Hollywood legend Paul Newman has died of cancer at the age of 83, his spokesman has confirmed.[/size]

The blue-eyed star of films like Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid had died at home on Friday surrounded by family and close friends, said Jeff Sanderson.

Newman was nominated for an Oscar 10 times, winning the best actor trophy in 1987 for The Color Of Money.

In May 2007, he said he was giving up acting because he could no longer perform to the best of his ability.

"I'm not able to work any more... at the level that I would want to," he told US broadcaster ABC.

"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."

Earlier this year, he pulled out of directing a stage production of John Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men in Connecticut because of unspecified health problems.

Broadcaster Sir Michael Parkinson, who interviewed Newman for a documentary, said the star had been "a real giant of the cinema".

"He was the link between the great time of Hollywood, the Cary Grant and people like that, and Tom Cruise," he told BBC News.

"He fills the gap between the two, and fills it in a most extraordinary, dominant manner."

Hit films

Although his handsome looks and piercing blue eyes made him an ideal romantic lead, Newman often played rebels, tough guys and losers.

"I was always a character actor," he once said. "I just looked like Little Red Riding Hood."

He appeared in some 60 movies, including Cat On A Hot Tin Roof, The Hustler, The Sting and Hud.

Along the way, he worked with some of the biggest names in Hollywood - including Alfred Hitchcock, Robert Altman, Martin Scorsese, Elizabeth Taylor, Lauren Bacall and Tom Hanks.

He also appeared with his wife, Joanne Woodward, in several films including Long Hot Summer and Paris Blues. The star later directed his wife in movies such as Rachel, Rachel and The Glass Menagerie.

But his most famous screen partner was undoubtedly Robert Redford, his sidekick in both Butch Cassidy and The Sting.

In addition to his Academy Award for best actor, he was given an honorary Oscar in 1986 "in recognition of his many and memorable compelling screen performances and for his personal integrity and dedication to his craft".

In 1994, he won a third Oscar, the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, for his charitable work.

His philanthropic efforts included the establishment of summer camps for children who suffered from life-threatening illnesses.

He also donated profits from his Newman's Own food range to a number of charitable organisations.

Newman's last film role was as the voice of Doc Hudson, one of the most famous racing cars in history, in the Pixar animation Cars.

It was perhaps a fitting epitaph for the actor, who had a lifelong fascination with the sport - and put his film career on hold in the 1970s to become a professional racing driver.

He is survived by his wife, five children, two grandsons and his older brother Arthur.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7639614.stm
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000056/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Newman

RIP.

Fuck.

damn it. he was one of my favorite actors! cool hand luke is indeed the coolest movie ever.

rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAA

CAAAAAAAANCEEEEEER!

lung cancer, fuck.

altho to be honest I've never seen a single thing this guy was in other than Cars!

Cancer is the worst fucking thing to happen to humanity jesus christ.

he was in some other good films like the hustler and road to perdition but it's cool he lived to such a ripe old age instead of dying early in his prime like bernie mac.

I really dig some of newman's films. Rest in peace.......

Damn you cancer!!

R.I.P

lung cancer, fuck.

altho to be honest I've never seen a single thing this guy was in other than Cars!

you really need to see cool hand luke

what the fuck. this year sucks. : (

cool hand luke is one of my favorite movies. i really liked paul newman in everything i've seen him in, and the quote about giving up acting because of his age really depressed me.

you really need to see cool hand luke

I opened the paper and what do I see but that Cool Hand Luke just released a deluxe edition. eerie!

WAIT THIS IS THE TOMATO SAUCE GUY.

IS HIS TOMATO SAUCE COMPANY GONNA BE OKAY ITS THE BEST

Yeah his salad dressing is the one and only.

and a bunch of the money from it went to charity, paul newman owned...newman's owns....

I think the fact that the profits after taxes and procuction costs going to charity does a lot for how satisfied you are with a product like Paul Newman's Own Salad Dressing. I mean, if there is a heaven and you do get there for doing good deeds then that's one mighty good deed for the consumer and the charity benefactor.