The World's Most Famous Cigar Smokers

Comedian George Burns once said, "Happiness? A good cigar, a good meal, a good cigar, a good woman ... or a bad woman; it depends on how much happiness you can handle."

Notice that he mentioned the "good cigar" twice.

George Burns

In truth, George Burns smoked cheap domestic El Producto cigars. When asked why he didn't smoke premium cigars, he revealed that El Producto was the only cigar that didn't go out when he was onstage doing his standup act. Burns further said, "If you have to stop your act to keep lighting your cigar, the audience goes out."

Winston Churchill

Probably the highest-profile of all cigar smokers was British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. He was known for smoking eight to ten large Cuban cigars a day. In fact, one of the largest cigar sizes was named for him.

It has been said that Churchill loved his daily intake of cigars so much that he had a special airplane oxygen mask created for him, enabling him to smoke while still wearing the mask during high-altitude flights in a non-pressured plane cabin.

Castro

Cuban leader Fidel Castro's image has been linked with his love of cigars. The truth, however, was that Castro gave up the habit in 1985.

In a 1994 interview with "Cigar Aficionado" magazine, Castro said that he has often dreamed about smoking a cigar in his sleep.

Bill Clinton

Former President Clinton has been forever linked to cigars due to that unfortunate White House incident that had nothing to do with smoking.

A side note: Because the White House was designated as a non-smoking area during the Clinton Administration, the President would more often chew a cigar than smoke one. He still chews cigars when playing golf.

Groucho

Groucho Marx was another celebrity known for his love of cigars. One of the most famous cigar stories originated during his tenure as host of the television quiz show "You Bet Your Life". When one of the contestants mentioned having seventeen children, Groucho replied, "I smoke a cigar, but I take it out of my mouth occasionally."

Despite the fact that this risqué quip has become part of the show business canon, it never actually happened. Many have searched, but the interchange between Groucho and the contestant has never been found in video or audio tapes of the show. And, in a 1972 "Esquire Magazine" interview with Roger Ebert, Groucho confirmed that he had never said it.

More cigar lore

Inventor Thomas Edison would sometimes roll sawdust in cigar wrappers to trick his lab assistants, who would occasionally pilfer a cigar out of his desk drawer.

Comedian Bill Cosby once stuck the lit end of his cigar into his mouth while at a Tonya Harding ice skating event.

And Jack Nicholson sneaks smokes in the bathroom during Los Angeles Lakers halftimes.

SOURCES:

http://www.winespectator.com/Cigar/CA_Archives/CA_Show_Article/0,2322,1140,00.html

http://winstonchurchill.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=993

"The ultimate cigar aficionado", Arthur Marx, Cigar Aficionado, URL: (http://www.cigaraficionado.com/Cigar/CA_Archives/CA_Show_Article/0,2322,754,00.html)

"Future of the little boy in the White House", Mark Steyn, The Spectator, URL: (http://www.cigaraficionado.com/Cigar/CA_Archives/CA_Show_Article/0,2322,754,00.html)