When celebrities shilled for cigarettes

These vintage ads remind us how far the social stigma against smoking has come

Ronald Reagan
(Image credit: AP Photo/Stanford Research into the Impact of Tobacco Advertising)
Lauren Hansen
By
last updated

Remember when President Obama was trying to quit smoking? Updates of his progress were doled out to the White House press corps alongside world-moving news of war, the economy, and health care reform.

These days, more and more smokers, especially public figures, are shamed out of the unhealthy habit. But 60 years ago, celebrities were often the face of cigarettes, shilling for their favorite brands like smokes were just another household item. Here are three such vintage ads featuring three very proud, very famous, smokers.

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Lauren Hansen
Lauren Hansen

Lauren Hansen produces The Week’s podcasts and videos and edits the photo blog, Captured. She also manages the production of the magazine's iPad app. A graduate of Kenyon College and Northwestern University, she previously worked at the BBC and Frontline. She knows a thing or two about pretty pictures and cute puppies, both of which she tweets about @mylaurenhansen.

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