Acting legend Paul Newman dies of cancer aged 83
Acting legend Paul Newman dies aged 83, spokeswoman confirms
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Saturday, 27, Sep 2008 06:51
Paul Newman has died at the age of 83, his spokeswoman has confirmed.
The Cool Hand Luke star passed away on Friday due to cancer, Marni Tomljanovic said. No other details were given.
A ten-time Academy award nominee, Newman took the best actor Oscar for his role in The Color of Money in 1986.
A statement from his five daughters praised his "selfless humility and generosity".
"Paul Newman played many unforgettable roles," they said in a statement.
"But the ones for which he was proudest never had top billing on the marquee: Devoted husband, loving father, adoring grandfather, dedicated philanthropist."
Robert Forrester, vice-chairman of the Newman's Own Foundation, the charity formed by the actor, said: "Paul Newman's craft was acting. His passion was racing. His love was his family and friends. And his heart and soul were dedicated to helping make the world a better place for all.
"Paul took advantage of what life offered him, and while personally reluctant to acknowledge that he was doing anything special, he forever changed the lives of many with his generosity, humour, and humanness."
A statement added: "His legacy lives on in the charities he supported and the Hole in the Wall Camps, for which he cared so much.
"We will miss our friend Paul Newman, but are lucky ourselves to have known such a remarkable person."
Robert Redford, Newman's co-star in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, paid tribute by saying: "There is a point where feelings go beyond words... I have lost a real friend."
Kevin Spacey described him as "a great, humble giant" while George Clooney added: "He set the bar too high for the rest of us. Not just actors, but all of us."
In June this year, the acting legend issued a short statement saying he was "doing nicely" after reports emerged that he was suffering from terminal lung cancer.
A number of US television networks and websites claimed that Newman was seriously ill with the disease, and undergoing out-patient treatment at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York.
His agent Toni Howard said the rumours were "not true" at the time.
The Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid star stepped down as director of a production of John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men earlier this year, with unspecified health issues cited.
Newman retired from acting in May 2007, blaming poor health.
"I've been doing it for 50 years. That's enough," he told ABC television at the time.
"I'm not able to work any more as an actor at the level I would want to. You start to lose your memory, your confidence, your invention."