One of my personal favorites passed away, legendary actor Paul Newman. His career needs no accolades, his movies and his life speak for themselves. I remember watching one of my favorite movies "Cool Hand Luke" in the tenth grade at school, I was so impressed with him then and always loved his work. This is a movie for the ages and I will honor him by watching it today (for the 50th time) and just marvel at the way he did his craft. A true legend, I know he will be missed by millions.
(Reuters) - Legendary film star and philanthropist Paul Newman, whose brilliant blue eyes, good looks and talent made him one of Hollywood's top actors over six decades, has died, a spokesman said on Saturday. He was 83 and had been battling cancer.
Following are some facts about Newman:
* Newman was nominated for Academy Awards for acting in "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof," "The Hustler," "Hud," "Cool Hand Luke," "Absence of Malice," "The Verdict," "Nobody's Fool" and "The Road to Perdition," as well best film for directing wife Joanne Woodward in "Rachel, Rachel." He won as best actor for "The Color of Money" in 1986.
* He started the Newman's Own food line in 1982 with salad dressing and later added popcorn, salsa, marinades, spaghetti sauce, lemonade, cereal and steak sauce. The products generated more than $200 million in donations to charities. Newman also founded camps for severely ill children and a foundation to fight drug abuse.
* Married since 1958 to a fellow Oscar winner, the actress Joanne Woodward, Newman had one of Hollywood's rare enduring marriages. Asked for the secret, Newman said he had no reason to roam: "I have steak at home. Why should I go out for a hamburger?"
* Newman's trademark blue eyes were color blind, which prevented him from pursuing his goal of becoming a Navy pilot in World War Two.
* A supporter of liberal Democratic presidential nominee Eugene McCarthy in 1968, Newman ended up on President Richard Nixon's "enemies list." He said it was "the highest single honor I've ever received."
* His starring role in "Winning" in 1969 inspired Newman to pursue auto racing. His first professional race was in 1972 and he continued competing into his 70s.
* Newman was so ashamed of his first movie role, the 1954 flop "The Silver Chalice," that he took out a newspaper ad in Los Angeles to apologize. Continued...
* His last major film acting role was playing a gangster opposite Tom Hanks in "Road to Perdition" in 2002. It earned him an Oscar nomination but in 2007 Newman told ABC TV that his acting career was essentially over. "I'm not able to work any more as an actor and still at the level I would want to ... so that's pretty much a closed book for me," he said.
* Newman had a reputation for practical jokes and reportedly once cut director George Roy Hill's desk in half with a chainsaw and put 300 chicks into director Robert Altman's trailer.
(Writing by Bill Trott; Editing by Patricia Zengerle)
SOURCE: http://www.reuters.com
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Memorable quotes for Cool Hand Luke (1967)
Dragline: He's a natural born world-shaker.
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Boss: Sorry, Luke. I'm just doing my job. You gotta appreciate that.
Luke: Nah - calling it your job don't make it right, Boss.
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Captain, Road Prison 36: What we've got here is... failure to communicate. Some men you just can't reach. So you get what we had here last week, which is the way he wants it... well, he gets it. I don't like it any more than you men.
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Luke: I can eat fifty eggs.
Dragline: Nobody can eat fifty eggs.
Society Red: You just said he could eat anything.
Dragline: Did you ever eat fifty eggs?
Luke: Nobody ever eat fifty eggs.
Prisoner: Hey, Babalugats. We got a bet here.
Dragline: My boy says he can eat fifty eggs, he can eat fifty eggs.
Loudmouth Steve: Yeah, but in how long?
Luke: A hour.
Society Red: Well, I believe I'll take part of that wager.
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Dragline: Nothin'. A handful of nothin'. You stupid mullet head. He beat you with nothin'. Just like today when he kept comin' back at me - with nothin'.
Luke: Yeah, well, sometimes nothin' can be a real cool hand.
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Dragline: He was smiling... That's right. You know, that, that Luke smile of his. He had it on his face right to the very end. Hell, if they didn't know it 'fore, they could tell right then that they weren't a-gonna beat him. That old Luke smile. Oh, Luke. He was some boy. Cool Hand Luke. Hell, he's a natural-born world-shaker.
Goodbye, Mr. Cool Hand Luke
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