General "RIP" announcements that might be of interest

[dukefan1]

Rest in Peace, Paul. As already said, you are a class act.

[ShortGrub]

See you Paul, God speed, we will miss ya.

I had the good fortune to see him at Limerock, Conn at his home racetrack in the late 70's. He and Joanne said hello to the whole group of us from atop a motorhome. He had just gotten done qualifying laps. He was a few classes up on our 240Z we ran.

[H.sanada]

R.I.P. Paul Newman.

here is Maggie Van Ostrand's nice story.
Paul Newman wasn’t just an Oscar-winning movie star and director, he was a philanthropist, practical joke player, and award-winning race car driver.
The roles he chose were immortalized by his outstanding performances in films like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Hud, Cool Hand Luke, Somebody Up There Likes Me, The Hustler, The Sting, The Verdict, The Color of Money. He was an electric Mt. Rushmore with a thousand twinklers behind his bright blue eyes
And he tried to soften the effect he had on fans. Here are two stories of what it was like to encounter Paul Newman face to face:
When I was an agent, my office was at 9000 Sunset Blvd., a building owned by several show business people, including Paul Newman. I often saw him on the elevator, said hi, and averted my eyes out of respect (but it was really because I didn’t want him to think I was uncool or a slobbering fan).
One night about 2:00 a.m., I pulled out of the parking garage in my new Mustang convertible and at the first traffic light on unusually empty Sunset Boulevard, I happened to look next to me while waiting for the light to go green. There was Newman grinning at me and gesturing with his forefinger mutely inviting me to race him down Sunset. He was in a beat-up VW bug, rusty-reddish in color, and faded. Really dinky looking. No contest.
I had a new Mustang. No contest. I shrugged “sure, why not?” and, when the light turned green, I jammed down the pedal. Before it even hit the floor, I was covered in his dust.
Next day somebody told me Newman did that all the time, that he had a racing engine under that crappy looking hood and was always on the lookout for victims.
Another time, a Michigan tourist visited a small Connecticut town. Sunday morning, she got up early to take a long walk. After a brisk five-mile hike, she decided to treat herself to a double-dip chocolate cone, and stopped in at the local ice cream parlor.
One other person was in the shop. Paul Newman. He was sitting at the counter having a doughnut and coffee.
The woman’s heart skipped a beat as her eyes made contact with Newman’s famous baby-blues.
The actor nodded hello and the flustered, star struck woman smiled back. Now what?
Pull yourself together, she told herself. You’ve got a life. He’s just a person like you. Oh really?
The clerk filled her order and she took her double-dip chocolate ice cream cone in one hand andher change in the other. Then she went out the door, avoiding another glance in Paul Newman’s direction.
When she reached her car, she realized that she had a handful of change but her other hand was empty. Where’s my ice cream cone? Did I leave it in the store? Back into the shop she went, expecting to see the cone still in the clerk’s hand or in a cone holder on the counter. No ice cream cone was in sight.
With that, she looked over at Paul Newman. His face broke into his familiar, warm,friendly grin and he said to the woman,
“You put it in your purse.”
Hemingway said of bullfighters that they lived all the way up. So did Paul Newman.



regards,
Taka

[Stumpy]

Thanks for that, Taka - those were cute anecdotes. Like other people have said, he was a class act.

One of my favorite Newman movies, which I don't think has ever received the attention it deserved, was "Sometimes A Great Notion". It also starred Henry Fonda and Richard Jaeckel.

[Stumpy]

To me, one of the most fascinating aspect of Paul Newman's career was the huge contradiction between his real and his screen persona.

As everyone knew, he was the archtypical liberal in real life. Which means he would undoubtedly embrace government, as all liberals do. Government stands for authority. Yet Paul's most memorable roles had him playing a rebel, totally rejecting any kind of authority, including government.

[chester7777]

Taka,

THANK YOU for posting that! What wonderful stories!

Did you guys realize that one of Paul Newman's last roles was as the voice of Doc Hudson in the movie Cars (and then in a video game of the same name, and one other Cars-related short)? What a versatile, interesting man.

Mrs. C

[arthurarnell]

Hi

Sad to see yet another star go. I enjoyed many of his films.

Regards

Arthur

[WaynamoJim]

Another member of Hollywood has passed away. House Peters Jr., a veteran character actor and the original Mr. Clean of the tv ads has died at age 92. Peters career spanned the mid 30's to the mid 60's. He acted in many movie and tv westerns usually playing the heavy or villain. One role I just seen him in was in Disneys Johnny Tremain, where he played the patriot commander at Lexington who tells the colonists gathered "to not fire a shot unless fired upon, that if the British want a war, let it begin here".

[chester7777]

Thanks, Jim, for posting about Mr. Peters - he represents a fond childhood memory, from the TV commercials for Mr. Clean!

Mrs. C

[The Ringo Kid]

As always, im late in saying my piece but, Rest in Peace Paul. To me your best film is a ties between Cool Hand Luke and Road To Perdition. Loved ya in both.

[The Ringo Kid]

Here's an interesting thought . . . with which I don't necessarily agree . . . .

A local radio show host was talking about Paul Newman's death, and what a class act he and his wife Joanne Woodward were (I do agree there). He (the host) was suggesting that he thought that the next comparable couple from Hollywood would be Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. I don't know about you, but I think the stars from yesteryear are in a class by themselves, never to be replaced. It was a different era, never to be repeated.

Chester

Hi Jim/Sue, I fully agree with you here. Also, to mention pitt and jolie in the same story as Paul Newman-is a travesty.

[The Ringo Kid]

Hi Taka, thanks for posting sucha great story.

Also, Rest in Peace House Peters. I had not known you had been called away.

[DukePilgrim]

Michael Crichton author & director has died of cancer at 66. In addition to books and film listed below he wrote and directed Westworld with Yul Brynner Coma with Michael Douglas and my favorite the 1st Great Train Robbery with Sean Connery




Author Michael Crichton dies, 66


Michael Crichton won awards including an Emmy


Best-selling author Michael Crichton has died in Los Angeles aged 66 after a "courageous and private battle against cancer", his family has said.
He penned Jurassic Park, as well as books like Congo and Disclosure, all of which were adapted into films.
His books have sold more than 150 million copies. He also created the long-running US hospital TV drama ER.
"He will be profoundly missed by those whose lives he touched," his family said in a statement.
A private funeral service is expected.
Crichton is survived by his wife, Sherri, and daughter, Taylor.
Michael's talent out-scaled even his own dinosaurs of Jurassic Park


Steven Spielberg



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The family's statement paid tribute to a "devoted husband, loving father and generous friend".
It added: "Through his books, Michael Crichton served as an inspiration to students of all ages, challenged scientists in many fields, and illuminated the mysteries of the world in a way we could all understand."
'Gentle soul'
"Michael's talent out-scaled even his own dinosaurs of Jurassic Park," said filmmaker Steven Spielberg, who directed the blockbuster film version of that novel.
"He was the greatest at blending science with big theatrical concepts, which is what gave credibility to dinosaurs again walking the Earth.
CRICHTON'S BEST-KNOWN NOVELS

Odds On (1966)
The Andromeda Strain (1969)
The Great Train Robbery (1975)
Congo (1980)
Jurassic Park (1990)
Disclosure (1994)
The Lost World (1995) - pictured
Timeline (1999)
State of Fear (2004)
Next (2006)


"Michael was a gentle soul who reserved his flamboyant side for his novels. There is no-one in the wings that will ever take his place," he added.
A new Crichton novel had been scheduled to come out in the US next month.
Publisher HarperCollins said the book would now be postponed indefinitely.
A Harvard Medical School graduate, Chicago-born Crichton became the toast of Hollywood when his 1971 novel The Andromeda Strain was turned into a film.
Many of his novels and screenplays were adapted for cinema.
The most successful were Jurassic Park, which burst onto the screen in 1993, and its sequel The Lost World.
ER has won a host of Emmys since it began in 1994, and helped launch the career of George Clooney.
John Wells, executive producer of the medical drama, called the author "an extraordinary man - brilliant, funny, erudite, gracious, exceptionally inquisitive and always thoughtful.
"No lunch with Michael lasted less than three hours and no subject was too prosaic or obscure to attract his interest.
"Sexual politics, medical and scientific ethics, anthropology, archaeology, economics, astronomy, astrology, quantum physics, and molecular biology were all regular topics of conversation," he added. Crichton's 2004 bestseller State of Fear caused controversy when it cast doubt on the dangers of global warming. Environmentalists said his novel was marring efforts to pass legislation to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

[ethanedwards]

Michael Crichton author & director has died of cancer at 66. In addition to books and film listed below he wrote and directed Westworld with Yul Brynner Coma with Michael Douglas and my favorite the 1st Great Train Robbery with Sean Connery

Thanks for posting Mike.
R.I.P. to a geat contributor,
and now a sad loss to modern cinema

[Stumpy]

I'd have to agree that the "Great Train Robbery" was my favorite Crichton film, followed by the Jurrassic Park movies.