Paul Newman
By
User:AllieCashel @timeAndDate(1276710393)
It goes with out saying that as an award winning actor, Nascar enthusiast, United States Marine, founder of the charitable Newman's Own food company, entrepreneur, and human rights activist, Paul Newman was a versatile man. Many people claim that his versatility played a major role in his incredibly successful career in Hollywood, a career that spanned over the majority of his lifetime. Famous for his charming blue eyes, rascally personality, and impressive talent, Newman has been considered as one of the biggest movie stars in American history. He was nominated for eight Oscars throughout his career and won two others, including the honorary Academy Award acknowledging his distinguished body of work which he received in 1985. He often starred alongside Robert Redford, and the two quickly became a pair of actors with unrivaled fame and talent creating incredibly entertaining and interesting characters in almost every one of their films. Paul Newman passed away in September of 2008 but will always be remembered as the Hollywood legend he became.
Popular Newman Films
'''The Hustler''' - In this 1961 drama, Newman plays a small time pool hustler named Eddie Felson with a big desire to prove himself as the best player in the country. Newman received his first Oscar nomination for his wonderful performance in this film and, once the film was released, began to develop his persona as the rugged, charming and attractive actor he came to be known as. Both Newman's performance and the film as a whole were well received by critics and at the box office and continues to be a favorite of many Newman fans today. This film provides a fresh and impressive example of the early stages of Newman's world renowned career.
'''Cold Hand Luke''' conformist character played into the general attitude of Americans at the time, increasing Newman's popularity as an actor and as a persona. In fact, from point in his career on Newman was often associated with the rebellious movements of the 1960s. Newman's performance in this film was quite well received by the critics and by the general public and was recognized again with a Academy Award nomination. Newman's famous line, "what we have here is a failure to communicate," will go down in history with this powerful film.
'''A New Kind of Love''' - Newman costarred with his wife in this 1963 romantic comedy about a journalist who mistakes a woman for a prostitute and eventually falls in love with her. Although Newman didn't receive any nominations or awards for this film, it is a strong example of how versatile he was as an actor and is a wonderfully uplifting film that was adored by the general public at the time of its release and is still beloved by many people today.
'''The Verdict''' luck alcoholic lawyer who pushes a medical malpractice case in order to improve his own situation but experiences a realization that allows him to turn his own life around and to help the lives of others. Interestingly, Robert Redford (Newman's old costar) was originally meant to star in this picture but said he felt uncomfortable with the script. Newman was again nominated for an Academy Award for his moving performance in this film, but did not win.
'''The Color of Money''' - One year after receiving his honorary Academy Award recognizing his entire body of work, Newman's performance in this powerful film finally awarded him another one. In this film, he reprized the character of Eddie Felson from ''The Hustler'' who has been off the pool circuit for over 20 years and became a liquor salesman. The film follows Eddie as he returns to the hustling world now with a skilled but unfocused protege (played by Tom Cruise) under his wing. One of Newman's best but latest films, this impressive performance and intense story should not be missed.
* Some other popular Newman films include ''
The Drowning Pool.''
Quick Picks
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