Newman A Celebration Author:Eric Lax Already a success on Broadway, in1954 Paul Newman began his film career--disastrously--as Basil the slave in "The Silver Chalice." Before long, however, he was considered not only a fine actor but also the sexiest man in films. Determined to steer his own career, he broke away from the control of the studio system; with astute choices of sc... more »ripts and directors, he established a screen presence that has remained both popular and respected. From "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" and "The Hustler" to "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," "Mrs. Bridge," and "Nobody's Fool," Newman has repeatedly demonstrated how versatile and compelling an actor he is. Besides his achievements on the stage and screen, including directing, he has won four national amateur car racing titles, devoted himself to political activism, and founded Newman's Own, a business that has donated more than $70 million to worthy causes. Drawing on interviews with Newman and with his colleagues, and with the help of 120 striking photographs, Eric Lax looks at this exceptional life and the man behind the enduring screen image. Eric Lax is the author of Woody Allen: A Biography and the award-winning Life and Death on 10 West.« less