Paul Newman came out of retirement on Thursday to play a role he had never done before.

He played a clown.

The Hollywood legend traveled to London to don clown's gear -- large nose, green hat, yellow shoes -- for a charity show which will benefit a British charity.

UK Children's Charities is one of the beneficiaries of Newman's Own, the star's company which makes sauces and has donated $150 million to charity.

The clown's name: Butch Bolognese, a tribute to perhaps his greatest movie role in Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid.

The Telegraph, London, reported that Newman had just 45 minutes of rehearsal before his cmoic act.

Newman, whose last role was the memorable Irish gangster John Rooney in Sam Mendes' Road to Peridition, told The Telegraph he may work with his Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid costar Robert Redford, 'If something really special comes along.'