Actor Paul Newman Dies At Age 83

Actor Paul Newman Dies At Age 83The actor died Friday after a long battle with cancer at his farmhouse near Westport, his publicist Jeff Sanderson said. He was surrounded by his family and close friends.In May, Newman he had dropped plans to direct a fall production of "Of Mice and Men," citing unspecified health issues.Newman was nominated for Academy Awards 10 times. A screen legend by his mid-40s, he waited a long time for his first Oscar, winning in 1987 for The Color of Money, a reprise of the role of pool shark "Fast" Eddie Felson, whom Newman portrayed in the 1961 film The Hustler.His most recent academy nod was a supporting actor nomination for the 2002 film Road to Perdition. One of Newman's nominations was as a producer; the other nine were in acting categories. He also won two honorary Oscars.He was equally at home in comedies and dramas such as Hud.He sometimes teamed with his wife, Joanne Woodward, also an Oscar winner, for the 1957 film Three Faces of Eve.Newman appeared in about 60 movies, including Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, The Hustler, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and The Sting.He worked with some of the greatest directors of the past half century, from Alfred Hitchcock and John Huston to Robert Altman, Martin Scorsese and the Coen brothers.His co-stars included Elizabeth Taylor, Lauren Bacall, Tom Cruise, Tom Hanks and, most famously, Robert Redford, his sidekick in Butch Cassidy and The Sting.With his strong, classically handsome face and piercing blue eyes, Newman was a heartthrob just as likely to play against his looks, becoming a favourite with critics for his convincing portrayals of rebels, tough guys and losers."I was always a character actor," he once said. "I just looked like Little Red Riding Hood."However, he had a soft spot for underdogs in real life, giving tens of millions to charities through his food company and setting up camps for severely ill children.Passionately opposed to the Vietnam War, and in favour of civil rights, he was so famously liberal that he ended up on President Nixon's "enemies list," one of the actor's proudest achievements, he liked to say.In the 1970s, Newman became fascinated with auto racing, a sport he studied when he starred in the 1972 film Winning. After turning professional in 1977, Newman and his driving team made strong showings in several major races, including fifth place in Daytona in 1977 and second place in the Le Mans in 1979."Racing is the best way I know to get away from all the rubbish of Hollywood," he told People magazine in 1979."Paul Newman's craft was acting. His passion was racing. His love was his family and friends. And his heart and soul were dedicated to helping make the world a better place for all," said Robert Forrester, the vice-chairman of the actor's foundation.Newman is survived by his wife, five children, two grandsons and his older brother Arthur.

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