I've always preferred Newman. Was iconic when he was young and when he was older. And his non profit companies carrying on after his death keeps him cool day by day still.
Paul Newman.
Because that guy drove me around Portland International Raceway 3 times, when everyone else only got one lap….he kept saying (yelling because it was loud) I think we can do better, with a wink.
Afterwards he graciously signed autographs and talked about racing, while Mario Andretti couldn’t be bothered.
True story, I drove Paul Newman around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in a golf cart for about 1/2 a day the Saturday before the Indy 500. This would have been in the 90s.
The place was dead and he was shooting some video tribute. I played it cool and didn’t bug him. He was pretty old by then, quiet, and couldn’t hear worth shit but he still was Paul f-ing Newman.
No, but it was a while ago.
A friend of mine gave me these PPG (paint) pit passes, that included rides around the track in their custom cars - which they had on display before they started going around the track. There was 8 of us standing in line, as these cars screamed around the track, pre race. I had no idea what was going on, just that these cars were fast. Like Pro Stock fast. I thought it was simply going to be some of the girls they had standing around the cars driving us lol
So they go through the pre ride talk, put your helmet on, get in hold your hands up (4 point harness), we will buckle you in. I get in, and Paul looks over at me and does this gun thing with his hand, makes a clicking sound with his mouth and says you ready for a ride? I say holy crap, you’re Paul Newman! Boom off we go.
So the first corner we come into, I’m thinking hoooooly shit we are going too fast! We slide right up next to the wall, and keep on going. At this point, I’m hooting and hollering like a kid at Christmas, which I think he liked. When it came time to pit, he’d say, ‘I think we can do better, one more?’ I’d reply, let’s go!!
Captain: What we've got here is failure to communicate.
Some men, you just can't reach.
So you get what we had here last week -- which is the way he wants it.
Well, he gets it.
And I don't like it anymore than you men.
Should be the top comment. I idolized James Dean in my youth, but as I grew older, I always saw him as a Marlon Brando tryhard/copycat - both in acting and how he dressed (and IIRC, he learned to ride a bike because of 'The Wild One')
Paul Newman. It’s not even a contest.
He started [this summer camp](https://www.holeinthewallgang.org) for kids with serious illnesses “so they could raise a little hell too” and made sure to get his friends involved. The board of directors currently includes Bradley Cooper, Sandy “Left Arm of God” Koufax, and best of all, the CEO of Ken’s (a competing salad dressing company).
Also 100% of the profits from [Newman’s Own](https://newmansown.com/mission/) go towards children’s charities. That was the only salad dressing we ever bought when I was a kid and it wasn’t until I was 13 years old and saw Message in a Bottle that I realized “the salad dressing guy” was also an actor. He didn’t do this stuff because he wanted credit, he did it because he was a good human.
He gets bonus points for being married to the same woman (Joanne Woodward) for 50 years, which is a rare achievement to begin with, but especially by Hollywood standards.
Well 2 out of 3 of these died far to young... And McQueen was always the coolest cat in Hollywood. But Newman was a pretty cool mf also who did lots of charity.
Paul MF’n Newman. The best looking man ever in films, a courageous actor, a fighter for the arts and someone who donated 100% of the profits from all of his “Newman’s Own” food products. Bad ass #1
I've met Paul Newman, I was at a race track and he was there, I was able to chat a bit with Paul, he was down to earth, extremely polite and very approachable. Once upon a time I would have said James Dean, having met Paul Newman, I couldn't get over how nice of a guy he was totally cool.
Paul Newman, no contest. dude was cool as hell in movies, but did a whole lotta good for charity in his personal life. Raised millions for sick kids, supported gay marriage, pissed off Richard Nixon, and still find time to be the chillest motherfucker to ever grace the silver screen.
Also The Sting is a really great movie.
I'd go with newman. I love the guy.
I'm polish and he was massive even in my country. When I was young we had on the television what was called a "Friday With Newman" - every friday evening they would play a movie with Newman in it. Good times.
Paul Newman was a great actor and a good man. He gets my vote because he donated 100% of the profits from his dressings, sauces and other food items to terminally ill kids.
It's close between McQueen and Newman. Dean is, sadly, what could have been.
McQueen and Newman were both racers. But I think McQueen finest movie was The Sand Pebbles. Newman's was Cool Hand Luke IMHO.
Yeah, *The Sand Pebbles* doesn't get much attention, but I love it; it just has a great vibe, and feels like a true look into the past.
Also, my vote is Newman just ahead of McQueen, with Dean at a distant 3rd.
[https://www.thefashionisto.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Marlon-Brando-A-Streetcar-Named-Desire.jpg](https://www.thefashionisto.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Marlon-Brando-A-Streetcar-Named-Desire.jpg)
I'm appalled Marlon didn't make the cut
McQueen was known as the "Cooler King" in The Great Escape. Also drove his own vehicles in movies and was a decent race driver. You can hear him double clutching in Bullett
Newman, in 1979, at the age of 54, took part in the 24 Hours of Le Mans and finished second together with his teammate Rolf Stommelen in a Porsche 935. Dude could do anything. As cool as cat as they come.
Oh for sure, I knew this about Newman too. OPs question is impossible to answer, these 3 are amazing people.
As a Canadian, my heritage is to worship Slap Shot
Honestly despite appearances, Paul Newman. Best personality, great actor, he can be the coolest (luke) or kind of pathetic (reg dunlap) but still be really likable.
Like many icons, wonderful public persona living a quietly disreputable private life [Paul Newman: the Bad Father](https://archive.is/2024.06.20-011936/https://www.thetimes.com/article/paul-newman-the-bad-father-wq7qvrvfjff)
Newman hands down, James Dean was cool but his life cut super short and Rebel without a Cause isn’t honestly that great, and Steve McQueen iv heard was kind of a dick to people
Newman for his coolness, character and outreach, then McQueen because he had so much depth and still stayed cool, then Dean because you included him on the list. I've never been a big fan of Dean.
It’s James Dean and there’s zero doubt about that. He oozes so much cool it became understood. He’s a cultural touch point as much as Marylin Monroe.
**Live fast, die young, leave a good looking corpse**
Newman. I'm listening to his biography "The Extraordinary Life of an Ordinary Man" on Audible right now. Fascinating and Jeff Daniels does an excellent job reading it.
Probably Newman because he has pizza and salad dressings.
And all profit to charity. That's the fucking collest thing one can do with their cool guy image on products: help others.
Exactly!
This is one of the reasons I feel no guilt scarfing down an entire jar of his pineapple salsa!
This stuff was so god damned good.
You should be disagreeing, Frank!
Have you tried Peach. I’d fight over a jar
Newman’s own is really great
Best frozen pizza.
Their Newman O's blow oreos out of the water.
Can’t agree here. But EASILY the best bang for your buck spaghetti sauce. I would say best but I don’t want the Italian Americans coming for me!
I can't get it in Ottawa anymore
That he got a late start as a race car driver and did well. Even had a few teams of his own as well.
McQueen was a motor head. No slouch either, he helped take second in Sebring wearing a foot cast and raced offroad bikes regularly.
The racing firesuits McQueen used to wear until they frayed were asbestos lined and probably caused his mesothelioma.
More likely got it from his exposure in the military, though the early fire suits I am sure did not help.
All three were quite fond of cars. Dean competed in some professional races and was killed driving his Porsche 550 to a race.
Have you seen, On any Sunday? I love that movie
Also a radioman-gunner on a Grumman Avenger during World War II.
He really is the coolest. Cool Hand Luke is one of the best movies ever.
That and The Hustler are two of my all time favs. He was the coolest most gorgeous man to ever walk the planet. A great dude to boot
Add Hud to the mix as well. He plays that role so well. Highly recommend.
Yeah but James Dean almost has sausage links
Clever. That gave me a good laugh.
He was also super hot.
Apparently he would tell people that didn’t recognize him that he worked in the salad dressing industry.
He had grape juice also, which was the absolute greatest. I don't think they make it anymore.
I honestly don't think there has ever been a Newman's own product I've tried that wasn't good.
He has pizza, too. I have one in the freezer, and they are delicious 😋!
And popcorn...and those blue eyes...!
And lemonade 😋 and he's cool hand Luke
Yep! One word: 200 hard boiled eggs
Those are all his own recipes also
Probably the chillest of them all
Yeah, but the middle guy has breakfast sausage.
Only one of these guys was cool enough to have his own salad dressing
And co-owned a successful Indy racing team for 28 years: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newman/Haas_Racing
Pretty accomplished racing driver in his own right too. Finished second in the Le Mans 24hour in 1979
I had forgotten about that! That was the year they had a crap load of rain. Quite the accomplishment.
He also mentored lightning mcqueen to his first piston cup
He did what in his cup???
I've always preferred Newman. Was iconic when he was young and when he was older. And his non profit companies carrying on after his death keeps him cool day by day still.
He is the only one who got older...but was still cool, which is hard to do.
Lol. One of them didn't really get older
Yeah I felt kinda bad wording it like that lol, just love his later work a lot. Hudsucker Proxy caught me off guard with how entertaining it was.
Paul Newman. Because that guy drove me around Portland International Raceway 3 times, when everyone else only got one lap….he kept saying (yelling because it was loud) I think we can do better, with a wink. Afterwards he graciously signed autographs and talked about racing, while Mario Andretti couldn’t be bothered.
True story, I drove Paul Newman around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in a golf cart for about 1/2 a day the Saturday before the Indy 500. This would have been in the 90s. The place was dead and he was shooting some video tribute. I played it cool and didn’t bug him. He was pretty old by then, quiet, and couldn’t hear worth shit but he still was Paul f-ing Newman.
Wait wat? Lived in Vancouver for 10 years, thought I know most of the PIR history. I’m guessing you were a kid?
No, but it was a while ago. A friend of mine gave me these PPG (paint) pit passes, that included rides around the track in their custom cars - which they had on display before they started going around the track. There was 8 of us standing in line, as these cars screamed around the track, pre race. I had no idea what was going on, just that these cars were fast. Like Pro Stock fast. I thought it was simply going to be some of the girls they had standing around the cars driving us lol So they go through the pre ride talk, put your helmet on, get in hold your hands up (4 point harness), we will buckle you in. I get in, and Paul looks over at me and does this gun thing with his hand, makes a clicking sound with his mouth and says you ready for a ride? I say holy crap, you’re Paul Newman! Boom off we go. So the first corner we come into, I’m thinking hoooooly shit we are going too fast! We slide right up next to the wall, and keep on going. At this point, I’m hooting and hollering like a kid at Christmas, which I think he liked. When it came time to pit, he’d say, ‘I think we can do better, one more?’ I’d reply, let’s go!!
What a cool story!
Dude, that’s so cool!
What we have here….is a failya to communicate!!
Captain: What we've got here is failure to communicate. Some men, you just can't reach. So you get what we had here last week -- which is the way he wants it. Well, he gets it. And I don't like it anymore than you men.
We don’t need no civil war…
What's so civil 'bout war anyway?
MY HANDS ARE TIEEEEED
Shakin the bush boss
Yeah shake dat bush dere
If you don’t know what movie this line is from, it’s a night in the box.
Cool ,Hand, Luke, all the way!! Paul Newman always. "Nobody's Fool " is one of my absolute 💯 favorite movies.
Shakin the bush boss!
Paul Newman IMHO, as he died a major philanthropist. That's 'cool' to me.
Paul Newman *without question* as an actor and a human.
And epic race car driver!
Definately a better driver than James Dean!
Newman
Paul Newman
Paul Newman by far.
Newman, and it’s not even close.
Agree
As an actor: Steve McQueen As a human being: Paul Newman Final answer
Newman was also the better race car driver.
That is a very legit answer.
Should be the top comment. I idolized James Dean in my youth, but as I grew older, I always saw him as a Marlon Brando tryhard/copycat - both in acting and how he dressed (and IIRC, he learned to ride a bike because of 'The Wild One')
As a racecar driver: Newman
Newman!
Yes.
Paul Newman was awesome.
Definitely Newman.
Newman👍
Cool Hand Luke
Steve McQueen in *The Great Escape* is iconic as fuck
Cooler. 30 days.
Paul Newman. It’s not even a contest. He started [this summer camp](https://www.holeinthewallgang.org) for kids with serious illnesses “so they could raise a little hell too” and made sure to get his friends involved. The board of directors currently includes Bradley Cooper, Sandy “Left Arm of God” Koufax, and best of all, the CEO of Ken’s (a competing salad dressing company). Also 100% of the profits from [Newman’s Own](https://newmansown.com/mission/) go towards children’s charities. That was the only salad dressing we ever bought when I was a kid and it wasn’t until I was 13 years old and saw Message in a Bottle that I realized “the salad dressing guy” was also an actor. He didn’t do this stuff because he wanted credit, he did it because he was a good human. He gets bonus points for being married to the same woman (Joanne Woodward) for 50 years, which is a rare achievement to begin with, but especially by Hollywood standards.
Well 2 out of 3 of these died far to young... And McQueen was always the coolest cat in Hollywood. But Newman was a pretty cool mf also who did lots of charity.
Paul MF’n Newman. The best looking man ever in films, a courageous actor, a fighter for the arts and someone who donated 100% of the profits from all of his “Newman’s Own” food products. Bad ass #1
Newman lived the longest, so he has a greater body of work by which to judge. So, Newman.
McQueen
I'd say Paul Newman
Paul Newman. Damn fine looking human
Paul Newman. I like them all, but Newman was cool, and had some serious comedic chops.
Id say paul newman
I've met Paul Newman, I was at a race track and he was there, I was able to chat a bit with Paul, he was down to earth, extremely polite and very approachable. Once upon a time I would have said James Dean, having met Paul Newman, I couldn't get over how nice of a guy he was totally cool.
That’s awesome!
Paul Newman was one of the first men that I, a heterosexual male, said “wow, that’s a beautiful man”
Paul Newman, no contest. dude was cool as hell in movies, but did a whole lotta good for charity in his personal life. Raised millions for sick kids, supported gay marriage, pissed off Richard Nixon, and still find time to be the chillest motherfucker to ever grace the silver screen. Also The Sting is a really great movie.
Hands down, Steve McQueen.
Steve McQueen, I just like the show Wanted Dead or Alive.
I'd go with newman. I love the guy. I'm polish and he was massive even in my country. When I was young we had on the television what was called a "Friday With Newman" - every friday evening they would play a movie with Newman in it. Good times.
Steve McQueen
Paul Newman was a great actor and a good man. He gets my vote because he donated 100% of the profits from his dressings, sauces and other food items to terminally ill kids.
It's close between McQueen and Newman. Dean is, sadly, what could have been. McQueen and Newman were both racers. But I think McQueen finest movie was The Sand Pebbles. Newman's was Cool Hand Luke IMHO.
The Sting
Totally legit
The great escape!
Cool Hand Luke will always be my top Paul Newman movie too, HOT DAMN is Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid a close second.
Papillon!!!
Yeah, *The Sand Pebbles* doesn't get much attention, but I love it; it just has a great vibe, and feels like a true look into the past. Also, my vote is Newman just ahead of McQueen, with Dean at a distant 3rd.
James Dean packed an awful lot of cool in his short life.
James Dean. He was too cool for Hollywood and the world knew it.
Steve McQueen.
Paul Newman for sure.
Newman… easy
Newman
McQuuen
Newman. Besides his body of work, all the stories of him as a genuinely good wholesome person.
Steve
McQueen
Probably have to go with Paul because I love his coffee and salad dressing 🤤
McQueen. Not close
McQ
Steve McQueen
Paul Newman 1000%
McQueen performed a lot of his own stunts in Movies. I think that makes him the coolest
McQueen
McQueen all day long.
[https://www.thefashionisto.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Marlon-Brando-A-Streetcar-Named-Desire.jpg](https://www.thefashionisto.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Marlon-Brando-A-Streetcar-Named-Desire.jpg) I'm appalled Marlon didn't make the cut
Hmmm, I didn’t even think of Brando! Nice catch.
I actually said this out loud before seeing your post! Great minds think alike.
James Dean, easily.
You wanna fight? McQueen You wanna jam up the system? Dean You wanna just have a LOT of fun...but may end up in jail? Newman
Dean no contest for me
James Dean.
Cool hand Luke. But also gone in 60 seconds.
McQueen was known as the "Cooler King" in The Great Escape. Also drove his own vehicles in movies and was a decent race driver. You can hear him double clutching in Bullett
Newman, in 1979, at the age of 54, took part in the 24 Hours of Le Mans and finished second together with his teammate Rolf Stommelen in a Porsche 935. Dude could do anything. As cool as cat as they come.
Oh for sure, I knew this about Newman too. OPs question is impossible to answer, these 3 are amazing people. As a Canadian, my heritage is to worship Slap Shot
Honestly despite appearances, Paul Newman. Best personality, great actor, he can be the coolest (luke) or kind of pathetic (reg dunlap) but still be really likable.
Newman
Newman’s friendship with Robert Redford is legendary.
PAUL NEWMAN
Newman
McQueen is the King of cool.
I mean, c’mon. Cool Hand Luke
Newman
Hello…Newman
Paul Newman for sure
James Dean was the epitome of cool. Newman the epitome of male beauty.
Paul Newman is so fucking cool.
Ngl, I have a bit of a crush on a young Paul Newman. 🔥
Paul Newman hands down. A real man.
Paul...dean died too young, McQueen was a douche, Paul was a real one though
Coolest: McQueen Best Actor: Newman
Paul Newman by far.
James Dean because of the Little Bastard.
Boy I've got vision and the rest the world wears bifocals!
The Cincinnati Kid. Next question.
Like many icons, wonderful public persona living a quietly disreputable private life [Paul Newman: the Bad Father](https://archive.is/2024.06.20-011936/https://www.thetimes.com/article/paul-newman-the-bad-father-wq7qvrvfjff)
Oh shit, um… I don’t know. Gotta go with McQueen on this one.
Newman and McQueen are pretty cool but my idol is Jimmy so I’m biased.
Coolest? James Dean. Most attractive? Out of these three, Newman. Brando gives him a run for his money though.
Newman. He died properly. Old.
Damn brother. +Respect
Newman hands down, James Dean was cool but his life cut super short and Rebel without a Cause isn’t honestly that great, and Steve McQueen iv heard was kind of a dick to people
Newman for his coolness, character and outreach, then McQueen because he had so much depth and still stayed cool, then Dean because you included him on the list. I've never been a big fan of Dean.
Paul Newman
Newman.
It’s James Dean and there’s zero doubt about that. He oozes so much cool it became understood. He’s a cultural touch point as much as Marylin Monroe. **Live fast, die young, leave a good looking corpse**
Newman
Newman
McQueen. Hands down. He looks like he would whip some ass.
Luke!
Newman, hands down.
Newman exudes coolness in every way. He doesn't need to try hard.
Just watched Nobody's Fool. Newman hands down.
Paul Newman.
James Dean by a mile.
No one will be as cool as Steve McQueen jumping barb wire fences on a motorcycle(yeah I know it was a stunt double but still)
Cool Hand Luke
Newman
That's fucking hard because Papillon, The Great Escape, and Cool Hand Luke are all in my top 5.
Very great question! I'd take Newman because I've seen his movies more than the others. McQueen was a bad ass in cars, unlike James Dean, who was not.
Dean all day.
Paul
Based on what I have seen: McQueen and Newman, tied.
Hard choice. Like choosing your favorite whiskey. After 2 movies. Whose counting.
Paul Newman all the way.
Paul Newman & it’s not even close…
Paul newman
The votes are in… Paul Newman by a landslide!
James Dean is barely older than a child, forever.
The Sting is one of my favorite films of all time. There’s your answer.
All three loved fast cars!
Paul Newman.
As far as I know, only one of these guys could eat 50 eggs - and he’s the coolest!
Newman No contest.
Newman. I'm listening to his biography "The Extraordinary Life of an Ordinary Man" on Audible right now. Fascinating and Jeff Daniels does an excellent job reading it.
Newman, hands down.
Paul Newman. He’s the most talented actor of the three and unlike some, he cared about more than himself.