Paul Newman Biography

PAUL NEWMAN

Date of Birth: January 26, 1925

Paul Newman is one of those modern actors whose longevity is only equaled by his versatility. Newman overcame his matinee-idol looks and used those camera-adoring features to carve out a career for himself as one of the greatest actors of his time.

Born in Cleveland to a Jewish father and Catholic mother, Newman served in the Pacific theater of war as a radioman with the Navy Air Corps in WWII. After the war, he enrolled in college in Ohio to study economics but found the theater instead. A product of both the Yale Drama School and the prestigious Actors Studio in New York, Newman really hit his stride in the late '50s with Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and continued his winning streak through the '60s with such films as Hud and Cool Hand Luke, culminating with his brilliant 1969 pairing with Robert Redford in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, teaming up with him again in 1973 for The Sting.

Also known for his passion for race cars and his charitable work—which is partly funded by proceeds from his popcorn, salad dressing, and pasta sauce products—Newman started the "Hole in the Wall" camp for child cancer victims as well as being active in the anti-drug Scott Newman Foundation—established after his son (from his first marriage) died from a lethal dose of drugs and alcohol in 1978. Newman received the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award at the 1994 Academy Awards.

Newman, who won an Oscar in 1987 for The Color of Money after receiving an honorary Oscar in 1986, has been at the mercy of his own fame for over 40 years now and has seen the nature of celebrity change to the point where, he says, "When I first came into the business, there were areas of your life that people respected. Now I expect sooner or later there will be microphones and videotape recorders in the bottom of the toilet."

Still working well into his seventies, Newman won both an Emmy and a Golden Globe award for his work in the mini-series Empire Falls (2005). That brings his total Golden Globe take to seven awards. He won his first Golden Globe in 1957 as Most Promising Newcomer—Male.

In 1958, Newman married actress Joanne Woodward and their marriage lasted until his death on September 26, 2008 following a lengthy battle with cancer. They have three daughters together. Newman also has two daughters from his first marriage.