Paul Newman was an Oscar-winning actor, who starred in a wide array of movies throughout his career. While he only won one Academy Award (for his performance in The Color of Money), he starred in many critically-acclaimed films, including Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Cool Hand Luke, and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.
Throughout his career, he was married twice, first to Jackie Witte, and then to Joanne Woodward. He had six children all together. He had three kids from each of those marriages. He died in 2008, after a battle with lung cancer.
Paul and Joanne’s daughter, Melissa, has written a book chronicling her parents’ love story, per Today. She wrote Head Over Heels: Joanne Woodward and Paul Newman: A Love Affair in Words and Pictures, which was released on Tuesday, October 10. With the release of the book, get to know more about Paul’s kids here.
The late Scott Newman was born on Sept. 23, 1950. He was the only son of Paul Newman, who the actor had with his first wife, Jackie Witte. By 1958, his parents had divorced, and his father had married his second wife, Joanne Woodward.
In the 1960s, Scott dropped out of college to pursue a life in the entertainment industry. He had tried to become an actor, per Esquire. He had attempted to become a stuntman, changed his name to William Scott, and attempted to be a singer. His most noteworthy role was that of Duke in 1975’s The Great Waldo Pepper, though he did have roles in The Towering Inferno, Breakheart Pass, and Fraternity Row.
Scott was 28 when he fatally overdosed in 1978. He was taking painkillers following a motorcycle accident, and with his tendency to drink, the mixture of pills and alcohol led to his early demise. In a 2010 article for The Sunday Times, writer AE Hotchner relayed a conversation he had with Paul Newman. “Hotch, you’re as good a friend as I’ve got,” said the acting icon. “I had to let all of this out of me, or I’d explode. There’s nothing you can say that will repair my guilt about Scott. It will be with me as long as I live.”
Following his son’s death, Paul Newman established the Scott Newman Center, aimed at helping healthcare professionals and teachers educate children about the dangers of alcohol and drug abuse.
