Tony Klinger

I wasn’t going to write today, because I am busy writing my new book, and it’s Jewish New Year tomorrow, (Happy New Year to everyone by the way!) and I have to get two days work done today so I don’t fall too far behind my self imposed schedule.

But some things transcend your plans, and Paul Newman fits the bill. I never knew or even met the man, and like you I have read and admired many of the obituries in his honor that were posted in the last couple of days. I don’t want to add to this white noise about someone who was unquestionably a great screen actor. I want to talk personally about how he affected me.

You see, he fitted in the list of those people we Jewish people claim for our own. His father was Jewish and his mother a Catholic turned Christian Scientist. How I delighted in telling Gentile friends that this wonderful looking, super cool dude was one of my tribe.

I, like every other Jew I know thought his finest picture was Exodus. Nothing else touched our hearts more than his portrayal of an heroic Jew, by this iconic, handsome and heroic Jew. He made so many great films, and was nominated for 10 Academy Awards but he only won the 1 Oscar, a great mistakes by the Academy.

All of us were thrilled and proud  when he then turned out to be a world class racing driver, and our cup ran over when he added to that with his huge charitable donation caused by his entirely for charity Newman’s Own Salad Dressing. It tastes great and has resulted in his giving hundreds of millions of dollars away.

By now we were getting blase with this super man’s remarkable list of achievements, but then again, it wasn’t enough for him. He had apparently never satisfied the strict criteria of his late father who never lived to see his son’s huge successes, and likewise, although he had a wonderful marriage and five loving daughter’s his only son died in tragic circumstances and had not enjoyed a trouble free life. It proves that even the best of us has feet of clay.

But more than a list of pluses and minuses let’s remember Paul’s beautiful face, those wonderful eyes, that devastating smile and perhaps most of all, that big and generous heart. Goodbye Paul, R.I.P.