He was born in Shaker Heights, Ohio to a Catholic mother and a Jewish father who owned a successful sporting goods store. He fought in the Navy in Pacific theater in World War II. When he returned to America he attended Kenyon College and Yale University. While he was attending graduate school at Yale, he became a successful stage actor on Broadway. His first movie, The Silver Chalice has been described by Newman as the "worst movie of the entire 1950s decade" but he rebounded with a series of acclaimed roles. Newman was one of the few actors who successfully made the transition from 50s to 60s and 70s cinema. His rebel persona translated well to a subsequent generation.
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2 Auto racing 3 Philanthropy 4 Nixon's Enemies List 5 External links |
Some films and awards
Although frequently nominated, Newman has only one regular Oscar, for his leading role on The Color of Money in 1986. Ironically, that award came a year after he won an honorary Oscar for his "many and memorable and compelling screen performances."
** Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role
He married Joanne Woodward in 1958, and later directed her in Rachel, Rachel, a film for which he won a Golden Globe and nominated for an Oscar. He was also nominated for an Emmy Award for his lead role in a 2003 production of Our Town.
Auto racing
Newman is probably the most well-known owner of a CART Championship car team. He first became interested in the sport ("the first thing that I ever found I had any grace in") while filming Winning, a 1968 film. His first professional event was in 1972, in Thompson, Connecticut. He cofounded Newman/Haas Racing in 1983. He is the oldest driver to win a major sanctioned race, having won in 1995 at the age of 70.
Philanthropy
Newman founded Newman's Own, a line of food products, in 1982. The brand started with salad dressing, and has expanded to include pasta sauce, lemonade, popcorn, and salsa. Newman donates the proceeds, after taxes, to charity. As of 2003, the franchise has resulted in $150 million in donations. He cowrote a memoir about the subject, Shameless Exploitation in Pursuit of the Common Good (ISBN 0385508026).
One beneficiary of his charity is the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, located between Ashford and Eastford, Connecticut. It's a camp for seriously ill children he cofounded in 1986.
Nixon's Enemies List
For his strong support of Eugene McCarthy in 1968 (and effective use of television commercials in California), Newman was 19th on Richard Nixon's enemies list. He has said that this is one of his life's proudest achievements.