PAUL NEWMAN’S DAUGHTER NELL: HE LOVED BEING ON NIXON’S ENEMIES LIST
FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Very hard to believe that it’s been a whole year since PAUL NEWMAN left us. Time goes by so quickly…
I miss him for many reasons: his electric blue eyes, his fabulous talent, his grace and decency as a human being and his tremendous compassion.
PAUL NEWMAN wasn’t only a great star. He was a beautiful man – inside and out.
I loved what his daughter NELL said about him in this interview. He sounds like quite the character.
PAUL NEWMAN was one of a kind. He can never be replaced.
PAUL NEWMAN liked to joke about his trademark blue eyes, musing that if they turned brown his career might be in jeopardy.
He was also delighted to learn he was on Richard Nixon’s enemies list, the ACADEMY AWARD winning actor’s daughter said Monday.
NELL NEWMAN, whose father died a year ago at age 83, gave a rare glimpse into the actor’s life. She was meeting with reporters in Connecticut as part of an effort by her company, NEWMAN’S OWN ORGANICS, to highlight its partnership with McDONALD’S CORPORATION. The fast food chain sells NEWMAN’S OWN coffee at some of its restaurants in the Northeast.
She said her father considered himself exceptionally fortunate and wanted to give back, leading to his passion for philanthropy.
“He always used to joke if his eyes turned brown – what would happen to his career. He always felt he was really lucky.”
The HOLLYWOOD star won one OSCAR and took home two honorary ones. He had major roles in more than 50 motion pictures, including CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF, THE HUSTLER, BUTCH CASSIDY & THE SUNDANCE KID, THE STING, THE VERDICT, THE COLOR OF MONEY, ROAD TO PERDITION and NOBODY’S FOOL.
Despite his international grand scale success, PAUL NEWMAN preferred the company of race car mechanics to the BEVERLY HILLS jet set. He and his family were most comfortable in Westport, the southwestern Connecticut town where they fished and roamed the land with their five dogs, including her dad’s Irish wolfhound. The family also had six cats and a pet skunk.
NELL said her father enjoyed cooking and often took her to a farm stand in Westport and taught her how to pick the perfect corn and other vegetables and fruits.
She said he relished playing practical jokes. When a friend took his bottle of gin, PAUL went into the friend’s office with a chain saw and cut his desk in half.
The actor also saved a document that showed he had turned up on President Nixon’s enemies list.
“He was tickled pink and framed it.”
Mr. Newman and writer A.E. HOTCHNER started NEWMAN’S OWN in 1982 to market PAUL’S original oil and vinegar dressing.
The business grew – and it and NEWMAN’S OWN ORGANICS have given $250 million to charities. The actor left behind a private independent foundation to carry on the work after his death.
PAUL believed in supporting small organizations that did not have wealthy connections. NELL said her father was especially fond of his HOLE IN THE WALL GANG camps for sick children. The camps have served 130,000 kids since 1988.
“He liked quiet philanthropy. He didn’t want his name on any buildings.”
