Paul Newman: More than a Movie Idol
Betsy Taylor
Tomato sauce from a jar? Forget that! My sauce came from tomatoes I grew in my backyard garden. And, while I’m not a great cook, I could spice up the puree, add a little ground beef, and simmer it for a while. Poured over pasta, the result made for a hearty meal. But that was before we moved to a home with a smaller yard and herds of marauding deer that ensured that no tomato reached ripeness.
Searching grocery shelves for an alternative, I came across jars of seasoned tomato sauce bearing the name and likeness of actor Paul Newman. Each jar carried the promise that all profits from the company, Newman’s Own, would be donated to various charities. To be honest, it was the promise of charity rather than the actor’s name that induced me to try the product. This is not an ad for the company’s salad dressing, tomato sauce, popcorn, and even dog treats. But I will say that those foods are tasty (except for the dog treats. I haven’t sampled those).
I was intrigued by the notion that Paul Newman, whom I knew to have been born near Cleveland, had risen to acting stardom, and was touted for his beautiful blue eyes, would embark on a mission to sell foods. The website printed on each jar encouraged buyers to visit and click on the tab, our founder. So, I did.
Paul, having grown up in Shaker Heights, was the son of the owner of a sporting goods shop. He liked playing football but didn’t want to sell sporting goods. In fact, retailing of any kind didn’t interest him. His dad, hopeful that Paul would reconsider, sent him to Kenyon College to study business. Paul got sidetracked and turned to theater instead. He already had a taste of stagecraft from dabbling in high-school drama, but college theater was a step up. His drama professor noticed his potential and pushed him to take seriously acting as a pursuit.
However, as with many young college men at the time, WWII caught up with him. He joined the Navy Air Corps and was assigned to the USS Bunker Hill aircraft carrier where he hoped to become a pilot. That goal, however, was out of reach because he was colorblind.
After the war, Paul returned to Kenyon College and redoubled his efforts to become an actor. Again, his acting professor encouraged him saying he had, “all kinds of talent,” but needed refinement. Newman worried that he might not be cut out to act because his performances were stilted. Learning his lines by rote, he spoke them mechanically having not yet learned to act and react.
Moving to New York, he met other young actors like Marlon Brando who struggled to perfect their craft. The outcome of refusing to sell sporting goods and finding his way as an actor resulted in some classic films including Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Cool Hand Luke, and The Color of Money. My favorites among Newman’s films center around his later work including Absence of Malice with costar Sally Fields.
At age 36, he was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Human Letters from Kenyon College. After attaining success, Newman returned to direct plays and, over time, donated $10 million to the college.
So, how did the face that launched a bunch of high-grossing movies end up on food labels? It isn’t such a great stretch after all. Paul Newman had always been a charitable man and an activist using his star power to advance humanitarian causes. He crusaded for civil rights, women’s rights, gay rights, nuclear disarmament, and the war on hunger.
At the age of 57 he and author A.E. Hotchner started the Newman’s Own company to address the needs of deserving charities. The company has donated over $600 million so far and will continue to do so. Newman is gone but Newman’s Own lives on. You can help by going to the website where you will be given the opportunity to donate and benefit those in need. You also help when you enjoy the company’s delicious products.
