Fame Struck Down By Nicotine Dependency
If tobacco kills famous people before age 60, then why can't it kill us too?
Bill Hicks, 32, comedian: pancreatic cancer
Lorraine Hansberry, 34, playwright (Raisin in the Sun): pancreatic cancer
Luiz Jose Costa, 36, Brazilian music star: lung cancer
Carrie Hamilton, 38, actress, Carol Burnett's daughter: lung cancer
Wilhelmina Cooper, 40, modeling pioneer: lung cancer
Patty Donahue, 40, singer "I know what boys like": lung cancer
Eric Carr, 41, musician (Kiss drummer): heart and lung cancer
Carolina Knapp, 42, author (Pack of Two/The Hunger): lung cancer
Judy Holliday, 43, actress: throat cancer
Chris "Punch" Andrews, 43, Canadian radio DJ: lung cancer
Nat "King" Cole, 45, singer: lung cancer
John Cipollina, 45, guitarist: emphysema
Nancy Gore Hunger, 46, sister of V.P. Al Gore: lung cancer
Lon Chaney, 47, actor/director: lung cancer
Graham Chapman 48 comic ("Monty Python"): throat cancer
Mary Wells, 49, singer ("My Guy"): larynx cancer
Jack Cassidy, 50, actor: died in a fire from smoking in bed
Errol Flynn, 50, actor: heart attack
Jim Varney, 50, comedian (Ernest): lung cancer
Roger Maris, 51, baseball player (N.Y. Yankees): lung cancer
Wayne McLaren, 51, "Marlboro Cowboy": lung cancer
Robert Shaw, 51, actor (Jaws): heart attack
Rod Serling, 51, director (Twilight Zone) heavy smoker: heart disease
Carl Wilson, 51, musician (Beach Boys): lung cancer
Lloyd Haynes, 52, TV actor (General Hospital): lung cancer
Eddie Kendrick, 52, singer (Temptations): lung cancer
Roy Orbison, 52, singer ("Pretty Woman"): heart attack
Kidd Kraddick, 53, national morning radio host: heart attack
Jimmy Dorsey, 53, musician, band leader: lung cancer
Jerry Garcia, 53, musician (Grateful Dead): heart attack
Lindley ("Spike") Jones, 53, band leader: emphysema
Benjamin Orr, 53, musician (The Cars): pancreatic cancer
Babe Ruth, 53, baseball player: oral cancer
William Talman, 53, actor (Perry Mason's adversary): lung cancer
Jack Wild, 53, actor (Artful Dodger in Oliver): mouth cancer
Tony Gwynn, 54, Hall of Fame Padres baseball player: oral cancer
Mark Belanger, 54, baseball shortstop Orioles: lung cancer
Michael Landon, 54, actor - heavy smoker: pancreas and liver cancer
Robert Palmer, 54, singer/songwriter - heavy smoker: heart attack
Larry Gilbert, 55, PGA golfer: lung cancer
Susan Hayward, 55, actress: lung cancer
Lee Remick, 55, actress: lung and liver cancer
Ian Fleming, 56, James Bond creator: heart attack
King George VI, 56, Father of Queen Elizabeth II: lung cancer
Betty Grable, 56, "pin-up" girl, actress: lung cancer
Doug McLure, 56, TV actor (The Virginian): lung cancer
Roger Miller, 56, singer/songwriter: lung/throat cancer
Eddie Rabbitt, 56, singer/song writer: lung cancer
Patrick Swayze, 57, actor ("Dirty Dancing" "Ghost"): pancreatic cancer
Patrick Swayze, Smoker, Dead at 57
Patrick Swayze, star of "Dirty Dancing" and "Ghost" died on September 14, 2009, after a two year battle with pancreatic cancer. According to Johns Hopkins University's Pancreatic Cancer Research Center, "cigarette smoking is one of the biggest risk factors for developing pancreatic cancer ... associated with a 2-3 fold increased risk." A heavy smoker, Patrick openly admitted his belief that smoking "probably" contributed to his cancer. But even after being diagnosed he continued smoking, with each puff adding additional nicotine and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which promote pancreatic cancer. If smoking robbed us of Patrick, why can't it rob us of you?
Humphrey Bogart, 57, actor ("Casablanca"): esophagus cancer
Wolfman Jack, 57, music disk jockey: heart attack
Edward R. Murrow, 57, reporter: lung cancer
Will Thornbury, 57, modeled for Camel TV ads: lung cancer
George Harrison, 58, musician (The Beatles): lung cancer
R.J. Reynolds, 58, tobacco company founder: emphysema
R.J. Reynolds, III, 59, tobacco company heir: emphysema
Clark Gable, 59, actor ("Gone With The Wind"): heart attack
Anne Ramsey, 59, actress (Goonies - Mama Fratelli): throat cancer
We Miss You George!
Non-famous young victims
Discover Smart Turkey
- WhyQuit.com - WhyQuit is the Internet's oldest forum devoted to the art, science and psychology of cold turkey quitting, the stop smoking method used by the vast majority of all successful long-term ex-smokers.
- Nicotine Cessation Topic Index - An alphabetical subject matter index to more than a thousand nicotine cessation articles, videos and support group discussions.
- Nicotine Addiction 101 - WhyQuit's basic guide to understanding nicotine dependency.
- How to Quit - Joel Spitzer's basic quitting tips video.
- Joel's Library - Joel Spitzer devoted nearly 50 years to teaching why smokers smoke, the consequences, and how to stop. Joel's Library is home to his life's work. It includes Joel's "Daily Quitting Lesson Guide," his 100 original stop smoking articles, his free ebook "Never Take Another Puff," and to his nearly 500 video lessons.
- "Freedom from Nicotine - The Journey Home" - Written by John R. Polito, a former 30-year heavy smoker and WhyQuit's 1999 founder, the book's objective is to help readers become smarter and wiser than their addiction is strong. It's the only quitting book cited by the U.S. Surgeon General in his 2020 700-page Smoking Cessation Report.
- Turkeyville - Imagine surrounding yourself with more than 13,000 cold turkey quitters. Turkeyville is a Facebook support group exclusively for cold turkey quitters.
Knowledge is a Quitting Method