Paul Newman Has Gone To Australia

... surrounded by the Bolivian cavalry and realizing that their time is about up, Butch and Sundance discuss where they will be going next. Butch says, "Australia! at least they speak English there!!!"

It is quite sad for me to learn of passing of Paul Newman.

I loved Newman's movies and have fond memories of the characters he portrayed on the silver screen. The first time I took a girl to the movies back in Jr High was to see his movie "The Sting". But to me, Paul Newman will always be "Butch". About half of "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" was filmed in my homestate of Colorado, and the legend of the Hole-In-the-Wall Gang is centered on an area near my hometown.

I have always thought that Newman was the quintessential "Movie Star", a star among stars. He was a star to be emulated by other actors and deserving of the recognition and praise of his fans and the media. He was a polished and convincing actor throughout his long career, playing many roles that still standout in the minds of 3 or 4 generations that watched his movies.

Whether you envision Newman embodied as Butch or Henry Gondorff or Luke, or one of the many other colourful characters he portrayed - Brick Pollitt, Fast Eddie, Hud, or even Judge Roy Bean - he left his mark on you because he cared enough to be the ultimate professional actor. Newman and his second wife Joanne Woodward, also cared enough to create Newman's Own, a company that specializes in food products and donates all profits to charities. Since it's creation in 1982, Newman's Own has donated $236 million to a variety of charities and notably funded the "Hole In the Wall Gang" camps for seriously ill children. Hole in the Wall Gang camps have been created not only in the U.S., but are now found in Ireland, France and Israel. With Newman's passing, his daughter Nell has been groomed to take over Newman's Own and the charitable foundation.

It should be noted, especially on this article being posted to a forum such as this one, that his company - Newman's Own - co-sponsors the PEN/Newman's Own First Amendment Award, an award of $25,000 that recognizes people who protect and uphold the First Amendment and particularly the protection of the written word.

Rest in peace Paul where ever you've gone ...