Paul Newman's Final Film

It's been almost a year since Paul Newman's death, and now the legend's final film is due to be released.

A few months before his death, Newman served as narrator for a British wildlife documentary called "The Meerkats".

"We were very, very lucky," explained producer Joe Oppenheimer.

Newman, who was living Westport until his death, was quite ill when he was approached about the role.  But the footage of those cute little meerkats enchanted him.

"He saw the material and he really responded to the film. He loved the idea, I think, of doing a film about natural history. And I think that he knew that he would do it really well," Oppenheimer told ITN.

Try imagining these lines in his voice:

"This is Colo. He is just three weeks old and his entire life so far has been spent in pitch darkness."

"With a seven foot wing span and razor sharp talons, there is no eagle in Africa more powerful."

"This is the moment he sees his family for the first time."

The actor, retired and ill at the time, spent three hours in the studio recording his part. 

Producers were hoping for a "gravelly performance", and got it.  And his fans are getting one last chance to hear from King Cool.

Newman died September 26, 2008.

Watch the film's trailer here (but we're sorry to say it's Newman-less). 

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