, the popcorn, the sauces, etc. Others have written wonderful tributes here--all I can say to Mr. Newman (and to Joanne Woodward, too) is thank you for all you've done, and keep fighting the good fight!

[nellie]

Always a class act.

[ugmold]

The Greatest..­.

[StanTheManic]

Eat dem eggs Luke!!!