A few thoughts about the loss of another of my heroes from my youth--and its
relation to Twain:

I have been noticing how often, when describing Newman's great achievements
as a actor, films like Hud or The Verdict get mentioned.  That's OK, since
they are masterful.

But he was a funny guy too.  For Twain folks:  just a quick word on The
Sting:

I think it is terrific, and very underrated.  Many might be surprised to
learn it won Best Picture Oscar!  (I realize that does not always mean much;
so did some pictures that were not all that great).  But it is a luminous,
stylized masterpiece in so many ways.

In terms of acting, The Sting shows Newman's many skills --and how funny he
was.  I believe comedic acting is very underrated, and thus never gets
acting awards.  Somehow we believe drama is harder than comedy.  It's more
serious, we think.  But Groucho, Woody, Robin Williams, Jim Carrey --all
great actors.  Steve Martin -- unbelievable as the straight man in Planes,
Trains, & Autos, and as the young con in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.  Why has
Martin never been nominated for anything??  Because he is comedic.  At least
Williams and Carrey got nominations -- for dramatic work.

The other thing about The Sting-- it is an actor playing an actor,
essentially.  and the punch line of the movie is that the audience gets
conned.  This is the all-time grifter film par excellence-- because we get
conned!  I won't ruin the ending if you have never seen it.  But Newman and
Redford actually fake us out-- what great performances about performance!!
I believe Twain would have loved the snapper.  I've always felt like The
Sting was sort of a Twain-like movie, for some reason. . . .

I do not like it when snobbery about such things hinders us from realizing
these matters of greatness.  Comedy is the great unrecognized art form of
our culture.  Newman could be really funny,

Here's to laughter.  RIP--o, and by the way:  $250 million raised for
charity, most of it for kids.  Nice work.

Harold K. Bush
Saint Louis University