I Miss Walter Matthau:Jack Lemmon : Paul Newman

I was sitting on the beach this morning in Atlantic Beach , New York. A grandfatherly looking guy walked passed with probably his grandson in tow. This date was a beautiful day at the beach especially I imagine for kids. What struck me was the man had a fair resemblance to now deceased actor Walter Matthau. For some odd reason I thought back to him as well as Jack lemmon and Paul Newman. All now deceased. Perhaps my favorites in the acting field. Newman with the phrase from Cat on a Hot Tin Roof "family crisis brings out the best and the worst in all of us." Lemmon from The Legend of Bagger Vance " but I play on looking for my place in the field." Matthau in Charade going from comic to deadly" I have come this far I'll kill you Mrs. Lampert. Audrey Hepburn looked terrified and puzzled by the great transformation. Watch those movies if you have not yet. I love some of the old movies. Matthau in the cold war epic Fail Safe. A cold sinister White House analyst. Lemmon a burned out businessman in Save the Tiger. Newman a jazz musician in Paris Blues. Of course I have not forgotten the comedies. Walter & Jack were brilliant in those arena's. But we sometimes forget that these people frame our lives with their acting. Bring the printed word to a new life form on film or a stage. Even in their lesser work like Matthau in an old TV crime series Tallahassee 7000 as a Florida State Police Officer they can leave an impression. Trust me that goes back a long ways. Once during a difficult time for my family who were waiting for a "loved one " to die family trouble lingered under the surface ready to explode. Who did what & when etc. I was on the verge of temper over this ritual of who gets what even though I was mainly a bystander. Then for whatever reason I remember Paul Newman saying the words of Tennessee Williams in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof...."family crisis brings out the best and worst in all of us.' I walked away outside under a tree , yes , smoked a cigarette at the time and calmed myself. Became determined to have this situation bring out a more civilized me. Sometimes acting with the right words can do that. I saw Newman from afar at Lyme Rock race track many yrs ago , Matthau in a play on Broadway. Newman with his Newman Products where he funds charitable causes. I miss these people , they were a part of my growing up. My laughter and my thought has these men within them to a small degree and they sometimes pop out. So anyway I blog on ......looking for my place in the field.....thanks.