1 00:00:05,000 --> 00:00:07,680 Speaker 1: Well, hello there, good people of Hollywood Land, and welcome 2 00:00:07,720 --> 00:00:10,520 Speaker 1: once again as we dip into our archive of stories 3 00:00:10,560 --> 00:00:13,960 Speaker 1: at the intersection of Hollywood and true crime. This week, 4 00:00:14,200 --> 00:00:17,400 Speaker 1: we're bringing you an episode on Paul Newman. Long before 5 00:00:17,400 --> 00:00:20,520 Speaker 1: our current times of franchise this and ip that, and 6 00:00:20,560 --> 00:00:23,520 Speaker 1: of actors returning to the iconic roles of their past, 7 00:00:24,000 --> 00:00:26,760 Speaker 1: Paul Newman proved that you could go back again, and 8 00:00:26,800 --> 00:00:29,479 Speaker 1: he did it first in nineteen eighty six, and he 9 00:00:29,520 --> 00:00:32,040 Speaker 1: did it best when he reprised his role as fast 10 00:00:32,080 --> 00:00:35,320 Speaker 1: Eddie Felson in the Color of Money. Paul Newman was 11 00:00:35,360 --> 00:00:38,400 Speaker 1: the coolest, just as he was in The Hustler or 12 00:00:38,440 --> 00:00:41,040 Speaker 1: cool Hand Luke, I mean cool was in the title 13 00:00:41,080 --> 00:00:44,680 Speaker 1: of that one. Despite his natural cool factor, however, Paul 14 00:00:44,720 --> 00:00:47,480 Speaker 1: Newman had demons, and as you'll hear from this episode, 15 00:00:47,760 --> 00:00:50,959 Speaker 1: found ways to overcome them and ultimately to outrun them 16 00:00:50,960 --> 00:00:53,640 Speaker 1: in a really fast car. I hope you dig this 17 00:00:53,720 --> 00:00:56,040 Speaker 1: episode on Paul Newman, and then I also hope you 18 00:00:56,080 --> 00:00:58,040 Speaker 1: come back in a few days when I discussed this 19 00:00:58,080 --> 00:01:00,000 Speaker 1: episode with all of you in the rap party. 20 00:01:03,400 --> 00:01:07,000 Speaker 2: Hollywood Land is a production of double Elvis, and that's 21 00:01:07,040 --> 00:01:09,600 Speaker 2: the way a good drive is, he predicts, things. He 22 00:01:09,720 --> 00:01:12,840 Speaker 2: sees things way up the road, and he makes his 23 00:01:12,920 --> 00:01:15,080 Speaker 2: mind upon what he's going to do before he gets there. 24 00:01:15,240 --> 00:01:16,280 Speaker 3: He can't wait till you get there. 25 00:01:16,440 --> 00:01:18,399 Speaker 2: He otherwords, he sees something happening up the road, and 26 00:01:18,400 --> 00:01:20,000 Speaker 2: you got already know what you're gonna do when you 27 00:01:20,000 --> 00:01:25,200 Speaker 2: get it. Fail. The stories about Paul Newman are insane. 28 00:01:26,040 --> 00:01:28,800 Speaker 2: He plowed as VW. Beetle through a hedgerow and a 29 00:01:28,840 --> 00:01:32,520 Speaker 2: red light, and he was then decked by an arresting officer. 30 00:01:33,200 --> 00:01:35,759 Speaker 2: He drank so many beers in a twenty four hour 31 00:01:35,880 --> 00:01:39,479 Speaker 2: period that they named a holiday after him. He flew 32 00:01:39,560 --> 00:01:43,840 Speaker 2: missions on Navy torpedo bombers during World War Two. He 33 00:01:43,880 --> 00:01:46,920 Speaker 2: was a four time national champion race car driver, a 34 00:01:46,959 --> 00:01:50,240 Speaker 2: sport he didn't take up until he was almost fifty, 35 00:01:50,880 --> 00:01:53,120 Speaker 2: at a time when he was already known as one 36 00:01:53,160 --> 00:01:58,560 Speaker 2: of Hollywood's most bankable stars who regularly appeared in great films. 37 00:01:59,520 --> 00:02:01,520 Speaker 2: Unlike that clip I played for you at the top 38 00:02:01,560 --> 00:02:04,800 Speaker 2: of the show, that wasn't from a great film. That 39 00:02:04,960 --> 00:02:07,520 Speaker 2: was a fair youth. Sample from the Library of Congress 40 00:02:07,560 --> 00:02:10,960 Speaker 2: of H and R Trucking owner Eddie Lee Harrell in 41 00:02:11,040 --> 00:02:14,880 Speaker 2: nineteen ninety four, I played you that clip because I 42 00:02:14,919 --> 00:02:17,400 Speaker 2: can't afford the rights to a clip from Carol Reid 43 00:02:17,480 --> 00:02:21,239 Speaker 2: to Trapeze, And why would I play you that specific 44 00:02:21,320 --> 00:02:25,400 Speaker 2: slice of Big Top Love Triangle Cheese. Could I afford it? 45 00:02:26,440 --> 00:02:29,760 Speaker 2: Because that was the number one movie in America on 46 00:02:29,840 --> 00:02:33,720 Speaker 2: July eighth, nineteen fifty six, And that was the day 47 00:02:33,760 --> 00:02:37,640 Speaker 2: that Paul Newman was arrested for drunk driving, resisting arrest, 48 00:02:38,080 --> 00:02:42,120 Speaker 2: and assault, an arrest that nearly derailed his acting career 49 00:02:42,680 --> 00:02:46,160 Speaker 2: just as it was beginning to take off. On this 50 00:02:46,280 --> 00:02:50,800 Speaker 2: episode twenty four Hours of Beer, Navy torpedo Bombers race 51 00:02:50,840 --> 00:02:56,200 Speaker 2: car drivers resisting arrest and Paul Newman, I'm Jake Brennan, 52 00:02:56,720 --> 00:03:37,040 Speaker 2: and this is Hollywood Land. The noise started small enough, 53 00:03:37,800 --> 00:03:41,600 Speaker 2: gentle at first, like leaves rustling in the autumn breeze 54 00:03:41,640 --> 00:03:45,640 Speaker 2: back home, or the surf lapping against the beach in Hawaii. 55 00:03:46,560 --> 00:03:51,960 Speaker 2: But it wasn't gentle for long, kept growing louder, rushing 56 00:03:52,000 --> 00:03:55,480 Speaker 2: in on him from all sides. He couldn't find the source, 57 00:03:56,480 --> 00:04:00,160 Speaker 2: and panic gripped him, but he couldn't run from it, 58 00:04:00,280 --> 00:04:04,320 Speaker 2: Strapped to his seat by some invisible harness. The sounds 59 00:04:04,480 --> 00:04:07,400 Speaker 2: so loud now he thought it might shatter his bones, 60 00:04:08,240 --> 00:04:11,400 Speaker 2: and so close that it was vibrating inside his own head. 61 00:04:12,480 --> 00:04:14,960 Speaker 2: And that's when he realized where the sound was actually 62 00:04:15,000 --> 00:04:20,920 Speaker 2: coming from. That horrifying noise growing inside his skull, that sound, 63 00:04:21,720 --> 00:04:26,719 Speaker 2: it was coming from him. Paul Newman was screaming his 64 00:04:26,920 --> 00:04:32,279 Speaker 2: lungs out. A hand reached out across the table and 65 00:04:32,320 --> 00:04:35,360 Speaker 2: tapped his shoulder, immediately pulling him out of his head 66 00:04:35,360 --> 00:04:38,719 Speaker 2: and back into the present, where he wasn't actually screaming 67 00:04:38,760 --> 00:04:44,640 Speaker 2: at all. July eighth, nineteen fifty six, Paul Newman was 68 00:04:44,680 --> 00:04:47,080 Speaker 2: sitting in the dining room of a Long Island restaurant 69 00:04:47,080 --> 00:04:50,599 Speaker 2: with a buddy from Kenyan College. But his buddy's story 70 00:04:50,600 --> 00:04:53,680 Speaker 2: about the beer soak glory days had suddenly come to 71 00:04:53,720 --> 00:04:59,200 Speaker 2: a stop. He and his wife were now staring at Paul. Hey, Paul, 72 00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:03,359 Speaker 2: are you feeling okay? Paul looked down at his hand. 73 00:05:04,120 --> 00:05:06,000 Speaker 2: He was gripping the neck of his beer bottles so 74 00:05:06,160 --> 00:05:10,239 Speaker 2: tightly that his knuckles were white. He relaxed his grip 75 00:05:10,279 --> 00:05:13,960 Speaker 2: and mumbled an excuse. It was past midnight on a 76 00:05:14,040 --> 00:05:17,479 Speaker 2: rowdy Saturday night in this little neighborhood giant, and it 77 00:05:17,520 --> 00:05:20,440 Speaker 2: seemed like every table was at least three rounds. Deep 78 00:05:20,480 --> 00:05:23,240 Speaker 2: in the din of conversation was making his ears ring. 79 00:05:27,000 --> 00:05:30,799 Speaker 2: Paul's buddy continued on with another story, this one about 80 00:05:30,839 --> 00:05:33,120 Speaker 2: that night back in the day when Paul was crowned 81 00:05:33,160 --> 00:05:36,359 Speaker 2: the Chuggalug King of Ohio by pounding twenty three beers 82 00:05:36,920 --> 00:05:40,080 Speaker 2: or was it twenty eight? No, Paul corrected him. It 83 00:05:40,120 --> 00:05:43,839 Speaker 2: was twenty four beers in twenty four hours, a feat 84 00:05:43,880 --> 00:05:47,760 Speaker 2: now unofficially celebrated as Newman Day. If he can believe that, 85 00:05:48,839 --> 00:05:52,200 Speaker 2: they laughed in the tension east enough that Paul Newman 86 00:05:52,240 --> 00:05:55,440 Speaker 2: decided he was past beer now and raised his finger 87 00:05:55,480 --> 00:05:57,720 Speaker 2: to order a Scotch on the rocks from the bartender. 88 00:05:58,800 --> 00:06:02,520 Speaker 2: Why not, they were here to celebrate, weren't they. His 89 00:06:02,680 --> 00:06:05,960 Speaker 2: buddy Jim, in town for the weekend, talking about the 90 00:06:06,000 --> 00:06:10,599 Speaker 2: old days back in school, pounding beers, tossing pickup lines 91 00:06:10,600 --> 00:06:14,000 Speaker 2: at every co ed within a twenty mile radius, and falling. 92 00:06:13,720 --> 00:06:14,599 Speaker 3: In love with theater. 93 00:06:16,279 --> 00:06:20,320 Speaker 2: Theater was about the only thing Paul and Jim took seriously. Well, 94 00:06:20,440 --> 00:06:23,760 Speaker 2: Paul took it seriously at least. Jim mostly used it 95 00:06:23,800 --> 00:06:26,680 Speaker 2: as a way to meet girls. He ended up marrying 96 00:06:26,720 --> 00:06:29,560 Speaker 2: one of them, acute brunette whose dad had an accounting 97 00:06:29,600 --> 00:06:33,160 Speaker 2: firm back in Shaker Heights. Paul got married and moved 98 00:06:33,160 --> 00:06:35,760 Speaker 2: back to Shaker Heights too, but he never got over 99 00:06:35,800 --> 00:06:36,480 Speaker 2: the acting bug. 100 00:06:37,480 --> 00:06:38,320 Speaker 3: After a few. 101 00:06:38,200 --> 00:06:41,880 Speaker 2: Years working at his family's sporting goods store, he applied 102 00:06:41,880 --> 00:06:45,599 Speaker 2: to and was accepted into the drama program at Yale. 103 00:06:46,040 --> 00:06:48,680 Speaker 2: From there it was the prestigious Actors Studio in New 104 00:06:48,800 --> 00:06:51,880 Speaker 2: York City. Hard work and a lot of good luck 105 00:06:52,160 --> 00:06:56,599 Speaker 2: had done the rest, and that's why they were out 106 00:06:56,600 --> 00:07:00,920 Speaker 2: celebrating tonight. The movie Somebody Up There Makes Me had 107 00:07:00,920 --> 00:07:03,760 Speaker 2: come out just a few days prior, with Paul starring 108 00:07:03,839 --> 00:07:08,200 Speaker 2: as real life middleweight champion Rocky Graciano, whose rags to 109 00:07:08,279 --> 00:07:12,000 Speaker 2: riches's story made him a folk hero to millions. Now 110 00:07:12,040 --> 00:07:15,480 Speaker 2: the reviews were in and Paul was a hit. Critics 111 00:07:15,480 --> 00:07:18,960 Speaker 2: compared him to Brando. They said he had range, playing 112 00:07:19,000 --> 00:07:22,600 Speaker 2: a character that was tough, funny, and pathetic all at once. 113 00:07:23,640 --> 00:07:27,160 Speaker 2: Moviegoers were amazed at Paul's ability to mimic the mannerisms 114 00:07:27,160 --> 00:07:30,440 Speaker 2: and movements of the famous fighter. Paul knew his luck 115 00:07:30,520 --> 00:07:33,440 Speaker 2: was good. He knew he should be happy, But after 116 00:07:33,480 --> 00:07:36,920 Speaker 2: that unsettling little daydream here in the restaurant, he was 117 00:07:36,960 --> 00:07:41,440 Speaker 2: still feeling anxious. The noise and the crowd, the muggy 118 00:07:41,520 --> 00:07:44,520 Speaker 2: July heat, it was all making him a nervous wreck. 119 00:07:45,760 --> 00:07:49,280 Speaker 2: At that moment, the waiter reached over Paul's shoulder with 120 00:07:49,400 --> 00:07:50,600 Speaker 2: that scotch he ordered. 121 00:07:51,320 --> 00:07:52,280 Speaker 3: Paul, still on. 122 00:07:52,400 --> 00:07:56,920 Speaker 2: Edge, jumped, the drink went everywhere, and every instinct in 123 00:07:56,960 --> 00:07:59,560 Speaker 2: his body told him it was time to go now. 124 00:08:00,320 --> 00:08:03,440 Speaker 2: Paul started for the exit, but the bartender blocked his pass, 125 00:08:03,920 --> 00:08:07,120 Speaker 2: yelling something about the check. Paul could hardly make out 126 00:08:07,160 --> 00:08:10,160 Speaker 2: the words. He pulled a water bills from his pocket 127 00:08:10,320 --> 00:08:12,640 Speaker 2: and threw them in the guy's face, and then he 128 00:08:12,680 --> 00:08:15,320 Speaker 2: continued on a v line toward the door. Jim and 129 00:08:15,360 --> 00:08:18,160 Speaker 2: his wife quickly followed suit, and they didn't ask any 130 00:08:18,200 --> 00:08:20,560 Speaker 2: questions as they hopped into the back of Paul's VW 131 00:08:20,640 --> 00:08:25,400 Speaker 2: Beetle convertible. Paul jammed the keys in the ignition and 132 00:08:25,520 --> 00:08:29,000 Speaker 2: the engine came to life for the roar. On the outside, 133 00:08:29,080 --> 00:08:31,800 Speaker 2: this car looked like any other VW rolling off the 134 00:08:31,800 --> 00:08:35,480 Speaker 2: assembly line. Under the hood, it was something else entirely. 135 00:08:36,640 --> 00:08:40,880 Speaker 2: Paul had replaced the VW's tiny fifty five horsepower engine 136 00:08:41,120 --> 00:08:42,480 Speaker 2: with a massive. 137 00:08:42,160 --> 00:08:43,600 Speaker 3: Forward three fifty one VA. 138 00:08:44,440 --> 00:08:47,400 Speaker 2: He loved driving the car around Long Island, pull up 139 00:08:47,400 --> 00:08:50,400 Speaker 2: next to bankers, their lawyers, and their corvettes and their porsches. 140 00:08:50,760 --> 00:08:53,120 Speaker 3: Rev his engine and blow their fucking. 141 00:08:52,800 --> 00:08:56,280 Speaker 2: Doors off as soon as the light turned green. Of course, 142 00:08:56,840 --> 00:08:59,679 Speaker 2: putting that much torque behind a body that light had 143 00:08:59,679 --> 00:09:03,400 Speaker 2: its sides, it meant that even a small flick of 144 00:09:03,480 --> 00:09:07,480 Speaker 2: the steering wheel could send the car sideways. Paul, his 145 00:09:07,640 --> 00:09:10,599 Speaker 2: heart pounding and more than a few beers deep, was 146 00:09:10,679 --> 00:09:13,440 Speaker 2: now behind the wheel and desperate to escape the panic 147 00:09:13,480 --> 00:09:16,360 Speaker 2: growing in his chest. He peeled out of the parking 148 00:09:16,400 --> 00:09:18,400 Speaker 2: lot and then he ran down the bartender he was 149 00:09:18,440 --> 00:09:21,720 Speaker 2: still chasing him. He pulled the wheel right and just 150 00:09:21,760 --> 00:09:23,280 Speaker 2: missed ramming into a parked car. 151 00:09:24,040 --> 00:09:25,520 Speaker 3: When he jerked the wheel back. 152 00:09:25,360 --> 00:09:27,560 Speaker 2: To the left with his foot still on the gas, 153 00:09:28,080 --> 00:09:31,640 Speaker 2: the car swung sideways. It bounced off a tall hedge, 154 00:09:32,120 --> 00:09:33,760 Speaker 2: and he could hear the damn thing rip out of 155 00:09:33,760 --> 00:09:36,839 Speaker 2: the ground. He yanked the wheel again back on track, 156 00:09:37,200 --> 00:09:43,520 Speaker 2: speeding away down this quiet neighborhood street. A few blocks later, 157 00:09:43,960 --> 00:09:47,400 Speaker 2: Paul's eyes were attached to the rear view mirror, headlights 158 00:09:47,400 --> 00:09:51,680 Speaker 2: closing in, then red and blue flashing just what he needed. 159 00:09:52,200 --> 00:09:56,280 Speaker 2: He complied, pulled over within seconds The cop was at 160 00:09:56,320 --> 00:09:57,520 Speaker 2: his window tapping. 161 00:09:58,559 --> 00:09:59,840 Speaker 3: Paul rolled the window. 162 00:09:59,559 --> 00:10:02,680 Speaker 2: Down and he held out his driver's license. The cop 163 00:10:02,760 --> 00:10:06,040 Speaker 2: ignored it. Please step out of the car, Sir. Paul 164 00:10:06,120 --> 00:10:08,920 Speaker 2: was still on edge. He opened the door, but didn't 165 00:10:08,960 --> 00:10:11,920 Speaker 2: move as he'd been instructed. He just glared up at 166 00:10:11,960 --> 00:10:15,360 Speaker 2: the officer. The cop reached down for the sleeve on 167 00:10:15,400 --> 00:10:18,240 Speaker 2: Paul's jacket and began pulling on it. He was trying 168 00:10:18,240 --> 00:10:21,360 Speaker 2: to drag Paul Newman out of his car. Paul's heart 169 00:10:21,400 --> 00:10:25,320 Speaker 2: was nearly bursting from his chest. He was cornered, nowhere 170 00:10:25,360 --> 00:10:27,960 Speaker 2: to run, and this cop tugging on his arm like 171 00:10:28,000 --> 00:10:31,800 Speaker 2: he wanted to rip it off. Paul's fear, his panic, 172 00:10:32,000 --> 00:10:35,679 Speaker 2: his frustration, they all surged for a moment, just like 173 00:10:35,800 --> 00:10:38,760 Speaker 2: the sound of his own screaming and recently surged inside 174 00:10:38,800 --> 00:10:43,679 Speaker 2: his own head. Before he could think, he raised both 175 00:10:43,720 --> 00:10:47,400 Speaker 2: hands and shoved the cop right in the chest. Paul 176 00:10:47,480 --> 00:10:50,760 Speaker 2: and the officer both froze for a beat, equally surprised 177 00:10:50,760 --> 00:10:53,720 Speaker 2: by what had just happened, But the cop recovered fast. 178 00:10:54,080 --> 00:10:57,920 Speaker 2: He squared up and punched Paul Newman right in the face. 179 00:10:58,840 --> 00:11:01,040 Speaker 2: Paul went down in a heat. The cop was on 180 00:11:01,080 --> 00:11:03,360 Speaker 2: top of him now he kicked Paul in the ribs, 181 00:11:03,520 --> 00:11:06,360 Speaker 2: He landed a blow to his head, and then the. 182 00:11:06,360 --> 00:11:07,079 Speaker 3: Cuffs were on. 183 00:11:08,240 --> 00:11:11,319 Speaker 2: Paul's college friend, Jim and Jim's wife sat in the 184 00:11:11,400 --> 00:11:15,800 Speaker 2: VW beadle with their mouths wide open, shocked, watching as 185 00:11:15,840 --> 00:11:18,160 Speaker 2: Paul Newman lay in the grass with his hands cuffed 186 00:11:18,160 --> 00:11:18,880 Speaker 2: behind his back. 187 00:11:19,800 --> 00:11:20,959 Speaker 3: The cop laughing to. 188 00:11:20,960 --> 00:11:24,880 Speaker 2: Himself about how this big actor was no Rocky Graziano. 189 00:11:26,000 --> 00:11:28,800 Speaker 2: Paul wondered what tomorrow's headlines would mean for his career. 190 00:11:29,400 --> 00:11:32,400 Speaker 2: Then he wondered if his lucky streak was finally about 191 00:11:32,400 --> 00:12:00,760 Speaker 2: to end. Bullshit, it's all an into a phony. 192 00:12:00,960 --> 00:12:01,480 Speaker 3: Bullshit. 193 00:12:04,400 --> 00:12:08,040 Speaker 2: The outburst reverberated through the tiny rehearsal studio in Hell's Kitchen, 194 00:12:08,520 --> 00:12:11,160 Speaker 2: and the room didn't look like much, so small that 195 00:12:11,200 --> 00:12:13,640 Speaker 2: it could barely hold the fifteen folding chairs that formed 196 00:12:13,679 --> 00:12:16,600 Speaker 2: a ring around the stage, stage, being more of a 197 00:12:16,600 --> 00:12:19,160 Speaker 2: loose definition for the patch of bare wooden floor in 198 00:12:19,200 --> 00:12:21,800 Speaker 2: the middle of the room. It didn't look like much, 199 00:12:22,320 --> 00:12:24,640 Speaker 2: but it was one of the most prestigious acting schools 200 00:12:24,640 --> 00:12:29,800 Speaker 2: in the country. The actor's studio here, the legendary teacher 201 00:12:29,880 --> 00:12:33,120 Speaker 2: Lee Strasburg helped court with a handful of young talents 202 00:12:33,160 --> 00:12:36,960 Speaker 2: each year. Strasburg was one of the original proponents of 203 00:12:37,000 --> 00:12:41,000 Speaker 2: the method, which encouraged actors to draw upon emotions from 204 00:12:41,040 --> 00:12:45,160 Speaker 2: real life in order to fully develop a character. Actors 205 00:12:45,160 --> 00:12:48,680 Speaker 2: spent thousands of hours trying to channel authentic emotions into 206 00:12:48,679 --> 00:12:54,640 Speaker 2: their performances. So to call something bullshit aka inauthentic, was 207 00:12:54,679 --> 00:12:58,240 Speaker 2: the worst insult you could throw at a performer. So 208 00:12:58,280 --> 00:13:01,480 Speaker 2: when the accusation flew across the room, it stopped Paul 209 00:13:01,559 --> 00:13:05,719 Speaker 2: Newman in his tracks. He was performing a scene from 210 00:13:05,800 --> 00:13:08,320 Speaker 2: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, trying to bring to 211 00:13:08,400 --> 00:13:12,040 Speaker 2: life the alcoholic ex football star Brick. It was a 212 00:13:12,040 --> 00:13:15,640 Speaker 2: tricky scene that required a range of emotion. Paul spent 213 00:13:15,760 --> 00:13:18,640 Speaker 2: days trying to find the right balance for the scene. 214 00:13:19,000 --> 00:13:21,840 Speaker 2: Now the reviews were in, the reviews of his peers, 215 00:13:21,880 --> 00:13:25,480 Speaker 2: that is, and they were not good. Paul scanned the 216 00:13:25,559 --> 00:13:28,720 Speaker 2: room to see who delivered this little bit of constructive criticism. 217 00:13:28,880 --> 00:13:32,640 Speaker 2: And there was Marilyn Monroe conflict a verse as always 218 00:13:32,679 --> 00:13:36,320 Speaker 2: staring down at the floor. And there also was James Dean, 219 00:13:36,360 --> 00:13:39,840 Speaker 2: who barely showed up to these sessions anymore, just rolling 220 00:13:39,880 --> 00:13:43,360 Speaker 2: his eyes and winking. Harry Belafonte, he was there too, 221 00:13:43,480 --> 00:13:47,320 Speaker 2: and he was all smiles, but Ben Gazara met Paul 222 00:13:47,440 --> 00:13:51,120 Speaker 2: with an intense stare. The young actor cleared his throat 223 00:13:51,160 --> 00:13:54,680 Speaker 2: and repeated himself, it's bullshit, just a bunch of yelling. 224 00:13:55,040 --> 00:13:59,840 Speaker 2: It's not real fear, that's not real. Anger Gazara, nearly 225 00:13:59,880 --> 00:14:03,600 Speaker 2: fifty years before playing porn producer Jackie Treehorn in The 226 00:14:03,600 --> 00:14:08,480 Speaker 2: Big Lebowski, was already an imposing presence. His performance as 227 00:14:08,559 --> 00:14:10,920 Speaker 2: Brick in the Broadway version of Cat on a Hot 228 00:14:10,960 --> 00:14:15,240 Speaker 2: Tin Roof earned him rave reviews, so his words carried 229 00:14:15,320 --> 00:14:18,520 Speaker 2: serious weight. Paul threw his hands in the air and 230 00:14:18,520 --> 00:14:21,960 Speaker 2: looked toward Lee Strasburg. He hoped the director would come 231 00:14:21,960 --> 00:14:28,240 Speaker 2: to his defense. Instead, Strasburg nodded his head in agreement Paul. 232 00:14:28,560 --> 00:14:32,240 Speaker 2: He asked, in that clipped Austrian accent of his what 233 00:14:32,480 --> 00:14:37,200 Speaker 2: are you afraid of? Paul shrugged his shoulders. The only 234 00:14:37,240 --> 00:14:40,040 Speaker 2: thing he could think to say was his mom's hair brush. 235 00:14:40,360 --> 00:14:42,520 Speaker 2: He could still remember the feeling when she whacked him 236 00:14:42,520 --> 00:14:45,280 Speaker 2: across the head for stealing candy from the neighborhood's store. 237 00:14:46,720 --> 00:14:49,760 Speaker 2: That story drew some laughs from the class, but Lee 238 00:14:49,800 --> 00:14:55,480 Speaker 2: Strasburg pushed on Paul dig deeper. What are you afraid 239 00:14:55,520 --> 00:14:59,520 Speaker 2: of What are you guilty about? Paul thought about mentioning 240 00:14:59,520 --> 00:15:02,160 Speaker 2: his time the Navy during the war, but he stopped. 241 00:15:02,880 --> 00:15:06,440 Speaker 2: He didn't see much combat, mostly just played cards and 242 00:15:06,520 --> 00:15:10,040 Speaker 2: drank beer. He shrugged his shoulders and looked up blankly. 243 00:15:10,640 --> 00:15:13,440 Speaker 2: He was a lucky guy, lucky because he didn't have 244 00:15:13,560 --> 00:15:17,880 Speaker 2: much to be afraid of. The class laughed again, but 245 00:15:17,920 --> 00:15:20,600 Speaker 2: the director gave him a disappointed look before he dismissed 246 00:15:20,600 --> 00:15:26,960 Speaker 2: them for the day. Paul walked out through the studio doors. 247 00:15:27,600 --> 00:15:29,800 Speaker 2: If he couldn't find his anger a few minutes ago, 248 00:15:30,080 --> 00:15:33,640 Speaker 2: he was having no trouble now, and the insults stung. 249 00:15:34,280 --> 00:15:40,120 Speaker 2: The intense critiques always left him feeling raw and anxious. Outside, 250 00:15:40,480 --> 00:15:44,080 Speaker 2: James Dean was waiting for him. He handed Paul a flask. 251 00:15:44,760 --> 00:15:48,720 Speaker 2: Paul took a swig and the bourbon was warm. Dean 252 00:15:48,840 --> 00:15:52,600 Speaker 2: patted Paul on the shoulder. You were good man. It's 253 00:15:52,600 --> 00:15:57,240 Speaker 2: the method that's bullshit. James Dean, one of the youngest 254 00:15:57,240 --> 00:15:59,880 Speaker 2: members of the group, had been ripped apart by his 255 00:16:00,080 --> 00:16:03,880 Speaker 2: fellow actors one too many times now he was growing 256 00:16:03,920 --> 00:16:09,520 Speaker 2: disillusioned with the process. Paul nodded in agreement, but deep 257 00:16:09,560 --> 00:16:12,520 Speaker 2: in his gut he didn't believe it. The method was 258 00:16:12,640 --> 00:16:15,920 Speaker 2: working for him. Even though he'd already landed a Broadway 259 00:16:16,000 --> 00:16:19,520 Speaker 2: role before he joined the actors' studio, he still felt 260 00:16:19,560 --> 00:16:22,360 Speaker 2: like a sporting goods salesman compared with the real actors 261 00:16:22,360 --> 00:16:27,240 Speaker 2: he auditioned against. James Dean had natural talent and charisma. 262 00:16:27,840 --> 00:16:30,000 Speaker 2: Paul Newman had a pretty face, sure, but to make 263 00:16:30,040 --> 00:16:32,040 Speaker 2: a character come to life, he had to do the work. 264 00:16:33,120 --> 00:16:36,480 Speaker 2: And with all this work came progress. He was picking 265 00:16:36,560 --> 00:16:39,040 Speaker 2: up more bit parts on stage and on television, and 266 00:16:39,120 --> 00:16:42,280 Speaker 2: months ago he nearly landed a role starring alongside James 267 00:16:42,280 --> 00:16:45,720 Speaker 2: Dean in East of Eden. Since arriving in New York 268 00:16:45,760 --> 00:16:48,560 Speaker 2: around the same time, James Dean and Paul Newman have 269 00:16:48,640 --> 00:16:52,320 Speaker 2: been kindred spirits with a love for more. They rehearsed more, 270 00:16:52,680 --> 00:16:56,400 Speaker 2: they drank more, They drove faster, and they pushed each other, 271 00:16:56,760 --> 00:17:00,400 Speaker 2: and for a time they were inseparable. She had so 272 00:17:00,400 --> 00:17:02,480 Speaker 2: many scenes and so many women that some said they 273 00:17:02,480 --> 00:17:06,760 Speaker 2: were lovers. But by nineteen fifty five, Paul Newman was 274 00:17:06,800 --> 00:17:10,359 Speaker 2: more focused on a gorgeous understudy he'd met, named Joanne Woodward. 275 00:17:11,119 --> 00:17:13,600 Speaker 2: He was sticking with the method too, and for the 276 00:17:13,640 --> 00:17:15,760 Speaker 2: first time, since they met, it felt like he and 277 00:17:15,880 --> 00:17:20,320 Speaker 2: James Dean were heading in opposite directions. The two actors 278 00:17:20,359 --> 00:17:23,280 Speaker 2: took another pull off the flask before hopping into separate cars, and, 279 00:17:23,840 --> 00:17:27,960 Speaker 2: as was their tradition, racing toward the Midtown Tunnel, side 280 00:17:27,960 --> 00:17:31,280 Speaker 2: by side, engines humming. They wove through New York traffic, 281 00:17:31,960 --> 00:17:34,399 Speaker 2: each one daring the other to go a little faster. 282 00:17:35,200 --> 00:17:39,080 Speaker 2: Paul picked up speed, and then Dean that rebel him 283 00:17:39,119 --> 00:17:42,000 Speaker 2: two and they were neck and neck, tearing ass for 284 00:17:42,080 --> 00:17:45,240 Speaker 2: a half mile until they reached a stoplight, the unofficial 285 00:17:45,240 --> 00:17:49,680 Speaker 2: finish line. Dean pulled up just a hair ahead. When 286 00:17:49,720 --> 00:17:52,560 Speaker 2: the light turned green, he turned hard and sped. 287 00:17:52,320 --> 00:17:55,880 Speaker 3: Off toward the village. Paul cruised straight ahead to. 288 00:17:55,840 --> 00:18:03,040 Speaker 2: The Midtown Tunnel, Long Island and home home, where Paul 289 00:18:03,119 --> 00:18:05,600 Speaker 2: laid down in the bedroom, staring at the ceiling fan. 290 00:18:06,280 --> 00:18:08,280 Speaker 2: He drained a beer and put the empty next to 291 00:18:08,320 --> 00:18:11,560 Speaker 2: a pile of others on a nearby table. He reflected 292 00:18:11,600 --> 00:18:14,560 Speaker 2: on the day's failure, whether or not he belonged in 293 00:18:14,600 --> 00:18:19,480 Speaker 2: the rarefied air of the actor's studio. Every year, thousands 294 00:18:19,520 --> 00:18:23,040 Speaker 2: of hopefuls auditioned for that place. Out of the thousands, 295 00:18:23,080 --> 00:18:25,640 Speaker 2: only about fifty were called back for a second audition. 296 00:18:26,400 --> 00:18:28,840 Speaker 2: Out of that small group, only a handful were asked 297 00:18:28,840 --> 00:18:32,840 Speaker 2: to join. Al Pacino had auditioned five times to get 298 00:18:32,840 --> 00:18:37,160 Speaker 2: in six times for Dustin Hoffmann in nineteen fifty five. 299 00:18:37,560 --> 00:18:39,840 Speaker 2: Paul Newman was too much of an unknown to even 300 00:18:39,840 --> 00:18:42,439 Speaker 2: score an audition at all. It was only through his 301 00:18:42,480 --> 00:18:44,560 Speaker 2: friend that he got in. Asked by her to be 302 00:18:44,560 --> 00:18:48,280 Speaker 2: a scene partner for her audition, he did it. His 303 00:18:48,320 --> 00:18:51,679 Speaker 2: friend was turned down. Paul got the official letter inviting 304 00:18:51,720 --> 00:18:55,080 Speaker 2: him to join. None of that made him feel any 305 00:18:55,119 --> 00:18:58,879 Speaker 2: better though about his performance today. Determined to commit himself 306 00:18:58,880 --> 00:19:01,720 Speaker 2: to the process, he closed his eyes and tried to 307 00:19:01,720 --> 00:19:06,360 Speaker 2: dig deeper the beer. Though it made his head swim, 308 00:19:06,840 --> 00:19:10,919 Speaker 2: the sound of the ceiling fan was soothing. Soon he 309 00:19:10,960 --> 00:19:16,520 Speaker 2: was drifting off to sleep. He began to dream, bright 310 00:19:16,560 --> 00:19:20,360 Speaker 2: blue sky above him, peaceful at first, until a familiar, 311 00:19:20,400 --> 00:19:23,800 Speaker 2: low rumbling began. He turned to look for the source, 312 00:19:23,880 --> 00:19:25,560 Speaker 2: but he couldn't move his head. 313 00:19:26,560 --> 00:19:27,400 Speaker 3: The bright blue. 314 00:19:27,200 --> 00:19:30,119 Speaker 2: Sky from a moment ago was now blotted out by 315 00:19:30,160 --> 00:19:33,679 Speaker 2: a thick blanket of darkness. The noise roared in his 316 00:19:33,760 --> 00:19:37,119 Speaker 2: ears as loud as a jet engine. It pressed up 317 00:19:37,160 --> 00:19:40,040 Speaker 2: against his face. He tried to run, but he was 318 00:19:40,119 --> 00:19:44,360 Speaker 2: frozen at the spot he heard a voice screaming, pleading 319 00:19:44,400 --> 00:19:49,000 Speaker 2: for help. Not just any voice, his voice. He was panicking. 320 00:19:49,440 --> 00:19:52,240 Speaker 2: Smoke filled his lungs. He wondered if he was dying, 321 00:19:52,720 --> 00:19:55,480 Speaker 2: if he was already dead. It was now in hell, 322 00:19:56,160 --> 00:19:59,280 Speaker 2: and the flames were everywhere, and just when it felt 323 00:19:59,280 --> 00:20:02,040 Speaker 2: like they might wallow them hole, a knock on the 324 00:20:02,080 --> 00:20:03,240 Speaker 2: door woke him in. 325 00:20:03,240 --> 00:20:04,800 Speaker 3: A cold sweat. 326 00:20:05,119 --> 00:20:08,359 Speaker 2: It was his wife, letting him know dinner was ready, 327 00:20:08,760 --> 00:20:11,840 Speaker 2: and his son was asking for him. Paul lay in 328 00:20:11,880 --> 00:20:14,520 Speaker 2: bed for a minute longer, watching the ceiling fan spent 329 00:20:15,359 --> 00:20:17,439 Speaker 2: and the panic he felt in his bones was starting 330 00:20:17,440 --> 00:20:20,600 Speaker 2: to receipt. But it left behind the outlines of memory, 331 00:20:21,520 --> 00:20:25,080 Speaker 2: something he couldn't quite make out yet, but maybe something. 332 00:20:24,800 --> 00:20:25,720 Speaker 3: He could work at. 333 00:20:27,240 --> 00:20:32,160 Speaker 2: James Dean never returned to the actors studio after that day, 334 00:20:32,320 --> 00:20:34,720 Speaker 2: but Paul Newman kept putting his head down and doing 335 00:20:34,760 --> 00:20:39,760 Speaker 2: the work. He grinded through the growling critiques, the exhausting rehearsals. 336 00:20:40,240 --> 00:20:45,800 Speaker 2: He came home exhausted, drained, drained more beers too, stared 337 00:20:45,840 --> 00:20:48,159 Speaker 2: at the ceiling fan and tried to fill in the 338 00:20:48,200 --> 00:20:51,919 Speaker 2: outlines of this memory. That's what he was doing a 339 00:20:51,920 --> 00:20:55,800 Speaker 2: few months later, drifting in and out of sleep, when 340 00:20:55,800 --> 00:20:58,560 Speaker 2: a phone rang and woke him up. He heard his 341 00:20:58,600 --> 00:21:02,000 Speaker 2: wife pick it up. There was a muffled conversation, and 342 00:21:02,040 --> 00:21:05,679 Speaker 2: then her footsteps pounding down the hallway. She knocked on 343 00:21:05,720 --> 00:21:08,359 Speaker 2: the door and handed him the phone. There had been 344 00:21:08,359 --> 00:21:12,680 Speaker 2: a death, a tragic accident, one that would change Paul 345 00:21:12,760 --> 00:21:14,880 Speaker 2: Newman's life forever. 346 00:21:17,080 --> 00:21:20,280 Speaker 3: We'll be right back after this. We're, We're, We're. 347 00:21:31,080 --> 00:21:33,359 Speaker 2: His foot mashed the gas pedal. 348 00:21:33,680 --> 00:21:35,480 Speaker 3: The car shot forward like a rocket. 349 00:21:35,800 --> 00:21:37,960 Speaker 2: It hugged the curves of the Pacific Coast Highway as 350 00:21:37,960 --> 00:21:41,719 Speaker 2: the dome buried in the red outside the window. The 351 00:21:41,760 --> 00:21:45,639 Speaker 2: ocean sparkled in the distance. The morning fog was burning off, 352 00:21:46,080 --> 00:21:49,160 Speaker 2: blue sky was peeking through, and the lookout point came 353 00:21:49,160 --> 00:21:52,400 Speaker 2: into view just up ahead. Paul Newman slowed the car 354 00:21:52,520 --> 00:21:55,560 Speaker 2: and pulled off the highway. He grabbed a beer from 355 00:21:55,560 --> 00:21:58,400 Speaker 2: the glove box, sitting on the hood of the muscular 356 00:21:58,440 --> 00:22:01,679 Speaker 2: Mercedes three hundred cell. He drained half the can in 357 00:22:01,720 --> 00:22:05,080 Speaker 2: a single gult. He took in the breath, taking ocean view, 358 00:22:05,119 --> 00:22:09,359 Speaker 2: and thought about his friend James Dean. Six months ago, 359 00:22:09,920 --> 00:22:13,640 Speaker 2: James Dean was racing down a California highway, he met 360 00:22:13,640 --> 00:22:16,240 Speaker 2: some bad luck just a few hundred miles south of here, 361 00:22:16,840 --> 00:22:20,680 Speaker 2: died in the fiery crash. Paul could hardly believe they'd 362 00:22:20,720 --> 00:22:25,600 Speaker 2: never share another scene, another woman or another race. That 363 00:22:25,760 --> 00:22:28,040 Speaker 2: heard even more to know that James Dean's bad luck 364 00:22:28,160 --> 00:22:31,280 Speaker 2: kicked off the longest lucky streak of Paul Newman's young career. 365 00:22:32,200 --> 00:22:34,480 Speaker 3: Weeks after the crash, Paul. 366 00:22:34,359 --> 00:22:36,359 Speaker 2: Was a last minute filling for Dean on a live 367 00:22:36,400 --> 00:22:40,560 Speaker 2: television broadcast of Our Town. Then he replaced Dean as 368 00:22:40,560 --> 00:22:43,080 Speaker 2: a boxer and a TV version of the Hemingway story 369 00:22:43,240 --> 00:22:46,800 Speaker 2: The Battler. That was the role that got him cast 370 00:22:46,800 --> 00:22:50,520 Speaker 2: as Rocky Graciano and somebody up there likes Me, yet 371 00:22:50,560 --> 00:22:55,320 Speaker 2: another role that was originally slated for James Dean. Right now, 372 00:22:55,359 --> 00:22:58,199 Speaker 2: though Paul was finishing up the final scenes of the 373 00:22:58,240 --> 00:23:02,080 Speaker 2: military court Room drama over at Travis Air Force Base 374 00:23:02,160 --> 00:23:05,480 Speaker 2: near San Francisco. The movie told the story of an 375 00:23:05,640 --> 00:23:08,840 Speaker 2: army officer who survives brutal torture in a North Korean 376 00:23:08,880 --> 00:23:12,119 Speaker 2: pow camp, only to be accused of collaborating with the 377 00:23:12,200 --> 00:23:15,320 Speaker 2: enemy when he returns home, and the part was a 378 00:23:15,359 --> 00:23:19,240 Speaker 2: major test of Paul's developing acting skills. Could he get 379 00:23:19,280 --> 00:23:22,720 Speaker 2: audiences to feel sympathy for his character? Could he carry 380 00:23:22,760 --> 00:23:26,520 Speaker 2: the weight of long courtroom scenes. And that's why he 381 00:23:26,560 --> 00:23:29,480 Speaker 2: was out on the Pacific Highway this morning, using the 382 00:23:29,520 --> 00:23:31,679 Speaker 2: method to try to tap into his own memories of 383 00:23:31,680 --> 00:23:35,840 Speaker 2: the war, into his own survivor's guilt, which is probably 384 00:23:36,200 --> 00:23:38,600 Speaker 2: by the memory of James Dean lay so heavy on 385 00:23:38,640 --> 00:23:44,399 Speaker 2: his mind today, Paul closed his eyes and tried to 386 00:23:44,400 --> 00:23:49,000 Speaker 2: take himself back nineteen forty five. Paul's squadron had just 387 00:23:49,040 --> 00:23:51,920 Speaker 2: been deployed and the end of the war was in sight. 388 00:23:52,680 --> 00:23:55,000 Speaker 2: He and the others spent most of their time drinking 389 00:23:55,040 --> 00:23:58,399 Speaker 2: beer and playing bridge. A few times a week they 390 00:23:58,440 --> 00:24:02,560 Speaker 2: flew training missions to levy the boredom. The planes flew 391 00:24:02,600 --> 00:24:06,520 Speaker 2: in three man crews, a pilot, a bombardier and a 392 00:24:06,560 --> 00:24:10,080 Speaker 2: machine gun or on a reverse mounted turret. Paul remembered 393 00:24:10,080 --> 00:24:12,720 Speaker 2: the field of wind rushing through the gun turret and 394 00:24:12,800 --> 00:24:15,440 Speaker 2: the roar of the plane's engine. He remembered the weight 395 00:24:15,480 --> 00:24:17,800 Speaker 2: of the machine gun and of the long belts of 396 00:24:17,840 --> 00:24:22,119 Speaker 2: ammo he loaded into it. On their training missions, a 397 00:24:22,200 --> 00:24:24,359 Speaker 2: pilot would fly out ahead of the squadron with a 398 00:24:24,400 --> 00:24:28,480 Speaker 2: fabric target hanging below the plane. Paul flew those training 399 00:24:28,480 --> 00:24:31,760 Speaker 2: missions time and time again. No matter how hard he worked, 400 00:24:32,000 --> 00:24:36,920 Speaker 2: he hardly ever hit the target. Unlike Tommy. Tommy was 401 00:24:36,960 --> 00:24:39,320 Speaker 2: the best shot in the squadron, A tough kid from 402 00:24:39,359 --> 00:24:42,679 Speaker 2: Boston on the outside, he shared Paul's z any sense of humor. 403 00:24:43,320 --> 00:24:45,800 Speaker 2: They also had the same height and build, and they 404 00:24:45,920 --> 00:24:49,200 Speaker 2: loved to drink, and they loved to play cards, even 405 00:24:49,240 --> 00:24:51,800 Speaker 2: though Paul's luck always seemed to be better than Tommy's. 406 00:24:53,080 --> 00:24:55,240 Speaker 2: With his eyes closed, Paul could feel the sun on 407 00:24:55,280 --> 00:24:58,560 Speaker 2: his face. In the distance, he heard a plane droning, 408 00:24:59,320 --> 00:25:09,639 Speaker 2: he saw tom May's face, and then the memory hit him. Hawaii, 409 00:25:10,240 --> 00:25:14,400 Speaker 2: a brilliant summer day, three weeks at Pearl Harbor, already 410 00:25:14,640 --> 00:25:17,359 Speaker 2: with no sign of the enemy, Paul Newman and his 411 00:25:17,440 --> 00:25:20,360 Speaker 2: squadron played what felt like thousands of games of cards, 412 00:25:21,320 --> 00:25:24,640 Speaker 2: made down hundreds of beers, waiting for their next order. 413 00:25:25,800 --> 00:25:30,159 Speaker 2: Today that order was to fly another training mission. Tommy 414 00:25:30,200 --> 00:25:34,159 Speaker 2: grinned ay, Paul, I think you'll actually hit something this time. 415 00:25:35,240 --> 00:25:40,359 Speaker 2: The entire squadron chuckled. Paul laughed right along with them. 416 00:25:40,600 --> 00:25:43,400 Speaker 2: Fifty shots into the Pacific Ocean was about as good 417 00:25:43,440 --> 00:25:47,120 Speaker 2: as he could promise. The six Avenger planes took off 418 00:25:47,160 --> 00:25:49,520 Speaker 2: and flew in tight formation out of the harbor and 419 00:25:49,520 --> 00:25:54,760 Speaker 2: toward the open ocean. The exercise was simple. One by one, 420 00:25:54,920 --> 00:25:57,640 Speaker 2: each plane would dip down to just fifteen feet above 421 00:25:57,680 --> 00:26:00,959 Speaker 2: the ocean surface. The gunners would fly fifty shots at 422 00:26:00,960 --> 00:26:04,320 Speaker 2: the target before they pulled up and circled back. Paul's 423 00:26:04,359 --> 00:26:07,399 Speaker 2: plane was first in line. He dropped in on the target. 424 00:26:07,560 --> 00:26:11,359 Speaker 2: He took game. He fired all fifty shots in his 425 00:26:11,440 --> 00:26:14,720 Speaker 2: belt of ammunition, and he didn't hit the target once. 426 00:26:16,160 --> 00:26:18,479 Speaker 2: With his back to the cockpit and the turret position, 427 00:26:19,040 --> 00:26:22,639 Speaker 2: Paul could see Tommy's plane dropped down to fire. Tommy 428 00:26:22,720 --> 00:26:25,800 Speaker 2: passed beneath him. One second later, Paul heard a cheer 429 00:26:25,840 --> 00:26:29,680 Speaker 2: go up over the radio. Tommy laced fifty rounds right 430 00:26:29,760 --> 00:26:33,000 Speaker 2: through the sleeve. The rest of the planes completed the 431 00:26:33,040 --> 00:26:36,320 Speaker 2: exercise and the squadron began flying back to the base. 432 00:26:37,240 --> 00:26:40,520 Speaker 2: Soon they would be back on the ground. Paul was 433 00:26:40,560 --> 00:26:43,400 Speaker 2: looking forward to winning a few more bucks playing bridge. 434 00:26:44,160 --> 00:26:50,760 Speaker 2: More cash meant more beer, and he could tasted already. 435 00:26:52,960 --> 00:26:56,399 Speaker 2: The headwinds picked up. Paul's stomach lurched as the plane 436 00:26:56,480 --> 00:26:59,439 Speaker 2: jerked him up and down. It roared so loud he 437 00:26:59,440 --> 00:27:02,600 Speaker 2: could barely hear anything over the radio. He was nearing 438 00:27:02,680 --> 00:27:06,120 Speaker 2: the base now he watched Tommy's plane approach the runway. 439 00:27:06,840 --> 00:27:09,520 Speaker 2: It passed once again out of his sight, and then 440 00:27:09,640 --> 00:27:16,200 Speaker 2: suddenly chatter over the radio, frantic calls pull up. Tommy's 441 00:27:16,200 --> 00:27:19,120 Speaker 2: plane wasn't in alignment. Paul jerked his head to try 442 00:27:19,160 --> 00:27:21,639 Speaker 2: to see what was happening. The flight harness held him 443 00:27:21,680 --> 00:27:24,480 Speaker 2: in place. All Paul could hear now was the wind 444 00:27:24,640 --> 00:27:27,960 Speaker 2: roaring in his ears, the drone of the plane's engine 445 00:27:28,160 --> 00:27:30,359 Speaker 2: so loud it felt like it was rattling around in 446 00:27:30,400 --> 00:27:31,920 Speaker 2: his skull, and then. 447 00:27:32,240 --> 00:27:36,760 Speaker 3: The horrifying noise of metal on metal, and a deafening explosion. 448 00:27:38,080 --> 00:27:40,880 Speaker 2: Paul frantically craned his neck to see what was happening. 449 00:27:41,359 --> 00:27:44,040 Speaker 2: He couldn't see Tommy at all. All he could make 450 00:27:44,080 --> 00:27:48,440 Speaker 2: out was a thick cloud of black smoke. But then 451 00:27:49,240 --> 00:27:53,240 Speaker 2: as Paul's plane circled the runway, the wreckage finally came 452 00:27:53,280 --> 00:27:57,720 Speaker 2: into view. Tommy's plane was bobbing in the water, ripped 453 00:27:57,720 --> 00:28:01,000 Speaker 2: in half. Puddles of jet fuel were burning in the ocean, 454 00:28:01,320 --> 00:28:03,680 Speaker 2: and the back half of the plane was already sinking. 455 00:28:04,280 --> 00:28:09,119 Speaker 2: There was no sign of Tommy, Paul felt something stir 456 00:28:09,200 --> 00:28:11,280 Speaker 2: in the pit of his gut, and then he let 457 00:28:11,320 --> 00:28:20,640 Speaker 2: loose a blood curdling scream. Paul Newman spent the next 458 00:28:20,640 --> 00:28:23,520 Speaker 2: few weeks in a haze, and then came news that 459 00:28:23,560 --> 00:28:27,080 Speaker 2: the war was over and they were heading home, all 460 00:28:27,160 --> 00:28:31,520 Speaker 2: of them except for Tommy. When Paul landed in California, 461 00:28:31,640 --> 00:28:34,440 Speaker 2: he pushed the memory so deep it was almost forgotten. 462 00:28:35,280 --> 00:28:37,119 Speaker 2: He came home and never spoke a word of it, 463 00:28:37,640 --> 00:28:41,600 Speaker 2: never thought about it until now it was washing over 464 00:28:41,680 --> 00:28:46,920 Speaker 2: him once more. The fear, the agony, the guilt. It 465 00:28:47,000 --> 00:28:50,560 Speaker 2: was this memory that unlocked Paul's powerful and moving performance 466 00:28:50,600 --> 00:28:53,880 Speaker 2: in the Rack was a giant leap forward for the 467 00:28:53,920 --> 00:28:56,840 Speaker 2: young actor, one that would help cement his status as 468 00:28:56,880 --> 00:28:59,080 Speaker 2: a rising star. When the film was released in the 469 00:28:59,080 --> 00:29:03,280 Speaker 2: fall of nineteen five, Paul Newman had finally done with 470 00:29:03,400 --> 00:29:09,080 Speaker 2: Lee Strasburg asked he went deeper, he faced his memories. But, 471 00:29:09,160 --> 00:29:12,000 Speaker 2: as Paul would discover a few months later inside a 472 00:29:12,040 --> 00:29:16,680 Speaker 2: Long Island jail cell, making peace with those memories, that 473 00:29:17,400 --> 00:29:44,880 Speaker 2: would take more than the method Tulsa nineteen eighty two, 474 00:29:45,560 --> 00:29:47,880 Speaker 2: The engine of the souped Up Dots in two eighty 475 00:29:47,960 --> 00:29:53,280 Speaker 2: z rumbled the deep menacing grawl. Even while idling, the 476 00:29:53,360 --> 00:29:56,400 Speaker 2: kid slipped into the passenger seat, not a norm for 477 00:29:56,480 --> 00:29:58,880 Speaker 2: a race car, but not out of the question for 478 00:29:58,960 --> 00:30:02,880 Speaker 2: these sports car clubs of America races. This is crazy 479 00:30:03,480 --> 00:30:06,240 Speaker 2: that he, just a cub reporter for the sports section 480 00:30:06,320 --> 00:30:10,200 Speaker 2: of the Tulsa World newspaper, was doing this sitting next 481 00:30:10,200 --> 00:30:14,720 Speaker 2: to the Paul Newman in the actor's race car. But 482 00:30:14,840 --> 00:30:16,760 Speaker 2: maybe that's why Paul Newman agreed to it in the 483 00:30:16,760 --> 00:30:20,080 Speaker 2: first place. The kid didn't want to interview a famous actor. 484 00:30:20,680 --> 00:30:23,880 Speaker 2: The kid wanted to interview a race car driver, the 485 00:30:23,920 --> 00:30:26,440 Speaker 2: guy whose team came in second at twenty four hours 486 00:30:26,440 --> 00:30:30,240 Speaker 2: of lamm, the guy who won the SCCA National Championship 487 00:30:30,240 --> 00:30:33,200 Speaker 2: and was looking to do it again. That's why Paul 488 00:30:33,280 --> 00:30:36,120 Speaker 2: was in Tulsa in the first place, competing at hall 489 00:30:36,160 --> 00:30:38,200 Speaker 2: At Racetrack and looking to lock up a trip to 490 00:30:38,240 --> 00:30:40,000 Speaker 2: the National Championship in Atlanta. 491 00:30:40,680 --> 00:30:42,720 Speaker 3: Paul liked the kids racing questions. 492 00:30:43,280 --> 00:30:45,560 Speaker 2: So many reporters wanted to talk about acting and it 493 00:30:45,600 --> 00:30:48,560 Speaker 2: drove him fucking crazy. But this guy knew his stuff. 494 00:30:48,960 --> 00:30:50,960 Speaker 2: It only took a few minutes of chatter before Paul 495 00:30:51,040 --> 00:30:52,880 Speaker 2: was offering to let the kid ride along for one 496 00:30:52,920 --> 00:30:56,640 Speaker 2: of his practice sessions. Now the kid was strapping himself 497 00:30:56,640 --> 00:30:59,360 Speaker 2: into a harness in the passenger seat of Paul Newman's thoughts. 498 00:31:00,480 --> 00:31:02,440 Speaker 2: He held a helmet in his lap and listened to 499 00:31:02,440 --> 00:31:03,320 Speaker 2: the engine rumble. 500 00:31:03,920 --> 00:31:04,560 Speaker 3: He wondered if. 501 00:31:04,520 --> 00:31:08,040 Speaker 2: This was such a good idea. After all, only a 502 00:31:08,040 --> 00:31:11,600 Speaker 2: few minutes remained before Paul's assigned start time, and the 503 00:31:11,680 --> 00:31:14,040 Speaker 2: kid was trying to squeeze in a few last questions, 504 00:31:14,800 --> 00:31:17,920 Speaker 2: mister Newman, he asked, He didn't start racing until you 505 00:31:17,920 --> 00:31:20,760 Speaker 2: were forty seven. What is it that makes you want 506 00:31:20,760 --> 00:31:26,280 Speaker 2: to drive? Paul smiled, He knew the answer. Racing put 507 00:31:26,360 --> 00:31:32,040 Speaker 2: him in the cockpit, much like method acting, gave him 508 00:31:32,040 --> 00:31:34,880 Speaker 2: the tools to face his fears, but it didn't give 509 00:31:34,960 --> 00:31:38,840 Speaker 2: him peace. After his bust in nineteen fifty six for 510 00:31:38,960 --> 00:31:41,320 Speaker 2: driving through some shrubbery in a red light, going to 511 00:31:41,320 --> 00:31:45,160 Speaker 2: give the arresting officer a hard time, his first marriage crumbled. 512 00:31:46,000 --> 00:31:49,040 Speaker 2: He indulged in huge quantities of beer and scotch even 513 00:31:49,080 --> 00:31:52,120 Speaker 2: after he married his second wife, Joanne Woodward, the woman 514 00:31:52,160 --> 00:31:54,200 Speaker 2: he would stay married to for the rest of his life. 515 00:31:55,280 --> 00:31:58,480 Speaker 2: But something changed after he attended driving school in nineteen 516 00:31:58,560 --> 00:32:00,760 Speaker 2: sixty nine, while getting ready to play a race car 517 00:32:00,880 --> 00:32:04,120 Speaker 2: driver in the movie Winning, He found a new way 518 00:32:04,160 --> 00:32:08,360 Speaker 2: to shut out the world. Booze left him blurry. Racing 519 00:32:08,440 --> 00:32:11,800 Speaker 2: made him feel sharp, It made him feel connected, and 520 00:32:11,840 --> 00:32:15,240 Speaker 2: it made him feel at peace. Paul turned to the 521 00:32:15,320 --> 00:32:19,920 Speaker 2: kid and grinned, well, kid, it's like this when you 522 00:32:19,960 --> 00:32:23,480 Speaker 2: sit down in that car. Whatever's rolling around in your head, 523 00:32:23,520 --> 00:32:27,280 Speaker 2: it just goes right out the window. Paul looked over 524 00:32:27,320 --> 00:32:30,560 Speaker 2: at the countdown timer, two minutes to go before his 525 00:32:30,600 --> 00:32:34,640 Speaker 2: session started. The kid played with the straps of the helmet, 526 00:32:34,720 --> 00:32:38,360 Speaker 2: still sitting in his lap. I don't really need this, well, I, 527 00:32:38,640 --> 00:32:41,480 Speaker 2: he asked, holding up the helmet. Just a practice session, right. 528 00:32:43,120 --> 00:32:46,280 Speaker 2: Paul pulled his harness tight and looked straight ahead without answering. 529 00:32:46,800 --> 00:32:49,880 Speaker 2: His mind was already on the track. The kid knew 530 00:32:49,880 --> 00:32:52,520 Speaker 2: better than to ask again. He put on the helmet 531 00:32:52,520 --> 00:32:56,080 Speaker 2: and pulled his harness tighter. He was glad he did too, 532 00:32:56,360 --> 00:32:58,720 Speaker 2: when seconds later the car was flying down the first 533 00:32:58,720 --> 00:33:02,960 Speaker 2: straightaway into a hairpin turn. He felt the car sliding 534 00:33:03,000 --> 00:33:06,200 Speaker 2: as it turned. He felt the helmet clattering against the 535 00:33:06,240 --> 00:33:07,880 Speaker 2: car's steel rollcage, and he was. 536 00:33:07,920 --> 00:33:09,200 Speaker 3: Glad it wasn't his skull. 537 00:33:10,080 --> 00:33:13,000 Speaker 2: As the car straightened out, the kid looked over at 538 00:33:13,000 --> 00:33:16,480 Speaker 2: Paul Newman. His famous blue eyes were locked on the road. 539 00:33:17,440 --> 00:33:21,080 Speaker 2: He didn't look angry or scared. He looked at peace. 540 00:33:22,280 --> 00:33:25,760 Speaker 2: At fifty four years old, Paul Newman's second act was 541 00:33:25,880 --> 00:33:29,440 Speaker 2: just beginning. He won his first Academy Award for Best 542 00:33:29,480 --> 00:33:33,480 Speaker 2: Acting in nineteen eighty six at age sixty one. He 543 00:33:33,560 --> 00:33:36,240 Speaker 2: won his final professional race in two thousand and six 544 00:33:36,680 --> 00:33:40,800 Speaker 2: at age eighty one. This after nearly running his car 545 00:33:40,960 --> 00:33:44,560 Speaker 2: and his career off the road decades prior, way back 546 00:33:44,720 --> 00:33:48,280 Speaker 2: in fifty six, but he kept it between the lines 547 00:33:48,280 --> 00:33:52,520 Speaker 2: and eventually rode off into the sunset. Not everyone gets 548 00:33:52,520 --> 00:33:56,040 Speaker 2: so lucky, the kind of luck that ought to be 549 00:33:56,080 --> 00:34:15,000 Speaker 2: in pictures. I'm Jake Brennan. This this Hollywood lamb. Hollywood 550 00:34:15,080 --> 00:34:17,719 Speaker 2: Land was created by Years Truly and is produced in 551 00:34:17,800 --> 00:34:19,280 Speaker 2: partnership with Double Elvis. 552 00:34:20,120 --> 00:34:21,239 Speaker 3: Follow like, rate and. 553 00:34:21,200 --> 00:34:23,680 Speaker 4: Review hollywood Land wherever you get your podcasts and get 554 00:34:23,719 --> 00:34:26,400 Speaker 4: in touch with us on social media at double Elvis. 555 00:34:27,000 --> 00:34:28,919 Speaker 4: If you like hollywood Land, check out my other show, 556 00:34:28,960 --> 00:34:31,759 Speaker 4: the award winning Disgraceland, which looks at the world of 557 00:34:31,840 --> 00:34:32,880 Speaker 4: music through the lens. 558 00:34:32,680 --> 00:34:33,320 Speaker 3: Of true crime. 559 00:34:33,400 --> 00:34:36,239 Speaker 4: Just search for Disgraceland or wherever you get your podcasts, 560 00:34:41,960 --> 00:34:43,080 Speaker 4: good Dousle That,