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!
Tragic news regarding Frank Fritz
In any case, sir, my spouse used to tell me that I had a behind capable of raising the dead from their graves. I wish to avoid taking any chances.
Isn’t that funny?
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Although Frank Fritz’s visage was instantly identifiable on television, his personal life was filled with hardships. This is the tale of his unfortunate events.
The long-lasting friendship between Frank and Diann Bankson eventually turned sour. Frank, who was 25, started seeing her, and the two got engaged in 2017. The following year, they moved in together after buying a farmhouse in Iowa.
Sadly, things became worse when Bankson said she had stepped into their bedroom and found her boyfriend with someone else, accusing her partner of cheating. After this occurrence, their relationship quickly fell apart, which led to Frank becoming an alcoholic, losing his job, and facing more health risks.
Both of them bear the permanent scars of their time together; they will always remember their tumultuous relationship even if they are no longer together.
When Fritz realized that Bankson had cheated on him, he was crushed. For their impending nuptials, he had already bought an expensive ring and a property. Fritz was reminded not to make the same mistake twice by getting a tattoo that said, “Once a cheater, always a cheater.”
He experienced financial and emotional hardship as a result of this tragedy. In an attempt to deal with his heartbreak, he started drinking excessively, which caused his weight to drastically drop. He acknowledged that despite his best efforts, he had been unable to move on from her. Fritz still harbored affections for Bankson and desired a marriage with her in spite of her actions.
Fritz had to take a leave of absence from his host position on the History Channel program American Pickers due to health concerns. The viewers of the show had missed him terribly and were ready for him to come back so they could enjoy it again. After undergoing back surgery and a protracted period of healing and recuperation, Fritz said that he was prepared to tackle his long-running series with all of his might.
Fritz stated that the showrunner had been in touch with him and assured him that he would return, even though there had been no formal statement about his return. However, TMZ claims that Fritz was not given any consideration for a hosting position at this moment.
Meanwhile, Bankson, his ex-girlfriend, has made public her connection to engineering administration manager Eric Longlett. She posted pictures of their recent trip to see Elton John’s farewell show, Yellow Brick Road, on social media with pride, writing, “He took me to see Elton John’s farewell tour, Yellow Brick Road.” I’m a really lucky lady. Sweetie, you are my favorite.
Bankson decided not to return to the show as a co-host, and she announced her new companion at the same time. Fritz had been the show’s host for more than 10 years, so it was evident how involved he was, but there didn’t seem to be any preparations for him to return. She said she was grateful to have found Eric and that she did not want to see Fritz again very soon.
When Fritz’s friend found the young guy unconscious on his home floor on July 4, 2022, it was a horrifying scene. Fritz’s companion promptly reported that he was experiencing a seizure to the emergency services. The US Sun recorded the exchange on camera.
Bill Fritz, Fritz’s father, informed reporters that his son was making great progress since being admitted to the hospital and was doing well despite his illness. But the journey was not without difficulties; upon discharge from the hospital, he was placed under custody and sent into a skilled nursing facility to receive additional rehabilitation.
One of Fritz’s longtime friends is said to have sought for and subsequently been granted formal guardianship rights over him in early August 2022 as part of an emergency appointment that also included conservatorship procedures. If the ward is ill or disabled and cannot make decisions for themselves, this procedure enables another person to act on their behalf.
The bank was designated as his conservator and his buddy as his guardian, with the responsibility of monitoring and managing his funds. This implied that all payments for his care facility, including property taxes, maintenance fees, health insurance, and medical treatments, were the bank’s responsibility.
In addition, they would be in charge of getting him to and from events and doctor’s visits. He had to submit a “initial care plan,” which includes involvement in decision-making since the stroke, in order to be designated as his friend’s guardian.
Furthermore, the wishes of the person or, if applicable, his family members must be reflected in all decisions made on his behalf. The bank would have to guarantee that all necessary measures are taken to guarantee his welfare and that any obligations are fulfilled on schedule.
It was just recently established that popular television show host Frank Fritz required a conservator and guardian after records made this clear.
In order to give Frank the care he needs, his designated guardian must make decisions regarding his living arrangement, place of residence, health, and medical needs. They also have to make decisions regarding Frank’s participation in activities and keep lines of communication open with his loved ones, potential suitors, and other relevant parties.
In addition to these duties, the guardian is required to provide an annual report outlining their success in taking care of Frank. Given the seriousness of his illness, it seemed unlikely that he could make wise financial or medical decisions without putting himself in more peril.
Fritz’s neglectful actions could have caused him physical or mental harm, thus it was obvious that he needed a guardian to keep him safe.
The court decided that Fritz needed a guardian to keep him safe and gave them control over some areas of his life while he got the medical attention he needed for his wounds.
Everyone involved in this case has experienced pain, and all we can hope is that Frank heals swiftly enough to begin making his own decisions. I hope the cherished TV show presenter makes a full recovery, and I want you to tell your friends and family about this tale.
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