# Who was better looking, Paul Newman or Robert Redford?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-better-looking-paul-newman-or-robert-redford/985315
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Tags:** actor-characters
**Created:** [June 11, 2023, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-better-looking-paul-newman-or-robert-redford/985315 "2023-06-11T03:42:15Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)
#### Post date: [June 11, 2023, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-better-looking-paul-newman-or-robert-redford/985315/1 "2023-06-11T03:42:16Z")
I’m watching “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” and I asked my wife who was the better looking of Newman and Redford. She was non-committal and asked me what I thought. I’m not generally a good judge of men’s attractiveness but I said that I’d guess Redford. She agreed.
In your humble opinion, in their prime, who was the better looking?
_Poll ([view on site](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-better-looking-paul-newman-or-robert-redford/985315/1))_
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### Author:  [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)
#### Post date: [June 11, 2023, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-better-looking-paul-newman-or-robert-redford/985315/2 "2023-06-11T04:33:46Z")
Redford was definitely pretty but Newman was just sex on the hoof AND he aged a lot better. Advantage Newman!
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### Author:  [@BippityBoppityBoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BippityBoppityBoo)
#### Post date: [June 11, 2023, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-better-looking-paul-newman-or-robert-redford/985315/3 "2023-06-11T04:39:25Z")
Paul Newman, no contest.
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### Author:  [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)
#### Post date: [June 11, 2023, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-better-looking-paul-newman-or-robert-redford/985315/4 "2023-06-11T05:00:28Z")
They flipped “who gets the mustache” when they did The Sting. Redford looks better in a ‘stache but Newman still wins.
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### Author:  [@gkster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gkster)
#### Post date: [June 11, 2023, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-better-looking-paul-newman-or-robert-redford/985315/5 "2023-06-11T05:06:11Z")
Newman aged better, yes. But in their prime, even though they were both spectacular, IMHO Redford was more eye-catching, with a little extra glow. Newman: 9.9, Redford, 10.
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### Author:  [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)
#### Post date: [June 11, 2023, 8:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-better-looking-paul-newman-or-robert-redford/985315/6 "2023-06-11T08:41:21Z")
Redford was exceptionally pretty.
Newman was not as pretty but he was more masculine. He also stayed that way for decades.
I say Newman but it’s a matter of taste really.
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### Author:  [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)
#### Post date: [June 11, 2023, 9:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-better-looking-paul-newman-or-robert-redford/985315/7 "2023-06-11T09:39:42Z")
I’m not attracted to guys, but Redford had the looks of someone I’d like to have as my wingman when I was single and looking to hook up with a lady at a bar. Newman had the looks of someone who’d steal the lady I was hoping to hook up with at a bar…and who I wouldn’t play 9-ball billiards with for money.
IOW, Redford: handsome and approachable / Newman: sexy and dangerous.
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### Author:  [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)
#### Post date: [June 11, 2023, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-better-looking-paul-newman-or-robert-redford/985315/8 "2023-06-11T12:49:23Z")
> [@SmartAleq](#):
>
> Redford was definitely pretty but Newman was just sex on the hoof AND he aged a lot better. Advantage Newman! .
I could see a case being made that Redford was prettier but Newman was sexier.
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### Author:  [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)
#### Post date: [June 11, 2023, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-better-looking-paul-newman-or-robert-redford/985315/9 "2023-06-11T13:39:57Z")
> [@Tibby](#):
>
> I’m not attracted to guys, but Redford had the looks of someone I’d like to have as my wingman when I was single and looking to hook up with a lady at a bar. Newman had the looks of someone who’d steal the lady I was hoping to hook up with at a bar…and who I wouldn’t play 9-ball billiards with for money.
>
> IOW, Redford: handsome and approachable / Newman: sexy and dangerous.
I think that nailed it. Both @SmartAleq and @Cervaise seemed to have the same idea described in less detail.
There are also eras in society where the ideal man was more pretty or more dangerous with the pendulum always swinging. I think that Newman was on the trailing edge of an era when dangerous was hot, and Redford was on the leading edge of an era when pretty was hot. Now, in 2023, we’re back to dangerous.
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### Author:  [@Galactus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Galactus)
#### Post date: [June 11, 2023, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-better-looking-paul-newman-or-robert-redford/985315/10 "2023-06-11T13:42:32Z")
I would say Robert Redford aged better as he is still living. 😉
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### Author:  [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)
#### Post date: [June 11, 2023, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-better-looking-paul-newman-or-robert-redford/985315/11 "2023-06-11T13:54:56Z")
You’re watching Butch and Sundance and you didn’t answer Katherine Ross?
::spit:: Dammit!
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### Author:  [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)
#### Post date: [June 11, 2023, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-better-looking-paul-newman-or-robert-redford/985315/12 "2023-06-11T13:58:14Z")
Based on media representations and the personal opinions of people I’ve heard over many decades the winner is clearly Newman. Redford was more of a mannequin, a glorified image of a young handsome man of a certain type, and he didn’t seem to improve with age as Newman did. Newman had serious acting chops also, Redford also resembled a mannequin in that regard.
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### Author:  [@peedin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peedin)
#### Post date: [June 11, 2023, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-better-looking-paul-newman-or-robert-redford/985315/13 "2023-06-11T14:05:18Z")
Either or. But a _slight_ edge to Newman because he was cool.
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### Author:  [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)
#### Post date: [June 11, 2023, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-better-looking-paul-newman-or-robert-redford/985315/14 "2023-06-11T14:09:39Z")
Redford. And he also is a walking advert. for why you should wear sunscreen.
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### Author:  [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)
#### Post date: [June 11, 2023, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-better-looking-paul-newman-or-robert-redford/985315/15 "2023-06-11T14:17:25Z")
I voted for Redford because I’m sure I thought he was the better looking one at the time. I tended to like the pretty men better. But if I was watching that movie with my current brain, I’d have probably picked Newman.
But they were both very easy to look at.
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### Author:  [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)
#### Post date: [June 11, 2023, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-better-looking-paul-newman-or-robert-redford/985315/16 "2023-06-11T14:58:08Z")
> [@Tibby](#):
>
> Newman had the looks of someone who’d steal the lady I was hoping to hook up with at a bar…and who I wouldn’t play 9-ball billiards with for money.
This ain’t pool. This is for bangers. Straight pool is pool. This is like hand-ball, or cribbage, or something. Straight pool, you gotta be a real surgeon to get 'em, you know? It’s all finesse. Now, every thing is nine-ball, 'cause it’s fast, good for T.V., good for a lot of break shots… Oh, well. What the hell. Checkers sells more than chess.
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### Author:  [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)
#### Post date: [June 11, 2023, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-better-looking-paul-newman-or-robert-redford/985315/17 "2023-06-11T15:02:52Z")
I saw a werewolf drinkin’ a piña colada at Trader Vic’s
His hair was… .
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### Author:  [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)
#### Post date: [June 11, 2023, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-better-looking-paul-newman-or-robert-redford/985315/18 "2023-06-11T18:17:49Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#):
>
> I think that Newman was on the trailing edge of an era when dangerous was hot, and Redford was on the leading edge of an era when pretty was hot.
In his earlier career, Newman kept losing parts to James Dean. My brother and I used to kid that Newman paid off that farmer in Paso Robles.
I met Paul Newman at the Long Beach Grand Prix a gajillion years ago. My brother shook his hand. And Paul Newman is a teeny tiny man.
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### Author:  [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)
#### Post date: [June 11, 2023, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-better-looking-paul-newman-or-robert-redford/985315/19 "2023-06-11T18:20:55Z")
They’re both listed as 5’10".
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### Author:  [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)
#### Post date: [June 11, 2023, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-better-looking-paul-newman-or-robert-redford/985315/20 "2023-06-11T18:23:22Z")
Redford was OK but Newman in his prime was better. In The Sting I would have done anything he asked. Ooh, that little bit of gray at the temples.
Back in the late eighties I saw Newman’s brother in a commerical in Michigan. Relative of celebs who came from the state were inviting their folks back for the 150th anniversay of the state. Oh my, the brother was a hunk too, with those beautiful blue eyes. Madonna’s brother was pretty good too.
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