Paul Newman Dead At 83

The Oscar winner passed away on Friday (26Sep08) at his home in Westport, Connecticut, his spokesman Marni Tomljanovic has confirmed.

Newman had reportedly been given only weeks to live after completing chemotherapy treatment at a New York hospital in August (08).

He was pictured being wheeled out of the Weill Cornell Medical Centre - which specialises in cancer treatment - looking pale and gaunt in July (08).

He withdrew as director from a production of Of Mice and Men after reportedly being diagnosed with lung cancer earlier this year (08).

Born in Cleveland, Ohio in January 1925, Newman served in the Navy in World War II. He hoped of being accepted for pilot training, but his plan was foiled when a flight physical revealed him to be colour blind.

He eventually became a radioman and gunner.

After the war, he completed his degree at Kenyon College, graduating in 1949. Newman later studied acting at Yale University and under Lee Strasberg at the Actors' Studio in New York.

He was best known for his role in 1967's Cool Hand Luke, and for starring opposite his close friend Robert Redford in 1969's Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and 1973's The Sting.

He was nominated for 10 Oscars in his 50-year-long career, winning the Best Actor accolade for his role in The Color of Money in 1986.

He also won two Golden Globe Awards, a Screen Actors Guild Award, a Cannes Film Festival Award and an Emmy award.

In 2007, he announced his retirement, admitting he was too old to continue his work in Hollywood.

Newman said, "You start to lose your memory, you start to lose your confidence, you start to lose your invention. So I think that's pretty much a closed book for me."

Newman was also famed for his charity work. Following the death of his only son Scott from an accidental drug overdose in 1978, the star set up the Scott Newman Center for drug abuse prevention.

He was also the founder of food company Newman's Own, from which he donated all profits and royalties to charity.

Newman is survived by his wife, actress Joanne Woodward and their three daughters, Elinor, Melissa and Claire. He also has two daughters, Susan and Stephanie from his first marriage to Jackie Witte.