Nell Newman
Encyclopedia
Elinor Teresa Newman is a former child actress who performed under the name of Nell Potts. She is an environmentalist
, biologist
, and a prominent supporter of sustainable agriculture
, who became an entrepreneur
when she founded an organic food
and pet food
production company, Newman's Own
Organics.
Born in New York
, New York
she was the first child of actors Joanne Woodward
and Paul Newman
. She has two sisters from that marriage and three half-siblings from her father's first marriage, one of whom, Scott, died at the age of twenty-eight. Newman is a graduate of The Putney School
in Putney, Vermont
. She attended the College of the Atlantic
in Bar Harbor, Maine
, from which she graduated in 1987.
She has been married to a Welshman, Gary Irving, since 2005. They reside in California.
(1968), in which her mother Joanne Woodward portrayed the adult Rachel. In the next decade she starred in the film The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds
(1972), which featured her mother as a central character and which was directed by Paul Newman. Reviews for her performance were positive, including a rave from Roger Ebert
, who wrote that "the performance by Nell Potts is extraordinary. She glows."
was inspired by her childhood at their home in rural Connecticut
, where she ate vegetables from her mother’s garden and made pies out of apples picked from their trees.
She developed a friendship with Alice Waters
, the owner of the restaurant, Chez Panisse
. Drawing upon that friendship, she has remarked that, "With Alice Waters I had the unquestionable proof that organic food doesn't have to taste like 'health food'. As a matter of fact, organic food tastes better." Following that line of thought, Great-tasting products that happen to be organic, has become the slogan of Newman's Own Organics.
Her father died on September 26, 2008 after a battle with lung cancer
. He had participated in the business, most importantly, lending his name and image as a boost to the fledgling business that began as a division of a business he and his friend, author A. E. Hotchner
, founded in 1982. She and her father were featured together in many of its marketing campaigns, often posed to resemble an iconic
painting by Grant Wood
, American Gothic
. Nell Newman is expected to continue the management of Newman's Own Organics and to step up to the leadership of Newman's Own.
Environmentalist
An environmentalist broadly supports the goals of the environmental movement, "a political and ethical movement that seeks to improve and protect the quality of the natural environment through changes to environmentally harmful human activities"...
, biologist
Biologist
A biologist is a scientist devoted to and producing results in biology through the study of life. Typically biologists study organisms and their relationship to their environment. Biologists involved in basic research attempt to discover underlying mechanisms that govern how organisms work...
, and a prominent supporter of sustainable agriculture
Sustainable agriculture
Sustainable agriculture is the practice of farming using principles of ecology, the study of relationships between organisms and their environment...
, who became an entrepreneur
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
when she founded an organic food
Organic food
Organic foods are foods that are produced using methods that do not involve modern synthetic inputs such as synthetic pesticides and chemical fertilizers, do not contain genetically modified organisms, and are not processed using irradiation, industrial solvents, or chemical food additives.For the...
and pet food
Pet food
Pet food is plant or animal material intended for consumption by pets. Typically sold in pet stores and supermarkets, it is usually specific to the type of animal, such as dog food or cat food...
production company, Newman's Own
Newman's Own
Newman's Own is a food company and for-profit corporation founded by actor Paul Newman and author A. E. Hotchner in 1982. Newman received all of the profits from product sales and donated 100% of the proceeds, after taxes, to various educational and charitable organizations of his own selection...
Organics.
Born in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
she was the first child of actors Joanne Woodward
Joanne Woodward
Joanne Gignilliat Trimmier Woodward is an American actress, television and theatrical producer, and widow of Paul Newman...
and Paul Newman
Paul Newman
Paul Leonard Newman was an American actor, film director, entrepreneur, humanitarian, professional racing driver and auto racing enthusiast...
. She has two sisters from that marriage and three half-siblings from her father's first marriage, one of whom, Scott, died at the age of twenty-eight. Newman is a graduate of The Putney School
The Putney School
The Putney School is an independent high school in Putney, Vermont. It was founded in 1935 by Carmelita Hinton. It is a co-educational, college-preparatory boarding school, with a day-student component, located outside of Brattleboro, Vermont. Emily Jones is the director...
in Putney, Vermont
Putney, Vermont
Putney is a town in Windham County, Vermont, United States. The population was 2,634 at the 2000 census.On December 26, 1753 Col.Josiah Willard led a proprietors' petition for a Putney charter which was issued by Governor Benning Wentworth of the New Hampshire Grants under King George II of England...
. She attended the College of the Atlantic
College of the Atlantic
The College of the Atlantic, founded in 1969, is a private, alternative liberal-arts college located in Bar Harbor on Mount Desert Island, Maine, United States. It awards a bachelor's degree solely in the field of human ecology, though with a variety of emphases. The college is small, with...
in Bar Harbor, Maine
Bar Harbor, Maine
Bar Harbor is a town on Mount Desert Island in Hancock County, Maine, United States. As of the 2010 census, its population is 5,235. Bar Harbor is a famous summer colony in the Down East region of Maine. It is home to the College of the Atlantic, Jackson Laboratory and Mount Desert Island...
, from which she graduated in 1987.
She has been married to a Welshman, Gary Irving, since 2005. They reside in California.
Film career
She worked professionally as an actress during the 1960s and 1970s. Under the direction of her father, she played the title character as a child in Rachel, RachelRachel, Rachel
Rachel, Rachel is a 1968 American drama film produced and directed by Paul Newman. The screenplay by Stewart Stern is based on the 1966 novel A Jest of God by Margaret Laurence.-Plot:...
(1968), in which her mother Joanne Woodward portrayed the adult Rachel. In the next decade she starred in the film The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds
The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds (film)
The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds is a 1972 American drama film produced and directed by Paul Newman. The screenplay by Alvin Sargent is based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning play of the same title by Paul Zindel...
(1972), which featured her mother as a central character and which was directed by Paul Newman. Reviews for her performance were positive, including a rave from Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert
Roger Joseph Ebert is an American film critic and screenwriter. He is the first film critic to win a Pulitzer Prize for Criticism.Ebert is known for his film review column and for the television programs Sneak Previews, At the Movies with Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, and Siskel and Ebert and The...
, who wrote that "the performance by Nell Potts is extraordinary. She glows."
Newman’s Own Organics
Following her education, she worked as a biologist for fundraising institutions until 1993, when, at the age of thirty-four, she founded Newman’s Own Organics. It is a food production and condiment manufacturing company, specializing in organic products, that has become a national brand. Royalties paid by Newman's Own Organics for use of the Newman name support the charitable activities of Newman's Own Foundation. Her work in organic foodOrganic food
Organic foods are foods that are produced using methods that do not involve modern synthetic inputs such as synthetic pesticides and chemical fertilizers, do not contain genetically modified organisms, and are not processed using irradiation, industrial solvents, or chemical food additives.For the...
was inspired by her childhood at their home in rural Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
, where she ate vegetables from her mother’s garden and made pies out of apples picked from their trees.
She developed a friendship with Alice Waters
Alice Waters
Alice Louise Waters is an American chef, restaurateur, activist, and author. She is the owner of Chez Panisse, a Berkeley, California restaurant famous for its organic, locally-grown ingredients and for pioneering California cuisine.Waters opened the restaurant in 1971. It has consistently ranked...
, the owner of the restaurant, Chez Panisse
Chez Panisse
Chez Panisse is a Berkeley, California restaurant known for using local, organic foods and credited as the inspiration for the style of cooking known as California cuisine. Well-known restauranteur, author, and food activist Alice Waters co-founded Chez Panisse in 1971 with film producer Paul...
. Drawing upon that friendship, she has remarked that, "With Alice Waters I had the unquestionable proof that organic food doesn't have to taste like 'health food'. As a matter of fact, organic food tastes better." Following that line of thought, Great-tasting products that happen to be organic, has become the slogan of Newman's Own Organics.
Her father died on September 26, 2008 after a battle with lung cancer
Lung cancer
Lung cancer is a disease characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. If left untreated, this growth can spread beyond the lung in a process called metastasis into nearby tissue and, eventually, into other parts of the body. Most cancers that start in lung, known as primary...
. He had participated in the business, most importantly, lending his name and image as a boost to the fledgling business that began as a division of a business he and his friend, author A. E. Hotchner
A. E. Hotchner
Aaron Edward Hotchner, is an American editor, novelist, playwright and biographer.-Biography:He was born in St. Louis and attended Soldan High School...
, founded in 1982. She and her father were featured together in many of its marketing campaigns, often posed to resemble an iconic
Cultural icon
A cultural icon can be a symbol, logo, picture, name, face, person, building or other image that is readily recognized and generally represents an object or concept with great cultural significance to a wide cultural group...
painting by Grant Wood
Grant Wood
Grant DeVolson Wood was an American painter, born four miles east of Anamosa, Iowa. He is best known for his paintings depicting the rural American Midwest, particularly the painting American Gothic, an iconic image of the 20th century.- Life and career :His family moved to Cedar Rapids after his...
, American Gothic
American Gothic
American Gothic is a painting by Grant Wood, in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. Wood's inspiration came from a cottage designed in the Gothic Revival style with a distinctive upper window and a decision to paint the house along with "the kind of people I fancied should live in that...
. Nell Newman is expected to continue the management of Newman's Own Organics and to step up to the leadership of Newman's Own.