Susan Kendall Newman, an actress who later became an Emmy‑nominated producer and lifelong philanthropist, has died at age 72. The family announced she died on August 2 after complications from chronic health issues.
She is remembered for her early screen work in I Wanna Hold Your Hand (1978), where she played one of six teenagers hoping to witness the Beatles’ Ed Sullivan Show debut. The project was directed and written by Robert Zemeckis, and it helped launch a public life focused on storytelling and service.
Beyond acting, Newman built a career around public good. She produced The Shadow Box for television, earning an Emmy nomination, and led anti‑drug prevention efforts as a longtime advocate. She also led the Entertainment Industry Foundation and ran a consultancy that advised government agencies, corporations and nonprofits on outreach and prevention programs. Her work touched education, juvenile justice, conservation and health care.
Newman was the first‑born child of Paul Newman and his first wife, Jackie Witte. The couple also had siblings Scott and Stephanie before divorcing in 1958. Paul Newman remarried the following day to Joanne Woodward, and the family later welcomed daughters Elinor, Melissa and Claire. Paul Newman died in 2008 at 83; Witte passed away in 1994. Her brother Scott died in 1978 from a drug overdose, a tragedy that helped catalyze the Scott Newman Center for drug‑abuse prevention.
Her life blended artistry with advocacy, leaving a lasting imprint through performances and programs that educated and inspired audiences while pushing for social change.
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