(Jan. 26, 1925 - Sept. 26, 2008) Paul Newman was an Oscar winning American actor and film director. 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. Paul 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.