How does one put the appropriate words on paper (or in this case, type on a blog post) that measure up to the standards and principles lived ever so extraordinarily by Paul Newman?

A rather tough chore indeed. After all, we are discussing a true American icon. And one that far transcends the perhaps superficial surreal atmosphere of Hollywood.

Paul Newman.

God bless you good sir.

Loving Husband and Father.

Philanthropist.

Sportsman.

Entrepreneur.

And oh yes, least we mention a splendidly talented and humble actor.

Paul Newman defined grace and class. Assuredly, he must have been self-aware of his multiple talents and cautiously chose dignity and statesmanship over the flash and dash of some of his other paparazzi sought fellow actors.  Too bad so many others from a younger celeb hungry generation fail to follow the same path less traveled as Newman.

As always, the dependable Roger Ebert recalls meeting Newman:

I met him several times, most memorably in 1968, on the set of “Butch Cassidy.” Yes, his eyes were blue. Very blue. He was genial, relaxed; it felt more like hanging out than doing an interview. Between scenes, he held court in his trailer, sometimes sipping a beer. He was not closed-off and self-protective like many superstars, not seeming overly impressed with himself. One reason he and Woodward lived in Connecticut, he often said, was to have a more normal life than was possible in Hollywood.

Perhaps most impressive of Paul Newman’s acting career is his multiple genres of films that equally impressed upon multiple generations of fans. The following list may not reflect upon Newman’s finest work as an actor (such a task is far more suited for an expert such as Roger Ebert) but definitely impacted the Briggs household past and present.

And without further ado, the most memorable six Paul Newman films cherished by the Briggs family for perhaps nothing more than sentimentality and fond memories of family bonding.

Cool Hand Luke: A true classic and a daring role of the ultimate anti-rebel/rebel duality of the imprisoned lead character. Luke fought the law and the law ultimately won. Some images such as those silver mirrored glasses worn by the man and the “What we got here is… failure to communicate” line are permanent fixtures in cinematic lore. This film is only one of a few (The Godfather and The Godfather II are the others) that force me to sit down and watch in its entirety whenever on the AMC channel.

Slap Shot : For better or worse, its portrayed violence is permanently ingrained as being synonymous with ice hockey. Perhaps the ultimate cult classic movie of all time. Undoubtedly the dynamic Hanson trio are still wowing audiences somewhere in northern Manitoba. Lost in the glorification of 70s fighting stylized minor league hockey is the simple truth that this is a terrific sports movie made possible by the strength of Newman’s portrayal of Reg Dunlop. I remember watching Slap Shot for the first time as a young kid and being mightily impressed by the Hansons’ first shift along with Denis Lemieux’s unforgettable television interview explaining the fine art of stick work.

The Color of Money: Purists will argue that this film pales in comparison to The Hustler. And I have no doubt that they are absolutely correct. However, I will always remember Newman’s reprisal of the Fast Eddie Felson role as being the first Martin Scorsese film I watched.  The blues soundtrack accompanied with the pool playing uniquely captured as only Scorsese could, made myself a life long fan of both the blues and Scorsese directed films. Extra props to Newman for completely stealing every scene from the dorkish Tom Cruise as well as coolly toying with the young vamp Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio.

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid: My parents loved this film dearly. Dear old dad had the ability to recite every single line and was mightily impressed with himself when he purchased the VHS copy of the movie. As for my mother, she absolutely adored the bicycle scene with “Raindrops keep fallin’ on my head” playing softly in the background. It took me awhile to appreciate the action sequences of this film. However, no film brings back the childhood memories of my parents as this one.

Road to Perdition: I believe this was Newman’s last performance on the big screen and was a memorable masterful one at that. The tragic tone of the entire film never lets up as the story details the relationships of different sets of fathers and sons intertwined in an inescapable criminal outfit. The dialogue between Hanks and Newman is understated yet perfect, as if both already understood the significance of their shared screen time in the twilight of Newman’s career.

Cars: The axis of my world revolves around my wife and kids. My eldest son’s brand spanking new bedroom is decked out with a Cars theme. The absolute joy this film brings to Briggs Jr. melts his daddy’s heart. Newman provides the voice for Doc Hudson and patiently mentors his student Lightening McQueen life lessons far more meaningful than winning and losing. A terrific animation film that I will enjoy with my two boys over and over again for the next several years. It was also gratifying to see Newman end his tremendous acting career with such a positive and upbeat film rather than Road to Perdition.

A thread has already been created in order to celebrate Paul Newman’s life. Feel free to join the discussion and share your memories.