Paul Newman’s ‘nervous’ personality laid bare by Robert Redford: ‘Biting his fingernails’

Paul stars alongside Robert in ‘Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid’ this morning at 10:50am on ITV 4. The Oscar winning comic western follows Paul’s character Butch Cassidy, and Robert’s enigmatic Sundance Kid, both of whom are the eponymous leaders of a band of outlaws.  In the film the pair have found a knack of robbing banks at a time in which the west is becoming civilised. 

However, when Butch and Sundance’s audacious plan to rob the Union Pacific railroad goes wrong, the outlaws are forced to go on the run with a posse hard on their heels.

Whether it be over rocks, across rivers or through towns, Butch and Sundance continue to be trailed, and are forced to come up with a new solution ‒ escape to Bolivia. 

The film, directed by George Roy Hill, was one of the biggest box-office hits in the history of the western genre.

Meanwhile, Paul received massive praise for his performance as Butch, a handsome, rakish sort, shown to be a natural born leader to his crew and hit with the ladies of the west.

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However, in reality Paul was in fact quite anxious, despite his Hollywood leading man status. 

Remembering his dear friend, Robert told the Toronto Sun: “He was a chatty, nervous guy who was always biting his fingernails. 

“He used to chain smoke, before he stopped smoking, and was always drinking a beer. He was a very nervous guy.”

Nevertheless Robert developed a close off-set bond with Paul that seemingly helped bring the star out of his shell. 

Robert said: “I had them wrap it up and leave it on his kitchen back step, wrapped in paper with a ribbon around it, that said ‘Happy 50th’.”

Weeks later, Robert came home to find a surprise box in his living room, filled with the very same Porsche that had been compacted. 

He said: “It was so heavy you couldn’t lift it. 

“In fact it was so heavy it had created an imprint on the floor, and this was a rented house. 

“Well, by the time I crobarred it out, there was just this block of metal that had been taken down.

“The towing service came and took it away and they said, ‘This is great.’ I said ‘Ok, look, hang on.’ And I called a friend of mine who was a sculptor in Westport.”

Robert commissioned the sculptor to create an art piece, which he then left in Paul’s garden.

There was also an unspoken rule between the two actors to never mention the pranks they had pulled off. 

Robert stressed: “That would diminish it. No!

“The idea was you just never acknowledged it. 

“But anyway, the point is that the fun of the relationship, the humour had a lot to do with it.”

Watch ‘Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid’ at 10:50am on ITV 4.