Paul Newman has left this earth.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080927/ap_ ... LRC68azJV4
You just keep thinkin' Butch. That's what you're good at.
January 26, 1925 - September 26, 2008
Cool Hand Luke - Paul Newman
Cool Hand Luke - Paul Newman
From the ashes, a fire shall be woken. A light from the shadow shall spring. Renewed shall be blade that was broken. The crownless again shall be king.
Loving living in the Pacific Northwest.
Loving living in the Pacific Northwest.
-
Voronwë the Faithful
- At the intersection of here and now
- Posts: 46178
- Joined: Mon Nov 21, 2005 1:41 am
- Contact:
Thanks for posting that, Padme. I meant to do so earlier, and it slipped my mind.
He was definitely a giant of Hollywood. Not just for the great movies that he was in, but also for the class that he always exemplified. His fifty year marriage to actress Joanne Woodward is practically unique in the annals of Hollywood.
Rest in peace.
He was definitely a giant of Hollywood. Not just for the great movies that he was in, but also for the class that he always exemplified. His fifty year marriage to actress Joanne Woodward is practically unique in the annals of Hollywood.
Rest in peace.
"Spirits in the shape of hawks and eagles flew ever to and from his halls; and their eyes could see to the depths of the seas, and pierce the hidden caverns beneath the world."
I played a few bit parts in the movie Blaze with Paul Newman.
I worked for about two weeks, playing a variety of odd characters, only one of which is visible (briefly) in the final film. Newman plays Louisiana governor Earl K. Long, who is speaking to the Louisiana senate. There's a large media presence that includes a camera from that newfangled invention, television. I'm operating the camera, and I'm the one Newman is yelling at as he berates the press. I wanted to stay hello between takes, but he was trying to stay in character so I decided not to interrupt.
He was a fairly small man––surprisingly, because he projects so large on screen. I'm small too, and I learned quickly that the director wanted to keep the small people close to Newman so as not to make his stature apparent. I was set to be standing beside him when he makes his grand entrance, but on that day they had dressed me in a black and yellow plaid shirt that was so obscenely ugly it would have overwhelmed everything else on screen. So much for my big break.
One memorable scene involved Newman charging into a bar with a shotgun and shooting up the place. All of us had to dash under tables. He was really good––so good that when he stepped off camera, all of us spontaneously applauded. Obviously surprised, he stepped back onto the set and bowed graciously. I'm glad I got a chance to participate in that.
Not everybody was gracious. Six months after my work was done, I received a letter from the Walt Disney Company reading something like this:
Dear sir:
Our records indicate that we have accidentally overpaid you $18.43. We would appreciate being reimbursed for this amount. Please send us a check as soon as possible.
No, I didn't.
I worked for about two weeks, playing a variety of odd characters, only one of which is visible (briefly) in the final film. Newman plays Louisiana governor Earl K. Long, who is speaking to the Louisiana senate. There's a large media presence that includes a camera from that newfangled invention, television. I'm operating the camera, and I'm the one Newman is yelling at as he berates the press. I wanted to stay hello between takes, but he was trying to stay in character so I decided not to interrupt.
He was a fairly small man––surprisingly, because he projects so large on screen. I'm small too, and I learned quickly that the director wanted to keep the small people close to Newman so as not to make his stature apparent. I was set to be standing beside him when he makes his grand entrance, but on that day they had dressed me in a black and yellow plaid shirt that was so obscenely ugly it would have overwhelmed everything else on screen. So much for my big break.
One memorable scene involved Newman charging into a bar with a shotgun and shooting up the place. All of us had to dash under tables. He was really good––so good that when he stepped off camera, all of us spontaneously applauded. Obviously surprised, he stepped back onto the set and bowed graciously. I'm glad I got a chance to participate in that.
Not everybody was gracious. Six months after my work was done, I received a letter from the Walt Disney Company reading something like this:
Dear sir:
Our records indicate that we have accidentally overpaid you $18.43. We would appreciate being reimbursed for this amount. Please send us a check as soon as possible.
No, I didn't.
Last edited by Whistler on Sun Sep 28, 2008 2:15 pm, edited 1 time in total.
-
BrianIsSmilingAtYou
- Posts: 1233
- Joined: Wed Dec 14, 2005 6:01 am
- Location: Philadelphia
He was a good guy.
I've only seen a few of his movies--but I never saw him give a bad performance.
And he lived life to the fullest.
We should all be so lucky.
BrianIs
AtYou
I've only seen a few of his movies--but I never saw him give a bad performance.
And he lived life to the fullest.
We should all be so lucky.
BrianIs
AtYou
All of my nieces and nephews at my godson/nephew Nicholas's Medical School graduation. Now a neurosurgical resident at University of Arizona, Tucson.
-
sauronsfinger
- Posts: 3508
- Joined: Fri Dec 02, 2005 2:25 am
Whistler - WOW --- I envy you that experience.
Newman was such a great actor and great humanitarian. My favorite film of his is VERDICT where he plays a burned out aging attorney trying to get it right for once. The other one would be ABSENCE OF MALICE which is a tremendous film.
It is wonderful how he gave away so much money for such good causes to help children. He lived a pretty darn good life.
Maureen Dowd - one of the best columnists in the business has a good piece on Newman
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/01/opini ... ref=slogin
Newman was such a great actor and great humanitarian. My favorite film of his is VERDICT where he plays a burned out aging attorney trying to get it right for once. The other one would be ABSENCE OF MALICE which is a tremendous film.
It is wonderful how he gave away so much money for such good causes to help children. He lived a pretty darn good life.
Maureen Dowd - one of the best columnists in the business has a good piece on Newman
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/01/opini ... ref=slogin
There are two novels that can change a bookish fourteen-year old's life: The Lord of the Rings and Atlas Shrugged. One is a childish fantasy that often engenders a lifelong obsession with its unbelievable heroes, leading to an emotionally stunted, socially crippled adulthood, unable to deal with the real world. The other, of course, involves orcs.... John Rogers
In another scene, he was reciting the books of the Bible and lost track. He said:
There's Matthew, Mark and...Cool Hand Luke!
That was at the state legislature scene, which was actually filmed in the Louisiana capitol building. After the scene, the legislature presented him with a fancy award of some kind, and the speaker said:
...and we present this award to Mr. Newman instead of the speeding tickets he so richly deserves!
He thought that was a great joke. And I'm sure it had a strong basis in truth.
So many memories coming back...there was a scene where his character is supposed to drink a Coke, but Newman was under contract to Pepsi in Japan and couldn't be photographed with one. So they gave him a Barq's Root Beer instead.
Did I tell you that I had to watch Lolita Davidovich take off her clothes for a solid week? Oh, sorry...you wanted to talk about Paul Newman!
There's Matthew, Mark and...Cool Hand Luke!
That was at the state legislature scene, which was actually filmed in the Louisiana capitol building. After the scene, the legislature presented him with a fancy award of some kind, and the speaker said:
...and we present this award to Mr. Newman instead of the speeding tickets he so richly deserves!
He thought that was a great joke. And I'm sure it had a strong basis in truth.
So many memories coming back...there was a scene where his character is supposed to drink a Coke, but Newman was under contract to Pepsi in Japan and couldn't be photographed with one. So they gave him a Barq's Root Beer instead.
Did I tell you that I had to watch Lolita Davidovich take off her clothes for a solid week? Oh, sorry...you wanted to talk about Paul Newman!
Whistler,
Some one had to right?
My ex-husband wanted to name our daughter Blaze because of that movie. I said no. Funny though my son is Luke, two guess as to what he was called by his grandpa
Some one had to right?
My ex-husband wanted to name our daughter Blaze because of that movie. I said no. Funny though my son is Luke, two guess as to what he was called by his grandpa
From the ashes, a fire shall be woken. A light from the shadow shall spring. Renewed shall be blade that was broken. The crownless again shall be king.
Loving living in the Pacific Northwest.
Loving living in the Pacific Northwest.
Yes, a whole week of sitting at a bar, sipping lukewarm water from a glass full of rubber ice cubes...ah, show business! The thing is, the barstools had just been painted red, and the paint was still wet...and I was the only one wearing his real pants instead of a costume.
At least we got free cigars.
Lolita Davidovich looks great, even in curlers. And even in nothing but curlers.
I said hello to the real Blaze, who plays a bit part as a stripper backstage. She was older than Bilbo at his birthday party. All I got was a puzzled look.
Gene Hackman was going to star, but they chose Newman instead because he ensured a bigger budget. Michael Eisner showed up one day just to shake his hand. Why do multimillionaires wear baseball caps?
Final word: Newman aside, Hollywood people are just as petty, silly, self-important, vicious and vacuous as they are caricatured. I found most of them simply awful.
Makes me doubly sad to see one of the classy ones go.
At least we got free cigars.
Lolita Davidovich looks great, even in curlers. And even in nothing but curlers.
I said hello to the real Blaze, who plays a bit part as a stripper backstage. She was older than Bilbo at his birthday party. All I got was a puzzled look.
Gene Hackman was going to star, but they chose Newman instead because he ensured a bigger budget. Michael Eisner showed up one day just to shake his hand. Why do multimillionaires wear baseball caps?
Final word: Newman aside, Hollywood people are just as petty, silly, self-important, vicious and vacuous as they are caricatured. I found most of them simply awful.
Makes me doubly sad to see one of the classy ones go.
Well, if you think I was anybody when I worked in that movie...consider that movie extras make about thirteen cents an hour and are generally regarded as livestock.
Newman himself said: If you want to know who the extras are, throw a hand grenade into the room. The ones that don't run are the extras.
Newman himself said: If you want to know who the extras are, throw a hand grenade into the room. The ones that don't run are the extras.
-
Primula Baggins
- Living in hope
- Posts: 40005
- Joined: Mon Nov 21, 2005 1:43 am
- Location: Sailing the luminiferous aether
- Contact:
Well, you're somebody now.
Wonderful stories! And so heartening for the mother of a son starting out in the industry.
Wonderful stories! And so heartening for the mother of a son starting out in the industry.
“There, peeping among the cloud-wrack above a dark tor high up in the mountains, Sam saw a white star twinkle for a while. The beauty of it smote his heart, as he looked up out of the forsaken land, and hope returned to him. For like a shaft, clear and cold, the thought pierced him that in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King
-
Primula Baggins
- Living in hope
- Posts: 40005
- Joined: Mon Nov 21, 2005 1:43 am
- Location: Sailing the luminiferous aether
- Contact:
Too late, alas, as the film school tuition is non-refundable.
He did work his first set this past weekend, including testing an improvised rig for bicycle shots to make sure it was safe enough for the extras. Which tells me more than I wanted to know about where he fits in.
He did work his first set this past weekend, including testing an improvised rig for bicycle shots to make sure it was safe enough for the extras. Which tells me more than I wanted to know about where he fits in.
“There, peeping among the cloud-wrack above a dark tor high up in the mountains, Sam saw a white star twinkle for a while. The beauty of it smote his heart, as he looked up out of the forsaken land, and hope returned to him. For like a shaft, clear and cold, the thought pierced him that in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King
Whistler is like the Whistler I used to hear on the radio when I was a little girl.
He's everywhere.
Thanks for the great stories, Whistler.
My favourite Newman movie was The Sting. Not so much because it was a great movie, but in part because it was part of the first holiday my husband and I ever took. We went to Montreal and we saw that movie on the night it opened there. Everyone cheered and clapped when it ended. Fun night.
I never saw Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.
He's everywhere.
Thanks for the great stories, Whistler.
My favourite Newman movie was The Sting. Not so much because it was a great movie, but in part because it was part of the first holiday my husband and I ever took. We went to Montreal and we saw that movie on the night it opened there. Everyone cheered and clapped when it ended. Fun night.
I never saw Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.
Dig deeper.