Paul Newman: An Appreciation

I am tempted to feel ridiculous for writing about a deceased movie star. Never done it before. Never even really thought about it, except maybe when Jack Lemmon died. Mine is the perspective of a fan, and admittedly it is a limited one. I didn't know Paul Newman, who died of cancer Friday at the age of 83. Never met him once.

Furthermore, there is nothing more tired and trite than the over-celebration of the famous in America---something Newman himself was always quick to admit.

And this, I think, gets to the heart of his extraordinary appeal.

You think of Paul Newman, you think of humility.

You think of Paul Newman, you think of wit and self-deprecation.

And then you really think of Paul Newman, and you think of things like dignity and selflessness and compassion and good citizenship. And you do so without the slightest traces of irony or cynicism.

That's what I think about, anyway.

 

Onscreen, of course, Newman was simply better than everyone. Better actor. Better looking. Better lines. Better everything. No one in the history of cinema ever gave off an easier or more natural air of utterly likable cool.

But the beauty of the man was that he seemed to be as good or better in his everyday life.

All too often, our heroes turn out to be tyrants in real life---or worse. Newman, however, was that rare exception. Better than advertised. Better than the myth. Truly humble. Heroically generous. Committed to his wife and family. Refused to take himself too seriously. And a great inspiration to so many.

He reached the height of his profession and will probably be remembered as one of the four or five most important American actors of the 20th century. As an artist, he received every accolade known to man. And yet at the time of his passing, his achievements in the arts have a way of seeming secondary. In the end, it is Newman's tremendous success as a humanitarian that will likely be remembered as his most lasting achievement. And this, I think, is why his loss is so deeply felt.

 

There is, of course, the Newman's Own food business, a philanthropic enterprise founded on a lark with the writer A.E. Hotchner in 1982. At the time of Paul Newman's death, the company has donated more than $200 million to a variety of worthy causes.

Then there are the Hole in the Wall Gang Camps, residential summer camps and treatment centers for seriously ill children. Newman and Hotchner brought this into existence in 1988. All services are provided free of charge.

And finally, there is the Scott Newman Center, a drug abuse education facility created in honor of Newman's late son, Scott, who died tragically of a drug overdose in 1978.

 

I could go on, of course. But by now the story of Newman's good life is widely known, and in the coming days the outpouring of appreciation will likely be immense. I look forward to hearing from those who knew him best.

Paul Newman was a unique figure in American cultural life---revered, it seems, by just about everyone. And for good reason.

His popularity never waned; it only seemed to grow as time went on.

He was a gifted individual who felt a strong sense of responsibility for those less fortunate.

He was decent, and he led by example.

 

Finally---and in light of the fact that I'm writing this piece for The Huffington Post---it seems appropriate to mention that Paul Newman was proudly committed to progressive causes throughout his lifetime, politically engaged until the end.

"Being on President Nixon's enemies list was the highest single honor I've ever received," he said during an interview in 2006. "Who knows who's listening to me now and what government list I'm on?"

 

Whatever list it is, Mr. Newman, I want to be on it too.

 

With great admiration,
BL

Follow Brad Listi on Twitter: www.twitter.com/bradlisti

Comments

[Tawni]

In addition to being an amazing actor, Paul Newman seemed like such a wonderful, huge-hearted human being. My husband, formerly an actor, has always listed Paul Newman as his favorite, and came outside to where I was gardening to tell me the sad news of his passing. We both found ourselves teary-eyed, despite the fact that neither of us knew Mr. Newman personally. It just feels like such a huge loss to humanity one of the truly good ones dies.
This is a beautiful write-up. Thanks for putting it into words.

[SunSinger]

Figuratively speaking, I grew up with Paul Newman. Like you, I never met him. But I felt like I had, for he was natural and everyday in spite of his larger-than-life on-screen presence. Off screen, he seemed like the guy next door whom you might drink a beer with and talk into the night about the good things in the world that need doing. He did them without proclaiming that he was doing them. I was taught to respect that--and I do.

Malcolm