You needn’t be a cinephile to easily picture Paul Newman as Hud, Cool Hand Luke, Butch Cassidy, and Basil. Wait! Who the heck is Basil ??? Basil was the fictional Greek slave and silversmith in the story about the making of the silver cup that held the Holy Grail. And the role of Basil was Paul Newman’s Holy Grail: his first studio role.THE SILVER CHALICE (1954) was a toga epic – pretty much an epic stinker – which Newman oncetook out an ad in Variety to apologize for – yet the classically handsome, blue-eyed actor went on to play major roles in 50 films. He played cowboys and Indians (BUTCH CASSIDY, THE LEFT-HANDED GUN, HOMBRE); cops, detectives and convicts (FORT APACHE THE BRONX, HARPER, THE DROWNING POOL, COOL HAND LUKE); lawyers and hustlers (THE VERDICT, FROM THE TERRACE, THE HUSTLER, THE STING); heroes and anti-heroes (EXODUS, HUD); and in dramas and comedies (THE LONG HOT SUMMER, CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF, A NEW KIND OF LOVE, NOBODY'S FOOL). He even played a jazz musician (PARIS BLUES) and a few real-life guys (SOMEBODY UP THERE LIKES ME, FAT MAN AND LITTLE BOY). Along the way Newman became one of the world's most popular and enduring film stars. Admired by his peers and fans alike, he was nominated for Oscars 10 times, winning one regular award and two honoraries. Over the years, he also found time to do a “little” work on the side as a political activist, race car driver, food peddler, major philanthropist, and, for 50 years, husband to actress Joanne Woodward, who co-starred with him in several films.
