Famous Pipe Smokers

Lee Van Cleef: Beady-Eyed Villain and Pipe Smoker

January 10, 2025 by Rose Kiser

12 Comments

When I was a young girl, I had an uncle who was obsessed with spaghetti westerns. His entire man cave looked like a set from Bonanza and on the rare occasion that we visited, he would talk about whatever spaghetti western was on the tube. I don't remember a lot from these visits but I do remember one with him showing me the standoff between Clint Eastwood, Eli Wallach, and the unforgettable Lee Van Cleef in The Good, the Bad, and The Ugly. Lee's beady eyes ... Read More

John Milton: Pipe Smoker

December 27, 2024 by Chuck Stanion

8 Comments

If you've used the word "pandemonium," perhaps when your life has been upended by craziness or absurdity, you have John Milton to thank — not for the craziness, but for the word to describe it, which he invented. It's from his epic poem, Paradise Lost (1667), and was "the high capital of Satan and all his peers," and the dwelling place of all demons. Its meaning has shifted in modern times, but Milton conceived it. ... Read More

Walter Cronkite: Most Trusted Pipe Smoker

September 6, 2024 by Chuck Stanion

15 Comments

Best known as the anchor of the CBS Evening News from 1962 to his retirement in 1981, Walter Cronkite covered important stories like the Vietnam War, the Kennedy assassination, the Apollo 11 moon landing, the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and the Watergate scandal. Because of his journalistic integrity ... Read More

Millicent Fenwick: Four-Term Pipe-Smoking Congresswoman

March 29, 2024 by Kayla Ivan

12 Comments

Known as a Firebrand, an orator, a socialite, and an activist, Millicent Fenwick broke down stereotypes and accomplished extraordinary feats, all in the trusted company of her favorite pipes. New Jersey's four-term Congresswoman, Fenwick was also referred to as the "pipe-smoking grandma," which irked her, likely ... Read More

Oscar Peterson: The Greatest Jazz Pianist and Distinguished Pipe Smoker

February 9, 2024 by Rose Kiser

6 Comments

Jazz is hard to define. It is a genre that transcends boundaries; it is a living, breathing expression of the history and culture that never settles neatly into a box. Critic Whitney Balliett is quoted as calling it "the sound of surprise." Many artists have left an impression in the jazz community but one man stands above ... Read More

J. Robert Oppenheimer: Destroyer of Worlds; Smoker of Pipes

November 17, 2023 by Chuck Stanion

11 Comments

Robert Oppenheimer was an unusual genius. Unlike others of similar intellectual aptitude, who are often socially awkward, he was engaging, charismatic, and endlessly interesting. Of slight build with piercing blue eyes, he was popular with women and in his youth would maintain four or five relationships at a time. ... Read More

Albert King: A King of the Blues and a Pipe Smoker

November 10, 2023 by Rose Kiser

4 Comments

Looking back upon Albert King's I'll Play the Blues for You, there's a certain sense of irony as one of the greatest and most influential blues guitarists of all time sings humbly about being nobody but a man who'll play the blues for you. King had an expansive career that touched hundreds of artists across the world with his signature Gibson Flying V guitar in hand and a pipe ... Read More

Greta Garbo: Enigmatic Actor and Pipe Smoker

October 27, 2023 by Rose Kiser

2 Comments

There are few actors as iconic as Greta Garbo. The Swedish-American actor is often considered one of the greatest screen entertainers of all time, contributing impassioned performances in roles both silent and spoken. Garbo was an enigma to the public, a star who shied away from the spotlight and was unapologetically ... Read More

Niels Bohr: The Pipe Smoker Who Fathered Quantum Mechanics

October 5, 2023 by Chuck Stanion

10 Comments

Denmark has brought some remarkable advancements to the world, including moving-coil loudspeakers, insulin, dry-cell batteries, and, yes, LEGO. Danish pastries are great, too, though they originated with Austrian bakers working in Denmark who modified their previous recipes, and the new ones found their ... Read More

John Steinbeck: Writer and Pipe Smoker

September 15, 2023 by Zachary Podl

13 Comments

One of the most fascinating elements of writing is its simplicity. A pencil, paper, and a little creativity is all one needs to get started. However, some might prefer a few additional accommodations, such as background music or a comfortable chair. For John Steinbeck, a pipe packed with tobacco was a welcome ... Read More