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Actor Paul Newman Has Died
Hollywood legend Paul Newman died last night at his home in Connecticut after a lengthy battle with cancer. The actor was 83.
Newman, who was born and raised in Shaker Heights, Ohio, served in the Navy during World War II before completing his college degree and embarking on a career in acting. His first jobs came on the New York stage in the early 1950s, but Hollywood soon called and his roles in films of the next few years gravitated towards the "rebellious" type that was enjoying great popularity.
In 1958, Newman married Joanne Woodward, following the break-up of his first marriage, which produced two daughters, and a son, Scott, who died of a drug overdose. Newman and Woodward remained one of the industry's most iconic couples, particularly in recent years, for enduring despite the expected tumultuous nature of romances between actors. They had three daughters, and eight grandchildren.
Newman was also known for his philanthropy; he started his Newman's Own line of food products in 1982 with his salad dressing, and expanded to include a number of other items over the years. To date the company has donated all of its proceeds--over $200 million--to charity. Newman's Own has already declared the intent to continue the company in the spirit of honoring the legacy of their founder. Besides lemonade and pasta sauce, Paul Newman's name later became associated with political activism and auto racing, a sport he enjoyed both watching and participating in.
Although he said publicly last year he would soon retire from the entertainment business, he had been planning on directing a production of "Of Mice and Men" in Westport, Connecticut, when his health forced him to drop out in May. News of his lung cancer made waves in June, and rumors of his declining health persisted through the summer, despite his completion of treatment. Paul Newman died last night in his home with his family around him.
Selected filmography:
The Long Hot Summer (1958)
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958)
Exodus (1960)
Sweet Bird of Youth (1962)
Hud (1963)
Cool Hand Luke (1967)
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)
The Sting (1973)
The Color of Money (1986)
Hudsucker Proxy (1994)
Road to Perdition (2002)
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