Paul Newman

Sometimes an actor becomes real... like a figment materializing into something solid, and over a career of remarkable make-believe, many Americans and citizens of a slightly better world must grieve the passing of Paul Newman.

My favorite Cool Hand Luke...had no failure to communicate with the world, he led the way to responsible political activity, humanitarian concerns, even good nutrition... a renaissance man who invented his own brand of complete living.

The Sting like his great movie success is a feeling that something that should have been there, really isn't, Newman really was there... on the side of justice, fairness, a more open and rewarding society. Some people seem to talk about making the world better, others seem to simply do it.

I have an enduring memory of Paul Newman speaking at a noisy Democratic Convention, there on TV, and the crowd seemed indifferent to his remarks, the background noise seemed louder than his voice, and yet he tried... it seemed he tried harder and harder until by the end there was more quiet than noise, more attention to his words, and in the end a joining of the crowd of delegates and his message.

So it seems his career and life had a similar way, the society, the world has lost something that it had learned over time... to treasure.