Although the real-life outlaws Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid were close, actor Paul Newman admitted that he harbored some grudges against the young Robert Redford throughout the period of filming.
A true testament to their acting prowess, Redford as Harry Longabaugh, aka “Sundance Kid,” and Newman as Robert LeRoy Parker, aka “Butch Cassidy,” were convincing in their portrayals of the Wild West friends, notorious criminals who were eluding the law after a string of bank and train robberies.
The 1969 film, which was based on the actual outlaws, won four Oscars and is still regarded as one of the best Westerns ever produced. Four years later, in The Sting (1973), another caper movie starring two similarly attractive heartthrobs, the stars reunited.
Legends in their own right, Newman and Redford worked their magic when they were together. However, have you ever wondered how Hollywood’s A-listers get along away from the camera?When he was 44 years old, Newman, who portrayed Butch, admitted that he had been interested in the 33-year-old Redford’s 33-year-old character.
In a BBC Talking Pictures interview, Newman noted, “We have a lot of fun together, and we bounce off each other really well.” I would have wanted to play Sundance, he continued. With that cooled-out quality, I feel a little more at ease. It must be the simpler part, I suppose.
Redford was a budding star who won the Golden Globe for New Star of the Year in 1965 for his work with Natalie Wood in the movie Inside Daisy Clover.
After appearing in movies like Cool Hand Luke (1967) and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958) with Elizabeth Taylor, Newman had already achieved superstardom.
Redford was cast opposite Newman, who was winning acting and directing accolades, in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid after Steve McQueen turned down a role in the film. McQueen also declined parts in Dirty Harry, The French Connection, and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.
The two celebrities weren’t truly friends at the time, according to Newman’s memoir, “The Extraordinary Life of an Ordinary Man: A Memoir,” the BBC reports.
Newman said, “You can’t depend on Redford. You’re never sure he’s going to be there. That’s simply discourteous.”
Their differences in working styles, according to Newman’s youngest daughter Claire Newman Soderlund, whom he fathered with his second wife Joanne Woodward, may have contributed to their conflicts.
She said, “My father was very much a stickler for timeliness and Bob, that was never really his strength. It was hard work for dad. He worked very hard at it because he wanted to be good and he wanted to be successful and Bob was more of a free spirit.”
When Newman passed away from lung cancer in 2008, Redford, who is now 86, told ABC News that, “It was just that connection of playing those characters and the fun of it that really began the relationship,” he said, reflecting on Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. “And then once the film started, once we went forward, we then discovered other similarities that just multiplied over time, a common ground that we both had between us, interests and so forth, and differences.”
Newman and Redford looked into possibilities to collaborate on a third movie after portraying renowned outlaws and later thieves in The Sting, but it never materialized.
In Bill Bryson’s 1998 book of the same name, A Walk in the Woods, which was adapted into a 2015 movie, it almost happened. The plot of this buddy movie centers on two elderly guys who are out of shape and want to hike the challenging Appalachian Trail.
In 2005, Redford, who both appeared in and produced the movie, chose this script with his close friend Newman in mind.
In 2015, Redford said, “It started with Paul, because Paul and I had been looking for a third film to do together. A lot of time had gone by, and I just couldn’t find it. When I read this book… I thought of Paul right away.”
Redford, who was 79 at the time of the interview, claimed that he sent the book to Newman, who later cast Nick Nolte in the part because he wasn’t sure he could do it physically.
Since they initially worked together on Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, the relationship between Newman and Redford, two highly regarded performers, has significantly deepened. The performers, who lived in Connecticut just a mile apart and started to act like brothers, are also close with their families.
Speaking after his buddy died, Redford said, “We both got to know each other’s flaws pretty well. Of course, I outweighed him on that front. But knowing each other’s flaws, we just played them to the hilt and we’d try to trick each other. We’d try to surprise each other, and it was so damn much fun that it became like–it became like a scenario unto itself.”
He added, “Paul really likes to have fun and he loves to laugh and he really especially loves to laugh at his own jokes, and some of them are just really awful. So the fact that he enjoyed them so much, you forget about the joke and you’d start to laugh with him because you’re so caught up in his enjoyment of them.”
Paul Newman and Robert Redford had such a great chemistry! Let us know what you think of their on-screen friendship and real-life romance!
He was a true Hollywood heartthrob, recognized for his deep voice. Today he is eighty years old
Sam Elliott: The Man, The Mustache, The Legend
If there’s one face (and mustache) that instantly brings to mind the rugged, raw essence of the American West, it’s Sam Elliott. With a voice as deep as the canyons of Arizona and a look that could have been carved out of granite, Elliott has become a living legend in Hollywood. But beyond the screen persona lies a man whose journey to stardom is as intriguing as any role he’s ever played.
From Portland to Hollywood: A Journey of Grit
Born on August 9, 1944, in Sacramento, California, Samuel Pack Elliott spent much of his childhood in Portland, Oregon. It’s easy to imagine young Sam running wild in the woods, developing that deep connection with nature that he’s become so famous for on screen.
But his path to Hollywood was anything but smooth. After high school, Elliott attended Clark College in Vancouver, Washington, where he studied English and psychology. However, his heart was set on acting—a passion that led him to the Los Angeles theatre scene in the late 1960s.
Hollywood wasn’t kind to newcomers, and Sam Elliott’s early years were marked by small roles and a lot of determination. His big break came in 1969 when he was cast in the classic film Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid as “Card Player #2.” It wasn’t a role that would put him on the map, but it did put him in the right circles. The rest, as they say, is history.
The Voice That Became a National Treasure
Sam Elliott’s distinctive baritone is as recognizable as his mustache. It’s the voice that has narrated countless commercials, documentaries, and even animated features. But what many people don’t know is that Elliott’s voice wasn’t always the iconic drawl we know today. In his early career, he worked on refining it, adding that gravelly, deliberate cadence that makes every word he speaks sound like it’s been aged in oak barrels.
His voice became a defining feature in movies like The Big Lebowski and Thank You for Smoking, where his roles, no matter how brief, left a lasting impact. Whether he’s playing a cowboy, a biker, or just the voice of reason, Elliott’s delivery is always pitch-perfect.
Love and Longevity in Hollywood
In 1984, Elliott married actress Katharine Ross, known for her roles in The Graduate and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. The couple met on the set of The Legacy in 1978, and their love story has become one of Hollywood’s rare enduring romances. They share a daughter, Cleo Rose Elliott, who is a talented musician.
Their relationship is a testament to Elliott’s grounded nature, which has helped him avoid the pitfalls of Hollywood excess. Despite his success, he’s always remained a private, humble man who values his family above all.
The Cowboy Rides On: A Milestone Birthday
A few years ago, Sam Elliott hit a milestone that few would guess, given his still-vigorous presence on screen—he turned 80. Yes, the man who’s embodied the rugged cowboy for decades has been wrangling time just as skillfully as he has roles. And he’s done it with a grace and dignity that befits a man who has spent his life portraying the best of American manhood.
Sam Elliott recently
In recent years, Elliott has continued to take on roles that challenge him, most notably in A Star is Born (2018), where his portrayal of Bobby, the older brother of Bradley Cooper’s character, earned him an Academy Award nomination. It was a role that allowed him to showcase his depth as an actor, reminding us all that Sam Elliott is far more than just the mustache.
A Living Legend
As Sam Elliott continues to ride into the sunset of his career, one thing is certain: his legacy is secure. He’s not just an actor; he’s a symbol of a certain kind of American toughness and integrity. Whether he’s on a horse, behind a microphone, or simply living his life, Sam Elliott embodies the timeless qualities of strength, loyalty, and resilience.
So, as we celebrate the life and career of a man who has become an American icon, let’s raise a glass to Sam Elliott—the man, the mustache, the legend. Here’s to many more years of that unmistakable drawl and those unforgettable roles that have made him a treasure in Hollywood and beyond.
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