As a Man of Many Faces, I’m most impressed with His
tireless Philanthropic endeavours…
What do Y’all think of when you hear the name
Paul Newman? Is it one, or many of his 58 movies Filmed over his 50 years Movie
career?
For many years previously, I only drank Newman’s
Own lemonade, for which I’m dually impressed that in the first 25 years of
existence, Paul donated over $250 million dollars! And later bequeathed his
share of the company, estimated at another $120 million. Reportedly, as of 2021
Newman’s Own has Donated over $570 million to Charity, Aye Karumba!
Not to mention his tireless, unselfish
dedication to his Hole in The Wall Camps for Disadvantage Kids originally just
with Cancer, before expanding the types of Illness’s qualifying deserving Children
admittance to these amazingly therapeutic Camps!
For which now I feel a tad bit Sheepish knowing
I once Mocked thee Big Unit’, aka Justin Wilson running his Newman Haas Lanigan
Racing car with it’s sidepods adorned in Hole in The Wall Gang Camps livery! Since
as much as I’m impressed with Newman’s Own amazing monetary contributions to
Charity, I’m even more impressed now, after “reading,” Err listening to the
Book Paul Newman: A Life a second time with the Hole in The Wall Gang Camps
instead! Which was a Nod to the Desperados Gang in Butch Cassidy and The
Sundance Kid movie.
As my favourite Quip from the entire book is
the part about one of Paul Newman’s many unannounced visits to one of the
Camps, presumably the original camp in nearby Ashford, Connecticut. As one of
the Kids attending tugged upon Paul’s pant leg. Asking Him, Are you A movie
Star? Yeah, I did a couple of movies. Were you in cool Hand Luke? Yes,
I did Cool Hand Luke. Boy, Movies sure make You
look Young!
As Newman’s Mega Philanthropy efforts are how I
wish to remember the Movie Star, Political Activist and Racecar Driver…
But I Don’t want Y’all to think I’ve Drunk
Newman’s lemonade and that it was a Fairytale Celebrity life that Paul lived.
As three major items in His life make it painfully aware that He was Human like
All of us.
Newman was a life long Alcoholic, beginning his
Drinking “Career” as early as High School? Not to mention Joking often that He’d
majored in Drinking at College. And was notorious for having a beer in his hand
in almost Any setting. Not surprisingly, Anhieser Busch was a longtime personal
racing and race team sponsor with it’s Budweiser brand, which I believe also
supplied Paul with All of the free Budweiser Beer He could Drink.
Whilst Paul’s most tragic moment of his entire
life occurred on November 20, 1978.
On Sunday, November 19, 1978, Paul’s only son (and
firstborn) Scott Newman spent the day watching the LA Rams with a friend, beginning
by having a bunch of rum Drinks. As a Hollywood Stuntman and having crashed his
motorcycle recently, Scott was in much pain. So a friend gave him some Valium’s.
And then Scott went back to drinking rum.
Then later on, Scott took some more valium before
contacting his Psychiatrist, who gave him a bottle of some different Pills. Making
a long story short here, Scott continued mixing Drugs before calling it a
night. And then Scott was pronounced Dead shortly after 1AM November 20, 1978
at Age 28.
And while Paul and his second wife Joanne
Woodward enjoyed a long and presumably mostly Happy Half Century of Marriage.
Paul probably regretted one of his Quips regarding Joanne, once telling one of
the numerous Reporters always Hounding Him, regarding temptation: Why would I
go out for Hamburger when I’ve got Steak at Home?
Yet apparently that’s exactly what befell Paul
on the set of Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid. Since the Book claims it was
a well known secret what Paul and Nancy Bacon, a Hollywood Reporter were up to.
With the Cast often joking that Paul Doesn’t go out for Hamburger, but Does
Bacon! As the pair reportedly had an On Again, Off Again Affair for One and a
Half years before Nancy finally ended it, claiming that Paul was Always Drunk.
As Nancy Bacon was either married, or partners
with Don Wilson of the Tacoma, WA Instrumental Rock Band The Ventures, since I
Don’t remember now. As the couple had a Daughter before they Split up.
As The Ventures biggest Hit Song was Walk, Don’t
Run, which peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Charts, whilst I was unaware they
were also responsible for the original Hawaii 5-Oh TV Show’s “Intro” song…
As Nancy would Tell All first in interviews and
then later in a book that I believe was titled Stars in My Eyes, Stars in My
Bed. While it’s worth noting that the Newman’s, i.e.; Paul and Joanne Never
Disputed Nancy’s Accusations over Paul’s Infidelity. Instead Paul just recommitted
himself even further to Joanne and they lived together for the rest of his
life, quietly celebrating their 50th Anniversary the same year Paul
Died.
Thus Paul Newman, Mega Movie Star was Human
after All, just like the rest of us. But what impresses me most about the late
Actor is when asked about His doing Philanthropy work. Newman told said
Reporter, His Only problem was with
those Who didn’t!
Whilst I felt it Karmic, Apropos or Symbiotic that just after I’d finished reading the book the first time in February 2020, I came across Paul’s longtime neighbor, Friend, Fishing Buddy and Co-Founder of Newman’s Own. The Author A.E. Hotchner’s Obituary in The New York Times, who Died at the remarkable age of 102…
