Ask anyone that’s a fan of old movies who they think was “cool” onscreen, or what had an incredibly unforgettable presence, and chances are you’ll get an answer that might include John Wayne, James Dean, Sean Connery as James Bond, Humphrey Bogart, or any member of the 1960’s “rat pack,” including Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., and the others.
The idea of a the strong, tough male was epitomized in these movies, acted out by the silent, brooding players who either wore cowboy boots, jeans and a white t-shirt, or amazingly crisp tuxedos. Men wanted to be them, and women wanted to be with them.
And when it comes to most movies and television series of the 1960’s, there’s one thing that these characters all seemed to have in common – they all smoked, and frequently. When they wanted to look pensive or thoughtful, or deep and silent, the men in particular would take a step back, slide a cigarette between their lips, and light up.
Smoking and sex appeal were soon linked, and audiences responded, both men and women alike. Who can’t recall the unforgettable final scene in the American movie classic “Grease,” where the formerly squeaky-clean character Sandy finally got in touch with her sexy side, suddenly appearing in black spandex pants, huge hoop earrings, and teased hair – and a cigarette between her lips.
Marlene Dietrich, inarguably one of the most legendary film actresses to have ever graced the screen, was known for smoking, as was Audrey Hepburn, who made the cigarette holder a popular fashion accessory after her role in “Breakfast at Tiffany’s.”
Yes, these sexy film stars and the characters they portrayed were no doubt instrumental in propelling cigarette and cigar smoking into not just the public eyes, but into their thoughts and perceptions of what is sexy and attractive.
And in the 1960s in particular, smoking was seen as tough and rebellious, and just plain cool. Probably no one embodied the stereotypical rebellious teenager better than the late actor James Dean, whose portrayal of troubled high school kid Jim Stark in “Rebel Without a Cause” is still celebrated today, some fifty years later. As did James Dean, most actors and their characters who played the hip, cool, rebellious teen smoked openly and incessantly, as just another way to rebel against the more straight-laced and strict generation of their parents and grandparents.