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Paul NewmanAmerican actor, director, producer
Date of Birth: 26.01.1925
Country:  USA |
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Biography of Paul Newman
Paul Newman was an American actor, director, and producer. He received 10 nominations for the Academy Award, and won one Oscar, but this is only a small part of what the film community admired about Paul Newman. Interestingly, Newman was not only a brilliant filmmaker, but also a remarkable racing driver.
Early Life and Education
Newman was born in Shaker Heights, Cleveland. His father, Arthur Sigmund Newman, managed a successful sporting goods store. His mother was a Christian and his father was Jewish, although Newman did not formally belong to any religion, he still felt a certain affinity to Jewish culture.
Newman developed an interest in theater at an early age, and his mother encouraged his passion. At the age of 7, he made his acting debut as a court jester in a school production of "Robin Hood". After graduating from high school in 1943, Newman briefly attended Ohio University. He later served in the Navy during World War II in the Pacific region. Due to his color blindness, he could not become a pilot as he had initially planned, but he became a gunner and radioman instead.
After the war, Newman earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio. Soon after graduating, he began performing with summer theater groups, touring for a total of 3 months. He then moved to New York City to study at the Lee Strasberg's Actors Studio. In 1951, Newman settled in New York with his first wife, Jackie Witte.
Acting Career
Newman made his Broadway debut in 1953 and went on to star in several notable productions, including the original Broadway version of "The Desperate Hours" in 1955 and the original version of "Sweet Bird of Youth" in 1959, alongside Geraldine Page. Three years later, Newman and Page reprised their roles in the film adaptation of the play.
Newman also had an active television career. He appeared in the science fiction series "Tales of Tomorrow" in 1952 and the CBS project "Appointment with Adventure" in the mid-1950s. In 1954, Newman auditioned alongside James Dean for the film "East of Eden", but Dean was chosen for the role while Newman was cast aside. However, their paths crossed several times afterward, with Newman being given roles originally intended for Dean.
Newman's first major Hollywood film was the unsuccessful "The Silver Chalice" in 1956. However, he gained attention and acclaim for his role as boxer Rocky Graziano in "Somebody Up There Likes Me" in the same year. By 1958, Newman was already considered one of the rising stars in Hollywood. His role in "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" with Elizabeth Taylor further solidified his reputation and earned him his first Academy Award nomination. In the same year, he starred in "The Long, Hot Summer" with Joanne Woodward, whom he married and received a Best Actor award at the Cannes Film Festival.
Over the next 20 years, Newman played a series of significant roles, often working alongside Woodward. He was nominated for an Academy Award 10 times and won the Best Actor award in 1986 for the film "The Color of Money". In addition to his acting career, Newman was also an active racing driver. From the mid-1970s to the early 1990s, he competed with the Bob Sharp Racing team, mostly driving Datsun cars. He later founded his own racing team with the help of Bill Freeman, based in Santa Barbara, California.
Later Years and Legacy
In the 2000s, Newman gradually retired from acting, and on May 25, 2007, he announced his final retirement, stating that he could no longer maintain the level of performance he desired. He passed away on September 26, 2008, surrounded by his family. Newman battled lung cancer during his final years. Despite his departure, Paul Newman left a lasting legacy as a talented actor and philanthropist through his Newman's Own brand, which donates its profits to various charitable organizations.
