Many people see Steve McQueen as the ultimate personification of cool. That was his Hollywood image and that's fine. However, I'd like to award that title to Mr. Newman for not only being a classy guy, but a great actor and private individual doing what's right w/o pushing his celebrity status. His body of work is eclipsed by his gifts to charity. There are any number of celebrity actors of equal wealth but choose not to lift a finger for those less fortunate. Besides that, he's also a consummate car guy.

May his remaining days be happy and peaceful.

Sherwood

So that's were my money goes when I buy his salad dressing!

Gonna have to buy more :)

Talk about Paul being out of the norm of hollywood glitter, he never wore anything but a Timex!!!!!!

Listen to this crazy story.

After an SCCA event at Road Atlanta back in 1985, Paul Newman used to take his crew to a Chinese Restaurant at a small strip shopping center in Buford, Georgia. If you walked in the place now you'd see the owner and Paul photographed together on restaurant wall. He would reserve a small dining room off the main part of the restaurant for his crew. Well, I went with some freinds after the races for dinner at th e same place and had to use the washroom. Well, Paul came into the washroom the same time and how many can say they stood next to Paul Newman at the urinals in Buford, Georgia? The conversation was short but I congradulated him on a great race in his 300 Z Nissan.

He has a great and warm smile. I wish him well.

Bob

I road the elevator w/ C. Heston in San Francisco one time. He was there for an NRA gathering.:D

Thought he wore a Rolex Daytona

Here's a picture of Newman and a few of his Datsun 280ZX Turbo back in 1981. My Dad and I took the pictures at the Memorial Day races at Lime Rock that year. I have to admit that the 280ZX Turbo was just about the wildest car this side of a 935! If I remember correctly, the car had a turbocharged version of the V8 engine that was originally used in the Japanese Presidential limousine.

Unfortunately he only came in 12th in GT that year. Soon after I took the picture of him going through the "S's", we went straight-on at the right-hander onto "No-Name Straight". It was the strangest thing, the car went straight into the woods (stuck throttle cable???) and all of the saplings snapped right back up after the car went over them -- so that if you didn't actually see the car go into the trees, you'd never know that it was there. I was sitting on the hill with some binoculars and remember Newman walking somewhat sheepishly out of the woods without his car.


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Rumor has it he's not doing well, hope this is not true??

From what I've read and seen he is tying up loose ends and making plans for his demise. He is not doing well.

I was at the corner store the other day and saw his picture plastered on some tabloids. What a shame that a classy guy like Newman can't be given the respect and privacy he's earned.

my ex g/f actually hung out on the cape with him a few times. She said he is an incredibly sweet and charismatic guy.

We all go some time. I doubt he has many regrets...

When it's my time I hope I can look back and say that I accomplished 1/10th of what Mr. Newman has. He's lived life the way it should be lived. good family man, married to the same beautiful woman for most of his life, successful and respectable career, turned his hobby and love into a 2nd successful career (racing).
Turned another hobby into a very successful business where 100% of ALL profits went to provide for children with terminal diseases. 1/4 of a $ billion last I heard.
He's done it right.

Belgian newspaper today, report that Newman as just a few weeks left, and has stopped the chemo because he wants to go out with dignity

From Wikipedia (FWIW):

"In June 2008 it was widely reported that Newman, a former chain smoker, had been diagnosed with lung cancer and was receiving treatment at Sloan-Kettering hospital in New York City.

Photographs taken of Newman in May and June showed him looking gaunt. Writer A.E. Hotchner, who partnered with Newman to start Newman's Own salad dressing company in the 1980s, was quoted in the media as saying that Newman told him about the disease about 18 months ago.

Newman's spokesman told the press that the star is "doing nicely," but neither confirmed nor denied that he has cancer.

In August, Newman reportedly had finished chemotherapy and had told his family he wished to die at home.

His oldest daughter, Nell, is poised to take over Newman's Own, all proceeds of which, go to charity."

I know that everyone has to go sometime, but it's sad to me because it seems like only yesterday that he was young and vital. He looked so good at 60, 70... Damn, life goes by fast. Better start living. :cool:

I saw him at Lime Rock a few years ago, he was driving a Corvette in the race - #78 which was his age at the time. He led most of the race until the car broke. The pit crew was a bunch of hippy looking guys, and the whole operation was very low key. I think that he just enjoyed the driving.

I can't think of many actors that have less ego and a need to be loved. He did what he wanted and gave back more than most publicity driven philanthropists.

A hell of a guy.

I bet he's done more good than we will ever know. Hope the best for him. A fine human being.

He was on Letterman a few years ago around his birthday. He ended being strapped to hundreds of helium balloons outside the studio and tethered around 50 feet in the air.It was pretty cool to watch.

He and Leno raced go-carts (electric) around the studio a couple years ago. Beat Leno. Very competitive.