The discussion of anti-smoking PSA's inspired me to start this thread. Watching people smoking on old TV shows can be quite amusing today, and off-putting since we haven't seen that for eons. Are there any notable examples that we should all be on the lookout for? One that sticks in my mind is on the series "Topper", one of the ghosts smokes, but you only see the cigarette and blown smoke.
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Favorite smoking scenes
- Thread starter johnbasalla
- Start date
In one of the early episodes of the second version (1967-70) of Dragnet, Joe Friday is interrogating a hostile young woman who is smoking. In the midst of the conversation, she says, "You got nice eyes...for a cop," and then blows cigarette smoke in Friday's face. He responds with this cutting remark: "And I'll bet your mother had a loud bark."
Has to be the William Holden episode of "I Love Lucy." Lucy, who
has spotted Holden at the Brown Derby earlier in the day and in the
course of staring at him has caused a waiter to dump food all over
Holden's clothes, finds out that Ricky is bringing him up to their hotel
for a visit. Afraid Holden will recognize her Lucy puts on a putty nose
as part of a disguise; when Holden attempts to light her cigarette he
accidentally sets fire to her nose. She puts out the fire by dunking her
nose in a cup of coffee. There's always been some debate as to whether
Lucy ad-libbed that when her nose actually caught fire, or whether it was
in the script, but no matter. It's one of the most memorable bits in the
show's history.
Phil Silvers worked in literally dozens of scenes involving his sponsor,
Camel cigarettes, usually involving somebody trying to steal his pack
of Camels.
I'm expecting somebody to say the Winston cigarette commercial on "The
Flintstones" where Fred and Barney sneak a smoke while Wilma and Betty
do the yard work.
has spotted Holden at the Brown Derby earlier in the day and in the
course of staring at him has caused a waiter to dump food all over
Holden's clothes, finds out that Ricky is bringing him up to their hotel
for a visit. Afraid Holden will recognize her Lucy puts on a putty nose
as part of a disguise; when Holden attempts to light her cigarette he
accidentally sets fire to her nose. She puts out the fire by dunking her
nose in a cup of coffee. There's always been some debate as to whether
Lucy ad-libbed that when her nose actually caught fire, or whether it was
in the script, but no matter. It's one of the most memorable bits in the
show's history.
Phil Silvers worked in literally dozens of scenes involving his sponsor,
Camel cigarettes, usually involving somebody trying to steal his pack
of Camels.
I'm expecting somebody to say the Winston cigarette commercial on "The
Flintstones" where Fred and Barney sneak a smoke while Wilma and Betty
do the yard work.
The basement scenes in "That 70's Show"...Hey, you didn't specifically say tobacco!
Also, once when Groucho Marx was the mystery guest on "What's My Line?" he blew a little cigar smoke in the direction of the blindfolded panel to yank their chains a bit. Ernie Kovacs might have done that, too...
Also, once when Groucho Marx was the mystery guest on "What's My Line?" he blew a little cigar smoke in the direction of the blindfolded panel to yank their chains a bit. Ernie Kovacs might have done that, too...
Corky Marlowe said:
There was this notorious smoking COMMENT from Groucho on "You Bet Your Life": After a guest mentioned that he had 12 children because he loves his wife, Groucho responded, "I love my cigar, but I take it out every once and a while."
There's some dispute as to whether Groucho actually said that;
sometimes he said he did, while other times he denied saying it.
Neither George Fenneman nor director/film editor Bob Dwan could
recall his saying it.
But he did have a woman in her 80s on the show once, and she
told Groucho that she was going to leave if he didn't put out his
cigar. Believe it or not, he did! Three reasons were given by people
who worked on the show: (1) he was a genuine respecter of age;
(2) the audience enjoyed seeing him squelched from time to time;
(3) least likely, he didn't have a comeback.
sometimes he said he did, while other times he denied saying it.
Neither George Fenneman nor director/film editor Bob Dwan could
recall his saying it.
But he did have a woman in her 80s on the show once, and she
told Groucho that she was going to leave if he didn't put out his
cigar. Believe it or not, he did! Three reasons were given by people
who worked on the show: (1) he was a genuine respecter of age;
(2) the audience enjoyed seeing him squelched from time to time;
(3) least likely, he didn't have a comeback.
The version I heard was that it was a woman with a lot of kids, and her answer when Groucho asked why so many kids was, "I love my husband". I also heard that it happened during filming of the show and never made it to air.
My favorite smoking scenes are
Case of the Missing Hare ending
The Fall Guy theme song when it ends
The Mask at the Coco Bongo Club
Faithville: Don't Compromise
Case of the Missing Hare ending
The Fall Guy theme song when it ends
The Mask at the Coco Bongo Club
Faithville: Don't Compromise
Match Game '73-77.
The funny thing about the show "Vegas" with Dennis Quaid is it is set in early 60s Las Vegas, yet you go into the casinos, bars and restaurants and not one person is smoking. You wouldn't have a casino, bar or restaurant anywhere in the country that wasn't smoked filled in the 60s, 70s or early 80s, let alone in Las Vegas during that time. Just shows how PC we have come in 50 years.
In 1981 on "Championship Wrestling" out of Memphis, Terry Funk challenged Jerry Lawler to fight him in an empty Mid South Coliseum. Announcer Lance Russell showed up with a camera guy to do a remote. As the segment starts, Lance lights up a ciagrette and takes maybe one puff before he decides to intro the segment and throws almost a whole cigarette aside, saying "Let me get rid of the cigarette." Kind of interesting to a wrestling fan. The whole thing is on youtube.
Am I imagining things or didn't Rod Serling often have a cigarette going while he introduced the Twilight Zone show?? I SWEAR I recall him smoking...or at least holding a cigarette...
Wouldn't be surprising, since he died of lung cancer at age 49.
And of course, there was Edward R. Murrow with his ever-present
cigarette on "See It Now" and "Person To Person," and he, too, died
of lung cancer at 57.
Oddly, you always saw Jackie Gleason with his cigarette and drink
during his monologue, but although he died of cancer, it wasn't lung
cancer.
And of course, there was Edward R. Murrow with his ever-present
cigarette on "See It Now" and "Person To Person," and he, too, died
of lung cancer at 57.
Oddly, you always saw Jackie Gleason with his cigarette and drink
during his monologue, but although he died of cancer, it wasn't lung
cancer.
Actually, Serling died of a heart attack while undergoing open heart surgery in June 1975--after having had a pair of heart attacks in the previous two months.bpatrick said:
The acceptability of smoking in public has changed so much. A few years ago, ESPN Classic showed an old Oklahoma football game (late 70's, I think) where either Barry Switzer or one of his assistants was smoking on the sideline. Look at any old boxing match, too; Just about everyone in the crowd has a cigarette going. And of course, there was Red Auerbach and his victory cigars...
Remember the Faithville scene where Doubt is smoking? He smoked 3 times in the episode.
In his store, he smoked, and Cutrite thought Doubt's hardware store was on fire. After Cutrite was told to smoke all he wants, Doubt smokes and it spills a bucket of water on him.
In Cutrite barber shop, Doubt smokes, and Cutrite took out his scissors and cut Doubt's cigarette.
In his store again, he smokes, Pastor Shepherd came in, so he throws the cigar away, which later his tube ended up smoking. Pastor Shepherd finds a cigar, and tells him was it Doubt's. He explains and he started a fight with Cutrite. After Doc's had a car wash, my favorite episode.
That episode reminds me of episode #1, where the can spilled on Doubt.
In his store, he smoked, and Cutrite thought Doubt's hardware store was on fire. After Cutrite was told to smoke all he wants, Doubt smokes and it spills a bucket of water on him.
In Cutrite barber shop, Doubt smokes, and Cutrite took out his scissors and cut Doubt's cigarette.
In his store again, he smokes, Pastor Shepherd came in, so he throws the cigar away, which later his tube ended up smoking. Pastor Shepherd finds a cigar, and tells him was it Doubt's. He explains and he started a fight with Cutrite. After Doc's had a car wash, my favorite episode.
That episode reminds me of episode #1, where the can spilled on Doubt.
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