As seen in The Last Movie Stars documentary - the raw candid unvarnished memoir of an icon.
The greatest movie star of the past 75 years covers everything: his traumatic childhood his
career his drinking his thoughts on Marlon Brando James Dean Elizabeth Taylor his greatest
roles acting his intimate life with Joanne Woodward his innermost fears and passions and
joys. With thoughts comments throughout from Joanne Woodward Tom Cruise and many others. In
1986 Paul Newman and his closest friend screenwriter Stewart Stern began an extraordinary
project. Stuart was to compile an oral history to have Newman's family and friends and those
who worked closely with him talk about the actor's life. And then Newman would work with
Stewart and give his side of the story. The only stipulation was that anyone who spoke on the
record had to be completely honest. That same stipulation applied to Newman himself. The
project lasted five years. The result is an extraordinary memoir culled from thousands of
pages of transcripts. The book is insightful revealing surprising. Newman's voice is powerful
sometimes funny sometimes painful always meeting that high standard of searing honesty. The
additional voices - from childhood friends and Navy buddies from family members and film and
theater collaborators such as Tom Cruise George Roy Hill Martin Ritt and John Huston - that
run throughout add richness and color and context to the story Newman is telling. Newman's
often traumatic childhood is brilliantly detailed. He talks about his teenage insecurities his
early failures with women his rise to stardom his early rivals (Brando and Dean) his first
marriage his drinking his philanthropy the death of his son Scott his strong desire for his
daughters to know and understand the truth about their father. Perhaps the most moving material
in the book centers around his relationship with Joanne Woodward - their love for each other
his dependence on her the way she shaped him intellectually emotionally and sexually. THE
EXTRAORDINARY LIFE OF AN ORDINARY MAN is revelatory and introspective personal and analytical
loving and tender in some places always complex and profound. Praise for Paul Newman 'One of
the greatest screen actors of all time and a beautiful man.' Daniel Craig 'He set the bar too
high for the rest of us. Not just actors but all of us.' George Clooney ''He was my hero.'
Julia Roberts 'Paul was an American Icon.' President Bill Clinton 'The ultimate cool guy who
men wanted to be like and women adored. He was an American icon a brilliant actor a
Renaissance man and a generous but modest philanthropist ... Newman entertained millions in
some of Hollywood's most memorable roles ever and brightened the lives of amny more
especially seriously ill children through his charitable works.' Arnold Schwarzenegger
'Sometimes God makes perfect people and Paul Newman was one of them.' Sally Field 'One of the
very finest screen actors of our time. Newman spanned the gap between the golden days of
Hollywood the 40s and 50s with actors like Cary Grant and James Stewart and Clark Gable and
the present lot represented by Brad Pitt Tom Cruise' Sir Michael Parkinson 'Newman was a fine
driver who was famous in Hollywood for doing his own stunt driving as often as not.' Ron
Dennis Formula 1's McLaren Chief 'To say he was an extraordinary man would be an
understatement. he saw himself as a working actor not a movie star and insisted that everyone
else did the same. There was no ego no entourage no hangers on. Only Paul his script and his
incredible spirit. One can say this about very few people but he was a truly great man. It
seems to me to be one of the great 20th-century lives: he was famously generous with his
extraordinary and unstinting work for his charities he was a shining example of how to use
global fame for the greater good and most of all he was one of the great movie actors of this
or any other age. [Directing Newman] was the highlight of my professional life.' Sam Mendes
