Marlboro man dies of respiratory disease
Print Edition
Eric Lawson, who portrayed the rugged Marlboro man in cigarette ads during the late 1970s, has died. He was 72.
Lawson died on January 10 at his home in San Luis Obispo in California of respiratory failure due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease his wife, Susan Lawson, said on Sunday.
Lawson was an actor on such TV shows as “Baretta” and “The Streets of San Francisco” when hired to appear in print Marlboro ads from 1978 to 1981.
His wife said injuries sustained on the set of a western film ended his career in 1997.
A smoker since age 14, Lawson later appeared in an anti-smoking commercial that parodied the Marlboro man and an “Entertainment Tonight” segment to discuss the negative effects of smoking. Susan Lawson said he was proud of the interview, even though he continued the habit until diagnosed with COPD.
“He knew cigarettes had a hold on him,” she said. “He knew, yet he still couldn’t stop.”
Other actors and models who pitched Marlboro cigarettes have died of smoking-related diseases. They include David Millar, who died of emphysema in 1987, and David McLean, who died of lung cancer in 1995.
Lawson was also survived by six children, 18 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
