Paul Newman (1925-2008)

This blog takes pause to honor a great actor, humanitarian, and philantrophist.

I first saw Paul Newman in the movie The Towering Inferno (1974) at the old Quezon Theater in Cubao, Quezon City. At that young age, I wasn't aware of the fact that he was one of the biggest stars in Hollywood. I only found out that he was through my parents, especially my mom who was a big fan.

In the many years that followed, I got to know a lot more about this fine actor. Thanks to cable television stations like Turner Classic Movies and American Movie Classics, I was able to see a number of his early movies, especially the ones that made him a star. Films like Somebody Up There Likes Me (1956), Paris Blues (1961), The Hustler (1961), Hud (1963), and Cool Hand Luke (1967) showed the range of his acting capabilities.

The last movie of his that I saw in a movie theater in Manila was The Color of Money (1986) where he co-starred with a young Tom Cruise. This movie was a sequel to The Hustler. In the States, the last two movies I saw in theaters were The Road to Perdition (2002) which he co-starred with Tom Hanks and Cars (2006) where his was the voice behind the character of Doc Hudson.

Aside from being a fine actor, Mr. Newman was also a noted humanitarian and a philantrophist. A strong and lifelong supporter of Democratic Party causes, in the 1960s, he, along with other Hollywood celebrities such as Marlon Brando and Charlton Heston helped champion and support the Civil Rights movement. He was also a staunch opponent of the US involvement in the Vietnam War. He supported gun control and advocated nuclear disarmament. In his later years, he also came out in support of gay marriage.

In the 1980s, he co-founded a business that released a line of food products that carried his name. It was called Newman's Own. Its most popular products were salad dressings and microwaveable popcorn. Aside from its products, this company gained fame and respect for its support of a variety of charitable causes. As a matter of corporate policy, it donates all profits after taxes to charity. When he was asked in an interview back in the early 1990s as to why he was donating every penny of his company's profits to charity, Paul Newman was said to have answered simply, "I don't need it."

Aside from acting, Mr. Newman was also an accomplished professional race car driver.

He passed away last Friday, September 26, after a long bout with cancer. With his death, the world not only lost one of its greatest actors but also a man who used his craft and his fame to spread a message of love and respect for his fellowmen. He will certainly be missed.

Photo credit: Getty Images

A Pause For A Hero

Youngest elected Mayor at 22.
Youngest Vice-governor at 27.
Youngest elected Senator at 34.

This blog takes pause to honor the memory of former Senator Benigno S. Aquino, Jr. (November 27, 1932 - August 21, 1983) whose life was tragically cut short on this day 25 years ago.

Bataan Day

Bataan has fallen, but the spirit that made it stand--a beacon to all the liberty-loving peoples of the world--cannot fall!
- “Voice of Freedom” (Radio Broadcast from Malinta Tunnel, Corregidor, April 9, 1942)

Today marks the 66th Anniversary of the Fall of Bataan. Although the government now calls it Araw ng Kagitingan or Day of Valor, to people of my generation and the ones before us, this day will always be remembered simply as Bataan Day.

It was on April 9, 1942 when, some 70,000 sick, wounded and hungry American and Filipino soldiers under the command of General Edward King finally surrendered to the invading Japanese forces led by General Masaharu Homma after months of fierce jungle fighting. The forces fought valiantly against an enemy that was superior both in numbers and materiel. Corregidor fell a month later on May 6, 1942.

Although our forces were defeated, they were able to extract a high cost from the Japanese in terms of lives and resources. They effectively tied the Japanese forces down for four months. General Homma had to call in reinforcements several times from the Japanese forces stationed in Malaya and Formosa after losing thousands of troops to death and disease in the jungles of Bataan.

The long, drawn-out battle at Bataan and Corregidor gave the United States the time it desperately needed to recover from the defeat it suffered at Pearl Harbor. This preparation culminated in an American victory over the Japanese fleet in the Battle of Midway two months later in June 1942, a victory that put an end to the Japanese offensive and turned the tide of war in the Pacific.

Regardless of the politics these days, this blog takes pause to honor and remember all the lives lost at a time when both Americans and Filipinos fought for the same cause against a ruthless enemy and ideology.