Paul Leonard Newman was born on January 26, 1925, in Shaker Heights, Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland. He was the second son of Theresa (née Fetzer) and Arthur Sigmund Newman, who owned a successful sporting goods store.
Paul developed an interest in theater and acting at a young age and participated in school plays during his high school years. After graduating, he attended Ohio University and later Kenyon College, where he continued to hone his acting skills.