Introduction
Paul Newman was one of Hollywood's most beloved stars, known for his piercing blue eyes, charismatic screen presence, and iconic roles in films like "Cool Hand Luke," "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," and "The Verdict." But behind the glamorous facade of stardom, Newman was a complex man who struggled with his own demons and spent much of his life trying to understand himself.
In "The Extraordinary Life of an Ordinary Man," we get a rare glimpse into the inner world of this Hollywood legend. This memoir, pieced together from interviews and recordings Newman made between 1986 and 1991, offers a candid and introspective look at his life, from his childhood in Ohio to his rise to fame and his later years as an actor, philanthropist, and race car driver.
Newman's goal in creating this memoir was to "set the record straight" and leave something meaningful behind for his children and grandchildren. What emerges is a portrait of a man who, despite his immense success, often felt like an outsider in his own life – a "decorative boy" struggling to find his true self.
The Decorative Boy and the Orphan
Newman's story begins in Shaker Heights, a suburb of Cleveland, Ohio, where he was born in 1925. From the outset, he paints a picture of a childhood marked by emotional distance and a sense of performative living. His mother, Tess, kept an immaculately clean house that looked more like a museum than a home. In this environment, young Paul felt like just another of his mother's decorations – a pretty object to be admired rather than a child to be nurtured.
This upbringing led Newman to see two distinct sides of himself: the "decorative boy" and the "orphan." The decorative boy was the one who tried to please his mother, who dressed up and performed for her friends, who existed as an extension of her desires. The orphan, on the other hand, was his true self – lost, confused, and desperately trying to understand his place in the world.
Newman's relationship with his father, Art Sr., was equally complicated. Art owned a sporting goods store and had his own ways of rebelling against Tess's domineering nature. He would hide bottles of bourbon around the house, sneaking drinks when he could. Sometimes, he would deliberately wear his dirtiest clothes to dinner, much to Tess's horror. These small acts of defiance often led to explosive arguments between Newman's parents, creating a tense and unpredictable home environment.
Looking back, Newman realized that this upbringing had profound effects on his emotional development. He began building walls around himself at a young age, making it difficult for him to connect with his own feelings and communicate effectively with others. These early experiences would shape his relationships, his approach to fatherhood, and his struggles with alcohol later in life.
Early Work and Military Service
Despite the challenges of his home life, Newman showed an early entrepreneurial spirit. As a teenager, he ran a paper route and even worked as a door-to-door Fuller Brush salesman at the age of 13. These early jobs instilled in him a strong work ethic that would serve him well throughout his life.
When the United States entered World War II in 1941, Newman's life took a new direction. He enrolled at Ohio University but soon enlisted in the Navy, hoping to become a pilot. When he didn't pass the necessary tests, he instead became a radioman and rear gunner. Newman spent time in Hawaii, Guam, and Saipan during his service.
Interestingly, Newman felt that his time in the military had little impact on his personal growth or maturity. He came out of the war physically unscathed and emotionally unchanged, feeling neither particularly brave nor afraid during his service. The most notable change, he joked, was that he grew about five inches taller.
College Years and the Birth of an Actor
After his discharge from the Navy in 1946, Newman enrolled at Kenyon College in Ohio. It was here that he first began to seriously explore acting, though he didn't immediately fall in love with the craft. In fact, Newman found that he enjoyed the preparation and camaraderie of theater more than the actual act of performing.
During his time at Kenyon, Newman also developed a reputation as a heavy drinker. He recalls getting "crocked" within hours of arriving on campus, setting a pattern that would continue throughout his college years and beyond. This fondness for alcohol would become a recurring theme in Newman's life, both on and off screen.
Despite his ambivalence towards acting, Newman appeared in several plays at Kenyon, including Shakespeare's "The Taming of the Shrew." Some of his performances impressed his peers, but Newman himself never saw anything special in his acting at this stage.
Interestingly, the achievement Newman was most proud of from his college years had nothing to do with acting. He started a successful laundry service on the town's Main Street, offering free beer to students who brought in their clothes. The business was so successful that it put all other student laundry services out of business, and Newman was able to sell it for a profit before graduating.
Marriage, Fatherhood, and the Move to New York
After graduating from Kenyon, Newman joined a summer stock theater group in Wisconsin, where he met Jackie Witte. Unlike his previous relationships, Newman found that he could actually talk to Jackie. The two quickly fell in love, got married, and Jackie soon became pregnant with their first child.
However, their plans were derailed when Newman's father was diagnosed with inoperable cancer in January 1950. The couple moved back to Shaker Heights, where Newman helped out at the family sporting goods store while Jackie, heavily pregnant, tried to stay out of the way of Newman's increasingly agitated mother.
After his father's death in May 1950, Newman felt a strong urge to leave his hometown. With his GI Bill education benefits about to expire, he applied to the Yale School of Drama, initially considering a master's degree in directing as a fallback option. Yale accepted him, and the couple moved to Connecticut shortly after the birth of their first son, Scott.
However, Newman already felt disconnected from his marriage and his role as a father. He threw himself into his studies at Yale, feeling like he was failing at every other aspect of his life. It was during this time that Newman was cast in the play "Beethoven," playing the flashy role of Karl Beethoven. His performance caught the attention of a major Broadway talent agency, and after just eight months at Yale, Newman decided to focus on pursuing acting in New York City.
The Actor's Studio and Broadway Breakthrough
In New York, Newman auditioned for and was accepted into the prestigious Actor's Studio, joining the ranks of such luminaries as James Dean, Geraldine Page, and Marlon Brando. However, Newman always felt out of place among these talented actors, convinced that they could sense his lack of talent. He spent much of his time observing, trying to understand how the best actors could convey so much through movement and intention alone.
Newman's big break came in 1953 when he was cast in the Broadway play "Picnic." Initially given a supporting role, Newman was made the understudy for the lead. The director told him he lacked the "dangerous sexual energy" required for the main character. However, it was during the production of "Picnic" that Newman met Joanne Woodward, who would become a pivotal figure in his life both personally and professionally.
The chemistry between Newman and Woodward was immediate and intense. Newman credits Woodward with awakening his sexuality and helping him discover a new side of himself. Their affair began while Newman was still married to Jackie, creating a complicated and guilt-ridden situation that would last for several years.
Eventually, Newman was given the lead role in "Picnic," which launched his career in earnest. The attention he received from this performance led to more opportunities in both theater and film, marking the beginning of his rise to stardom.
Hollywood and the Shadow of James Dean
As Newman's star began to rise, he found himself in competition with another handsome young actor of the day: James Dean. The two were often up for the same roles, and Newman's career took an unexpected turn when Dean tragically died in a car crash in September 1955.
Following Dean's death, Newman inherited at least two roles that had been intended for Dean: the boxer Rocky Graziano in "Somebody Up There Likes Me" and a part in a live TV broadcast of Hemingway's "The Battler." These roles further cemented Newman's status as a rising star, but they also left him questioning how much of his success was due to his own talent and how much was simply a result of being in the right place at the right time.
Despite these doubts, Newman's career continued to flourish. By 1957, he was starring in major films like "The Long, Hot Summer" and "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof," acting opposite established stars like Orson Welles and Elizabeth Taylor. "The Long, Hot Summer" also reunited Newman with Joanne Woodward as co-stars, reigniting their passionate affair.
A New Life with Joanne Woodward
The intensity of his relationship with Woodward finally pushed Newman to divorce Jackie in 1958. He married Woodward almost immediately after, beginning a partnership that would last until Newman's death in 2008. This new chapter in Newman's life brought both relief and new challenges.
With Woodward, Newman found a partner who understood and supported his career. They often worked together, both on screen and stage, pushing each other to be better actors. Over the next few years, they had three daughters together: Nell, Lissy, and Clea.
However, even as his new family grew, Newman continued to struggle with fatherhood. He never quite felt comfortable in the role, a difficulty he attributed to his own upbringing and the emotional walls he had built around himself. This struggle would become even more apparent as his children grew older, particularly with his son Scott from his first marriage.
Fame, Fortune, and Inner Turmoil
As Newman's fame grew throughout the 1960s and '70s, so did his discomfort with the attention. He was always suspicious of his popularity, wondering if people were drawn to him for his talent or merely for his good looks. The fact that he was often mistaken for Marlon Brando only added to his insecurities about his own identity as an actor.
However, Newman also recognized that fame gave him a certain power and influence that he could use for good. He became increasingly involved in politics and civil rights causes, supporting Democratic presidential candidates and even being appointed to the United Nations Conference on Nuclear Disarmament in 1978.
The 1960s also introduced Newman to another passion that would become a significant part of his life: auto racing. After learning to drive for the 1969 film "Winning," Newman continued racing throughout his life, eventually starting his own successful racing team.
While these new pursuits brought Newman satisfaction, they also highlighted the growing disconnect between his public persona and his private struggles. His drinking, which had been a constant since his college days, was becoming more problematic. At times, he was consuming as much as a case of beer a day.
Moreover, Newman's relationship with his children, particularly his son Scott, was strained. Scott, who had followed in his father's footsteps to become an actor, struggled with the pressure of being Paul Newman's son. Tragically, Scott's battle with addiction ended in a fatal overdose in 1978, an event that deeply affected Newman and led him to question many of his life choices.
The Verdict and a New Chapter
As Newman entered his 50s and 60s, he began to confront some of the issues that had plagued him throughout his life. He sought help from therapists, discussing his marriage, his children, and his drinking. While progress was slow, he gradually began to make changes. He cut back on hard liquor, though he continued to drink beer heavily for many years.
It was during this period of self-reflection that Newman took on what he considered his best role: Frank Galvin in the 1982 film "The Verdict." Playing an alcoholic lawyer taking on a seemingly hopeless case, Newman felt he was able to tap into something genuine and raw in his performance. For the first time, he achieved what he called "comfortable emotional moments" on screen, a naturalness he had long admired in other actors but had struggled to achieve himself.
The success of "The Verdict" seemed to mark a turning point in Newman's career and personal life. He continued to give powerful performances, including a return to the role of "Fast Eddie" Felson in "The Color of Money" (1986), which won him his first Academy Award for Best Actor.
Philanthropy and Legacy
As Newman entered the latter part of his career, he increasingly turned his attention to philanthropy. In the 1980s, he launched Newman's Own, a food company that began with homemade salad dressings and expanded to include a wide range of products. From the start, Newman decided that all profits from the company would go to charity. To date, Newman's Own has donated over $550 million to various humanitarian causes.
In 1988, inspired by the death of a friend, Newman founded the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, a summer camp for children with serious illnesses. The camp aimed to give these children a sense of normalcy and accomplishment, allowing them to just be kids despite their health challenges. This project became one of Newman's most cherished accomplishments, touching him deeply and allowing him to make a tangible difference in the lives of sick children.
These philanthropic efforts seemed to bring Newman a sense of purpose and fulfillment that had eluded him earlier in life. They allowed him to use his fame and fortune for good, creating a legacy that went far beyond his acting career.
Reflections and Reconciliation
As Newman looked back on his life in his later years, he began to see how the two sides of himself – the "decorative boy" and the "orphan" – had shaped his experiences. He recognized the walls he had built around himself, the difficulties he had connecting with others, and the ways in which his childhood had influenced his adult relationships and behaviors.
He also came to terms with some of the choices he had made as a father. While he acknowledged that he had never felt entirely comfortable in the role, he tried to make amends and build stronger relationships with his children as they grew older.
Newman's relationship with Joanne Woodward remained a constant source of strength and support throughout his life. Their partnership, both personal and professional, was a rare example of a Hollywood marriage that stood the test of time. Woodward's influence on Newman was profound, helping him to grow as an actor and as a person.
In his final years, Newman felt that he was finally starting to reconcile the different aspects of himself. The "orphan" was catching up to the "decorative boy," and he was beginning to feel like a more complete, integrated person. He looked forward to discovering what this new, unified self might be like.
Conclusion
Paul Newman's life was indeed extraordinary, filled with tremendous success, personal struggles, and a constant search for meaning and authenticity. From his early days as a "decorative boy" in Shaker Heights to his status as a Hollywood icon and respected philanthropist, Newman's journey was one of continuous growth and self-discovery.
His story reminds us that even those who seem to have it all – looks, talent, fame, fortune – can struggle with deep-seated insecurities and personal demons. Newman's openness about his struggles with alcohol, his difficulties as a father, and his lifelong quest to understand himself make his memoir a deeply human document.
At the same time, Newman's life demonstrates the power of perseverance and the potential for growth and change at any age. His later-in-life commitment to philanthropy and his efforts to become a better father and husband show that it's never too late to make a positive impact or to work on becoming the person you want to be.
Perhaps most importantly, Newman's story is a testament to the importance of self-reflection and honesty. By confronting his past, acknowledging his shortcomings, and continually striving to understand himself better, Newman was able to create a life that was not just successful by external measures, but also increasingly fulfilling on a personal level.
In the end, "The Extraordinary Life of an Ordinary Man" is more than just a Hollywood memoir. It's a deeply personal exploration of identity, family, success, and the ongoing struggle to reconcile our public and private selves. Paul Newman's journey from a "decorative boy" in Ohio to a complex, multifaceted man who left an indelible mark on both Hollywood and the world of philanthropy is a reminder that our lives are always works in progress, and that the pursuit of self-understanding is a lifelong endeavor.
As we close the book on Paul Newman's extraordinary life, we're left with the image of a man who, despite his fame and success, never stopped questioning, growing, and striving to be better. His story encourages us to look beyond the surface, to confront our own demons, and to use whatever talents and resources we have to make a positive difference in the world. In sharing his struggles and triumphs so candidly, Newman has left behind not just a record of his life, but a source of inspiration for generations to come.