Film career

While he was attending graduate school at Yale, he became a successful stage actor in New York City. He made his Broadway theatre debut in the original production of William Inge's Picnic with Kim Stanley. He later appeared in the original Broadway productions of The Desperate Hours and Sweet Bird of Youth with Geraldine Page. He would later star in the film version of Sweet Bird of Youth, which also starred Page.

His first movie, The Silver Chalice (1954) has been described by Newman himself as the "worst movie of the entire 1950s decade," but he rebounded with acclaimed roles such as Somebody Up There Likes Me (1956) as boxer Rocky Graziano and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof opposite Elizabeth Taylor.

Newman appeared in a screen test with James Dean for the role of Cal Trask in East of Eden, but Dean won the part.

Major films

With his piercing blue eyes and handsome chiseled features, he could have been just a romantic leading man, but he wanted much more than that. Newman fought for important roles in great movies, rather than trade on his good looks and take standard pretty boy roles Hollywood offered every young handsome actor. Newman was one of the few actors who successfully made the transition from 1950s to the 1960s and 1970s cinema. His rebellious persona translated well to a subsequent generation. He has been frequently mentioned by younger actors as an influence.

Newman has appeared in such classics as Exodus (film), The Hustler (1961), Hud (1963),Harper (1966), Cool Hand Luke (1967), The Towering Inferno (1974), Slap Shot (1977) and The Verdict (1982). He appeared most notably with Robert Redford in the films Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) and The Sting (1973).

He also appeared with his wife, Joanne Woodward, in the feature films The Long, Hot Summer (1958), Rally 'Round the Flag, Boys!, (1958), From the Terrace (1960), Paris Blues (1961), A New Kind of Love (1963), Winning (1969), WUSA (1970), The Drowning Pool (1975), Harry & Son (1984) and Mr. and Mrs. Bridge (1990). They also both starred in the HBO miniseries Empire Falls, but did not have any scenes together.

In addition to Harry & Son, which Newman starred and directed, he also directed three feature films (which he was only the director) that starred Woodward. They were Rachel, Rachel (1968), based on Margaret Laurence's A Jest of God, the screen version of the Pulitzer Prize-winning play The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds (1972), the television screen version of the Pulitzer Prize-winning play The Shadow Box (1980) and a screen version of Tennessee Williams' The Glass Menagerie (1987).

Recent work

In the video game X-Squad Newman voiced Colonel Clifford.

Recently, he appeared in a Broadway theatre revival of Thornton Wilder's Our Town. He received his first Tony Award nomination for his performance. PBS and the cable network Showtime aired a taping of the production, and Newman was nominated for an Emmy Award, for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or TV Movie.

One of his most recent screen appearances is as a conflicted mob boss in Road To Perdition opposite Tom Hanks. Now in his early eighties, Newman has almost retired but has continued acting occasionally, such as doing voice work for Disney/Pixar's Cars as the character Doc Hudson.

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