THE news this week of the death of film star Paul Newman brought back happy memories of a never to be forgotten day in his company for one Sheffield man.
Dave Wickett, boss of the Fat Cat real ale pub and Kelham Island brewery was even asked to walk the great man's dog!
"I could not believe how nice Paul Newman was," says Dave, remembering that day in Atlanta, Georgia, around 15 years ago.
As well as his Sheffield enterprises, Dave has The Old Toad English pub in Rochester, New York State. When he was a lecturer at the old Sheffield Poly, now Hallam University, he sent business students out there.
An American businessman heard about the scheme and rang Dave up, asking if he could send students to him because it was fashionable at that time.
He dealt in insurance and one of his clients was Paul Newman, also an accomplished stock car racing driver.
"He asked me if I wanted to come to the racing at Atlanta with him. I know it was a Saturday in August because I missed Sheffield United's first game of the season - that shows how seriously I took it," says Dave.
Unfortunately he has long since lost the photographs of the day but recalls that the film star was charming.
"He was a super man. There were no 'I am a star' airs and graces about him. It was an absolutely wonderful day."
They had a coffee together then Newman had to have a practice hour on the track. He'd brought his pet pooch with him and asked Dave and his business associate if they'd take it walkies.
"We walked it through the woods beside the track while he was racing his car," says Dave.
It came as quite a shock to him to realise this week that Newman was 83.
"He was one of those guys who just seemed ageless," says Dave.
His American pal certainly had a celebrity client list.
"I always remember that the first student I sent him came back with the story he had been asked to hand over Mr Cruise's file. He asked if it was the Tom Cruise and it was!" says Dave.
•NEWMAN and his actress wife Joanne Newman holidayed annually in Castleton for 10 years but stayed below the publicity radar.
In December 2005 they visited the Walnut Club restaurant in Hathersage. "Our staff didn't know who he was; it was a customer who told us," says boss Richard Mills.
"We rang his hotel to check it really was him."
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