Last week's Movie Quiz winners

The comments from everyone about the star of last week's quiz movie, Nobody's Fool (1994) were so good, I think I'll just let them do the talking this week.

"I knew this week's quiz would have to pay tribute to one of, if not the last, great Hollywood legends. We all knew that this time was coming, but I was still really saddened to see Paul Newman pass on. Here's hoping that he's in his own personal paradise racing Steve McQueen for the winner's flag."

"He was always unassuming in public. My folks remember dining next to the Newmans in a restaurant in Stamford, Conn-- everybody allowed him his privacy and he put on no 'Hollywood airs'. The guy was class all the way."

"I know it's customary to begin sentences with, 'Sad news about...' and 'Such a shame that...' at a time like this, but, for some reason, I can resist that urge. Not out of disrespect. I thought Newman was all that and then some. But he lived a full life, accomplished so much, and did a myriad of wonderful things, both on screen and off. Now he's at rest, one that I know is peaceful and well deserved. So, I won't say that it's a shame that he's gone. Rather, I choose to celebrate that he was here and we had him for such a long time. If there's any shame to be had, it's the shame that so many others in the industry can never hope to match his accomplishments, either as performers or as people."

"He set a high bar. More of us should reach for it."

And most everyone agreed that the character of Sully, the 60-year-old handyman he plays in Nobody's Fool, was his last great role, one that brought out the very best in him, both as an actor and human being. The movie itself, based on Richard Russo's novel and scripted and directed by Robert Benton, is the equal of all the other high-water mark films of his career. If you've never seen it, do yourself a favor and watch it soon.

He had it from the very beginning, and here's proof-- a screen test from the '50s with another soon-to-be star. See which one you think had the real screen presence.

So congratulations to the following quiz winners: Wayne Palmer, Thomas Miller, Song-Un Lee, Vince Tuss, Bob Redwing, Shannon M. Quinlan, Michael Mattson, Mick Arran, Bill Hearne, Dave Mallow, Nancy Louise Rutherford, Joe Rosenberg, Fred Lorence, Kevin Musolino, E. Yarber, and Paul Rignell.

(Send Steve an email at couchpundit@yahoo.com.)