Memories of Paul Newman

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Paul Newman died today.  I have always had such respect for him as an actor and as a person.  I did not personally know Paul Newman, but I came into contact with him quite a few times during the years.

When I was in my early 30s and still living in CA, I worked as personal assistant to Strother Martin, the character actor who was in Cool Hand Luke with Paul Newman years before.  Strother was the guy who said "What we have here is a failure to communicate".

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Often I would answer Strother's phone and Paul Newman would be on the other end.  He was just calling to check on his old friend.  He would always start talking to me as if we were old friends and in the middle of a conversation.  He would call me by a different name each time: Tillie, Gertrude, Hazel. Once he tried to convince that he was Bill Cosby impersonating Robert Redford.  He was always a really good friend to Strother sometimes playing jokes on him or sending him silly things in the mail.

Then I moved to Westport CT where Paul Newman lived with his wife Joann Woodward.  They were very evident in the community which was rich with actors and writers.  We would see them at the local Baskin and Robbins Ice Cream store sitting and enjoying a cone together.  I often saw him at HayDay, the local gourmet market and at the grocery store, shopping.  Mostly people just greeted him and went on with their business.  But once when I was in Hayday, the woman in line in front of him was just paralyzed with the fact that PAUL NEWMAN was behind her in line.  He winked at the rest of us and asked her if she was new in town.  When she asked how he knew that, he smiled and said that no one paid any attention to him after they lived in Westport for a year or so.  Then he carried her groceries out to the car for her.  Imagine how many times she must have told that story.  I know I have told it quite a number of times myself. He drove around town in an old VW beetle and would return waves sent his way.  Their lovely home was neither ostentatious nor gated.  Their kids had attended the local public schools.  I think they have lived in Westport for 40 or 50 years.

I was active with the Westport Historical Society which Joann actively supported.  The Society had purchased and restored a wonderful old house in the center of town.  The basement had been turned into a light-filled modern area, housing the offices and library which was where I worked in the photo library as a volunteer.  Annually the Society hosted a fund raising Victorian Garden Party in the gardens.  It was always a huge success, beautifully catered by Martha Stewart (before she was the TV personality) and bartended by Paul Newman.  I will never forget one year, this star struck woman went rushing up to him, tugging on his arm as he passed her on the way to his bartending duties.  He graciously stopped and shook her hand, introducing himself.  She gushed at him "Oh, Mr. Newman, we have something in common!"  When he asked what, she replied "We share the same trash collector!!!". He assured her that he thought that was wonderful and extraordinary.  Then he invited her to have a drink with him, tucked her arm through his and led her over to the bar where he charged her for the drink (it was a fundraiser, after all).  

When he began distributing donations from the sale of his salad dressings, he set up a system to request those donations.  It was straightforward and easy to apply.  At the time, I was active on several non-profit boards and I saw first hand how those applications were handled.  Some years we would receive hefty funds from Newman''s Own with a note wishing us success.  Some years we would receive smaller amounts, always with a note explaining exactly why.  Perhaps it was the result of some emergency that had happened that year with pressing needs or that so many requests came that he wanted to help everyone a little.  Eventually he had to have a committee to go through all the requests as his product distribution expanded further than CT.  The rejection letters were so kind that one was hardly disappointed.  We just had to work harder.

Westporters loved the Newmans.  The Newmans loved Westport and they lived there, really lived there. It was their community and they supported it and were active in it.  Joann directs many of the productions at the Westport Playhouse still.  

My heartfelt sympathy goes out to Joann Newman, their family and their close friends.  We will all miss the handsome and talented and just good guy, Paul Newman. 

Comments

[NotSoccer Mom]

oh my god. i just logged on (it's only 9:30 here in CA) and hadn't heard this news yet. i hardly check my blog roll on weekends but for some reason i clicked on yours... i'm glad that i heard it from you, though. those stories are just priceless. thanks for sharing them. it's times like these that i'm kinda glad my mom is gone because she would be really upset! paul newman was always one of her favorites. and even though i'm only 46, i still thought he was a gorgeous man at any age. now to hear what a wonderful and caring heart he had also, that's just so rare in these times that i'm speechless.

[Mike M.]

Very, very nice post.

[Robbie]

It's a sad, sad parting. He will be missed by so many. I really enjoyed your personal perspective of such a great man. Thank you!

[Linda]

I too am saddened by the death of Paul Newman. Not only was he easy on the eye (I'm 44 and as far as I'm concerned he was gorgeous as a young man and as he got older)but he seemed a generous kind man. Not knowing him personally, only from interviews and such, I seemed like a wonderful man. Ginny, thanks for sharing your experiences with him. It just makes him all the more real to me.

[Dot McQuade]

I have always thought the world of Paul Newman! thanks so much for sharing your stories. What a wonderful man he was!!

[TACE]

Fascinating stories and memories Ginny. Thanks for sharing, it gave me a different look at Paul Newman. For me, he was just an actor name, ya know? I didn't see a lot of his movies, I probably saw his face on the cookies we bought more than on the screen....but he, like so many of the actors out there, I thought would live forever...You forget they're a person attached to the name that's bigger than life, so it's quite startling to hear of their death. I like your tribute post to Mr.Newman, it was to the person, not the name.

[Andi Sexton (rrlscrapgal)]

It's 3:30 pm here in Oregon.. I just got home from a day of outdoor work.. and am just blown away by the news of this beautiful man's death...
Your post is just a wonderful, elegant tribute to the man, his family and how he made a difference in his community....
Should we all be so blessed...

[Kathie Gillaspey]

What a lovely tribute, Ginny.

He will always be paired in my mind with Robert Redford in "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" and "The String".

[Lucy Harrison]

When I was in High School we lived in Brecksville, Ohio and my parents were active in the little theater. Mom wanted my sister and I to come down and meet this "guy" who was hanging around with the director...... she said he ate popcorn and drank beer... and was very handsome. Of course we were not impressed - refused to go check him out.
Found out later it was Paul Newman - he had come back to Cleveland after the death of his father and tried to run Newman Stern sporting goods but couldn't get acting out of his system. The director was a childhood friend.
My sister and I firmly believe we missed our chance - it was before Joan..... We'll never know!
I've always loved him in every movie I've seen. Lucy

[Randi]

Thank you for sharing those memories, Ginny. You have reinforced my belief that celebrities are just regular folks with extraordinary jobs.

[Robert Villamagna]

Hello! I enjoyed your "Newman stories". Thanks for sharing! Best, Robert Villamagna

[Tamara]

wow, that was wonderful story, thanks for sharing.

[karen]

I had not heard this because I apparently live in a cave. The fact that my initial reaction was sadness says something about his nature since I have never met him. You've written a very nice tribute here. I hope you pass it on to his wife because I feel sure it would bring her comfort of some kind. Everyone I've known who has had someone close to them die has appreciated hearing their stories.

Either way, thanks for the enjoyable post, sad as the topic is.

[kelly]

Thank you for posting this Ginny...wonderful tribute to an amazingly wonderful man.

[Priscilla Hill]

Thank you for a personal insight into a man I have always admired.

[Vicki in Michigan]

I always had the sense that Paul Newman was the kind of guy you describe. How lovely to know it's true. Thank you so much for sharing your memories with us.