I know, I’ll sound like a name-dropper, but actor Paul Newman filmed several scenes for a movie here in Lake Charles back in 1974. The film company used some family property we had the the time for a few exterior scenes.

I was about 12 years old at the time, but I understood that he didn’t give autographs. He did come over during a break in filming for a brief meet-and-greet. He seemed nice, but private. Now that I’m older I think I understand. Now his brother, Arthur Newman, was very friendly. I believe he was the production coordinator on the film.

The name of the film was, “The Drowning Pool.” It probably won’t be mentioned with his “hit” films, but for a 12 year old boy, it was a lot of fun! The last scene of the film is freeze-framed showing Newman shrugging his shoulders. If you look at the background scenery, you’ll see property that belonged to my grandmother, who died just a few months earlier.