Origins & Early Life

Paul Leonard Newman (January 26, 1925 – September 26, 2008) was an American actor, filmmaker, racecar driver, philanthropist, and entrepreneur. He has been described as "one of the last of the great 20th-century movie stars". He was the recipient of numerous awards, including an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, seven Golden Globe Awards, an Actor Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, a Silver Bear for Best Actor, a Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actor, and nominations for two Grammy Awards and a Tony Award. Along with his Best Actor Academy Award win, Newman also received the Academy Honorary Award and the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Born in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, and raised in Shaker Heights, the eastern suburbs of Cleveland, Newman showed an interest in theater as a child and at age 10 performed in a stage production of Saint George and the Dragon at the Cleveland Play House. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in drama and economics from Kenyon College in 1949. After touring with several summer stock companies including the Belfry Players, Newman attended the Yale School of Drama for a year before studying at the Actors Studio under Lee Strasberg. His first starring Broadway...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Albert Bandura — Contemporary (Born in 1925) (1925): Pioneering psychologist known for Social Cognitive Theory and self-efficacy.
• Alfred Baphethuxolo Nzo — Contemporary (Born in 1925) (1925): Prominent South African politician and long-serving ANC leader.
• Alfred F. Young — Contemporary (Born in 1925) (1925): Pioneering American historian of the Revolution and working-class social history.
• Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn — Contemporary (Died in 2008) (2008): Dissident author who exposed Soviet repression, notably the Gulag system.
• Arthur C. Clarke — Contemporary (Died in 2008) (2008): Pioneering science fiction writer, futurist, and popularizer of space travel.
• Bo Diddley — Contemporary (Died in 2008) (2008): Pioneering blues guitarist whose signature rhythm influenced rock, pop, and hip-hop.
• Akio Morita — Shared historical date (01-26 · Born) (1921): Visionary Japanese entrepreneur and co-founder of Sony.
• Arthur Cayley — Shared historical date (01-26 · Died) (1895): Pioneering English mathematician, instrumental in founding modern algebra and group theory.
• Béla Bartók — Shared historical date (09-26 · Died) (1945): Pioneering Hungarian composer, pianist, and ethnomusicologist of the 20th century.
• Bessie Smith — Shared historical date (09-26 · Died) (1937): The "Empress of the Blues," Bessie Smith dominated the sound of the 1930s.
• 1925 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1925
• January 26 (01-26) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on January 26
• 2008 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 2008
• September 26 (09-26) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on September 26