And to the latest news her eyes were blue

"I guess my epitaph: â Paul Newman, died in missed, because his eyes have become Brown.". The actor died Saturday at the age of eighty-three, as a star, or even in America's heroes. And, to the latest news, her eyes were blue. In the avalanche of tributes that have been rendered, it is often a matter of his eyes. Unable to escape. "It was beautiful." "It was beautiful blue eyes, blue eyes often folded by an eternal cigarette in his films," said Gilles Jacob, President of the Cannes Festival. But the comments first focused on the figure of the cinema and the philanthropist.

Compared to the Giants Marlon Brando, Kirk Douglas, James Dean, Paul Newman, pure product of the Actors Studio where he came in 1952, is says hope of the American cinema at the age of thirty years, with "Marked by hatred" (1956), in a role inspired by the life of the champion of boxing Rocky Graziano. He confirms his talent the following years for his roles in "The left-handed", "Burning the cat on the roof" (1958, both) where he knows fade behind Liz Taylor , "exodus" (1960), "The scammer" (1961), where he is a player of billiards. But it is with the triumph of "Butch Cassidy and the Kid" (1969) that he became an international star, resulting in its wake another future great actor, Robert Redford. However, Paul Newman received the oscar for best actor quite late, with "The color of money" (1986), Scorsese, where it is again a billiard player's. On receiving the award, he said, in a demi-sourire: "It is like having the Court to a beautiful woman for eighty years." "It finally surrendered and said:"I'm really sorry, but I'm tired".". Paul Newman loved the good words. He has directed a few films. The best known is "Rachel, Rachel" (1968), toured with the woman of his life, Joanne Woodward, married in 1958.

Racer car and philanthropist

But his other passion had nothing to do with the studios: motor racing. It creates its own stable of race in 1975 and won the following year his first victories at the wheel of a Triumph TR6. In 1979, he finished second at the 24 hours of le Mans and in the 1980s, he won five times the prestigious American race, ChampCar. It is the first driver to seventy years to win the 24 hours of Daytona. Politically engaged, close to the Democratic Party, it militates in the civil rights movement in the 1960s and he refloated "The Nation", on the left marked newsmagazine. Active member of the pacifist movement against the war of the Viet Nam, he admitted his pride to be included in the 19 of blacklist established by Richard Nixon.

After the death of his son Alan Scott by overdose in 1978, he launched a foundation dedicated to drug prevention. Four years later, he creates in Connecticut, with 40 million from his personal fortune, an organic food company: Newman's Own. It now offers nearly 80 products, sauces, spaghetti, popcorn... Initially, it was a quasi-canular: put on the market House seasoning which he loved with his old accomplice a. e. Hochner. The case is quickly profitable. Paul Newman decided to reverse the profits to humanitarian works: holiday camps for sick children, schools in underprivileged areas, victims of natural disasters. To the end, this perfectionist philanthropist tasted its products. "This is not, he said, because someone you loved in Butch Cassidy that he will appreciate your salad seasoning."