Some say that the folly of the young is for the young to believe in the idea of their immortality. When you're 'young' (it depends on how you define young), you don't think that death will strike you. I'm betting that today's smoking celebrities don't think that smoking will affect them...Some of them may still live life in accordance to the Lucky Strike advert, think that smoking keeps them 'trim.'Their Hollywood predecessors probably had the same attitude. Even so, the celebrities of yesterday were victims of blatant advertising, sneaky tobacco companies (especially non-disclosure) and social trends influenced by advertisers.
Dead Celebrity Smokers will be a weekly feature on this blog. It will highlight the famous smokers, most of whom have died from smoking related illnesses.
The woman to the left is Betty Grable, and the image consolidated her adult career. She was also the inspiration behind Hugh Hefner's Playboy empire. It also kept soldiers company. Betty Grable was the Heidi Klum of the 40's; she was known to have the best legs in the Hollywood of her day. Before Klum, Grable had her legs insured by Lloyds of London for US$1 million.
Although she made her screen debut as a minor, her career took off in 1939, in the film Du Barry was a Lady. By 1940, she had a contract with 20th Century Fox. It was during her rise as an actress that she posed for the iconic image (1943). The poster was the 40's equivalent of the 70's Farrah Fawcett red swimsuit poster. Despite her film rivals (Rita Hayworth, Lana Turner, Veronica Lake), she because the highest earning actress in the late 40's. Her films include Coney Island, Mother Wore Tights, Moon Over Miami, Meet Me After the Show and others. Her last film hit was How to Marry a Millionaire (also starring Marilyn Monroe and Lauren Bacall).
Compared to today's standards, Grable lived a short life. She died in 1972, from lung cancer.
She was 56.
6 comments:
I'm looking forward to this post becoming a regular feature, with an expanding list of celebrities.
This would be so funny if they expanded it e cig
It will highlight the famous smokers, most of whom have died from smoking related illnesses.
Betty Grable was the Heidi Klum of the 40's; she was known to have the best legs in the Hollywood of her day.
he poster was the 40's equivalent of the 70's Farrah Fawcett red swimsuit poster. Despite her film rivals (Rita Hayworth, Air Purifier for Smoke
The picture of Betty Grable from the back in the swimsuit, circa WWII, was because she was said to be pregnant at the time.
Loretta McKey
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