crushed.

When my mom was in labor with me, she was watching Cool Hand Luke on the tiny tv in the hospital.

Thus began my lifelong love affair with Paul Newman. I've seen most of his movies, tho not all of them. I do have my favorites that I watch over and over. Maybe they haven't left time or space in my heart for the ones I've never seen.

When I was 6, I was determined to be his Sundance Kid. I methodically learned to pick a diary lock, a padlock, and a doorknob lock, in that order, in preparation for our first meeting. (It's still a relatively handy skill to have in a pinch, altho Butch never did call.)


In my teens I fell hard for Brick. I've seen Cat on a Hot Tin Roof a hundred times, and I will likely see it hundred more. Brick & Maggie are tortured and steamy, and it never tires. Even after 50 years, its still one of the best movies ever made.


I really never had a shot though. A bit before filming this, my 2nd favorite movie, Paul met his Joanne while working on Broadway. Five years later they made the Long Hot Summer, one of my top 5 movies of all time.


They were married in 1958 and celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary this year. Perhaps his most famous quote about their marriage refers to why he has been faithful all of these years..."Why fool around with hamburgers, when you have steak at home?


An amazing philanthropist, he and his family have donated more than 200 million dollars to various charities. And if that's not enough to convince you to check out his incredibly large body of work, let's face it, the man was beyond gorgeous.


I would imagine there will be one ore more tributes on AMC or TCM in the coming weeks. Catch old favorites, make new.

To live in hearts we leave behind
Is not to die.
~Thomas Campbell