Fan Fare

Paul Newman’s health condition a public mystery

Actor Paul Newman, 83, has long kept his health a closely guarded secret, so when a report surfaced on Friday that he was gravely ill and had gone home to die, the headline was met with some skepticism.

After all, back in June when reports began to surface that he was stricken with cancer, Newman responded through a spokesman that he was “doing nicely.” The next day his friend A.E. Hotchner, who co-founded Newman’s Own food products, told Reuters that Newman had cancer. Hotchner said he did not know what kind of cancer it was.

On  Friday, the British tabloid Daily Mail published a story saying Newman had finished chemotherapy treatment for cancer and had only weeks to live. The story cited “a close family friend” as saying “Paul didn’t want to die in the hospital” and had gone home.

On Monday, Newman’s spokesman would say only ”no comment” about the story, and it seems no other news about the Oscar winner’s condition has surfaced since Friday.

It is interesting to note that in dealing with comedian Bernie Mac’s recent hospitalization with pneumonia, his spokeswoman said last Thursday that Mac was ”responding well to treatment” and in “stable condition.” Two days later, on Saturday, Mac died.

So, how sick is Newman? It’s anybody’s guess.

Newman has appeared in some 60 movies, including “The Color of Money,” “Cat On a Hot Tin Roof” and “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.” Newman hit his stride in Hollywood during the 1950s and 60s when he was known for portraying brooding characters or tricksters. He won the best actor Oscar for “The Color of Money,” and he has received one other honorary award and an humanitarian award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which gives out the Oscars.