Lucky Strike is an American brand of cigarettes owned by the British American Tobacco group. Individual cigarettes of the brand are often referred to colloquially as "Luckies."
121-419: Lucky Strike was introduced as a brand of plug tobacco ( chewing tobacco bound together with molasses) by an American firm R.A. Patterson in 1871 and evolved into a cigarette by the early 1900s. The brand style name was inspired by the gold rushes of the era, and was intended to connote a top-quality blend. An urban legend claims that the name is a reference to cannabis in some cigarette packs. The brand
242-483: A "special assignment" with the First Motion Picture Unit following basic training. The Washington Star reported that Gable took a physical examination at Bolling Field on June 19, preliminary to joining the service. "Mr. Gable, it was learned from a source outside the war department, conferred with Lieutenant General H. H. Arnold, head of the air forces yesterday." The Star continued, "It
363-529: A Catholic priest who knocks Gable down in a boxing ring. The film was a box office hit and remains the third-highest-grossing film of Gable's career. Their next film together was the Academy Award–nominated box office success Test Pilot (1938), with Myrna Loy, who made seven pictures with Gable. He plays Jim Lane, the test pilot of the title; Tracy is his sidekick mechanic, Gunner Morse. For their final film, 1940's Boom Town , Tracy would play
484-642: A Western with Jane Russell and Robert Ryan . Both were profitable, although only modest successes, earning Gable his first profit sharing royalties. In 1955, Gable would be 10th at the box office – the last time he was in the top ten. That same year, Gable married fifth wife Kay Spreckels (née Kathleen Williams). A former fashion model and actress, she had previously been married three times: first to Charles Capps (1937–39), then to Argentinian cattle tycoon Martín de Alzaga (1942–43), and to sugar-refining heir Adolph B. Spreckels Jr. (1945–52). Gable became stepfather to her son Bunker Spreckels , who went on to live
605-416: A baby's brain develops before birth. When the rules of baseball were first written in 1845, the carcinogenic potential of chewing tobacco was unknown. At that time, it was commonly used by players and coaches alike. Smokeless tobacco use became rampant by players by the early 1900s. The use of chewing tobacco in baseball steadily increased until the mid-20th century, when cigarettes became popular and took
726-412: A co-star from Test Pilot and Idiot's Delight , that newspapers reported might be the next Mrs. Gable. Professionally, Gable's first movie after World War II was Adventure (1946), with Greer Garson , by then the leading female star at MGM. Given the famous teaser tagline "Gable's back, and Garson's got him", the film was a commercial hit, earning over $ 6 million, but a critical failure. Gable
847-613: A copy of the best-seller, which he refused to read. His total salary was $ 117,917 for the film ($ 2,582,890 in 2023 ). Butler's last line in Gone with the Wind , " Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn ", is one of the most famous lines in movie history. Gable was an almost immediate favorite for the role of Rhett with both the public and producer David O. Selznick . Since Selznick had no male stars under long-term contract, he needed to negotiate with another studio to borrow an actor. Gary Cooper
968-552: A different approach, claiming that Camel was a "fresh cigarette never parched or toasted." Lucky Strike's association with radio programs began during the 1920s on NBC . By 1928, the bandleader and vaudeville producer B. A. Rolfe was performing on radio and recording as "B.A. Rolfe and his Lucky Strike Orchestra" for Edison Records. Amelia Earhart became the face of Lucky Strike cigarettes in 1928, claiming to smoke Lucky Strikes on her journey from Canada to England. The copy of an advertisement at that time said, "Lucky Strikes were
1089-462: A distinguishing feature. In 1937–38, American Tobacco paid $ 130,000 ($ 3.2 million in 2019 USD) to 16 Hollywood actors and actresses for their endorsement of Lucky Strike. The highest paid among the celebrities were Joan Crawford , Gary Cooper , Clark Gable , Myrna Loy , Robert Taylor , and Spencer Tracy , who were each paid $ 10,000 (roughly $ 178,000 in 2019 USD). "Luckies" were the cigarette of choice for famous smoker Bette Davis . Starting in
1210-483: A film about an illicit romantic affair, with Joan Crawford (who was then married to Douglas Fairbanks Jr. ). Adela Rogers St. Johns later dubbed Gable and Crawford's real-life relationship as "the affair that nearly burned Hollywood down". Louis B. Mayer threatened to terminate both their contracts, and for a while, they kept apart when Gable shifted his attentions to Marion Davies as he costarred with her in Polly of
1331-426: A film career. Gable and Dillon traveled to Hollywood in 1924. Dillon became his manager and also his wife; she was 17 years his senior. He changed his stage name from W. C. Gable to Clark Gable and appeared as an extra in such silent films as Erich von Stroheim 's The Merry Widow (1925), The Plastic Age (1925) starring Clara Bow , and Forbidden Paradise (1924) starring Pola Negri . He appeared in
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#17327805043961452-570: A global brand. Additionally, R. J. Reynolds continues to market the original, non-filtered Lucky Strikes in the United States. Lucky Strike currently has a small base of smokers. In 2007, a new packaging of Lucky Strikes was released with a two-way opening that splits seven cigarettes from the rest. In that same year, the company used the world's smallest man at the time, He Pingping , in their ad campaigns. In 2009, Lucky Strike Silver (the variety marketed as "lighter") changed its UK pack from
1573-459: A larger role, with billing directly under Gable and above Claudette Colbert and Hedy Lamarr . The picture, a lavish epic about two oil wildcatters who become partners then rivals, was a box office success, earning $ 5 million. Gable and Tracy were off-screen friends; Tracy was one of the few Hollywood industry luminaries who attended Lombard's private funeral. After Boom Town no more Gable-Tracy partnerships were possible; Tracy's success led to
1694-626: A leading role to do so. The film cost $ 2 million and grossed $ 4.5 million, making it one of the top moneymakers that decade. It used life-size replicas of the Bounty and Pandora , and was partly filmed in Catalina and French Polynesia . Gable made three pictures with Spencer Tracy , which boosted Tracy's career and permanently cemented them in the public mind as a team. San Francisco (1936), with Jeanette MacDonald , featured Tracy for only 17 minutes in an Oscar -nominated portrayal of
1815-614: A lower health risk than traditional combusted products. However it is not a healthy alternative to cigarette smoking. The level of risk varies between different types of products and producing regions. There is no safe level of chewing tobacco use. Globally it contributes to 650,000 deaths each year. Chewing tobacco may be left as loose leaves or compressed into a small rectangular "plug". Nearly all modern chewing tobaccos are produced by leaf curing, cutting, fermentation, and processing, which may include sweetening and flavoring. Historically, many American chewing tobacco brands popular during
1936-506: A major health risk, has no safe level of use, and is not a safe substitute for smoking. Globally it contributes to 650,000 deaths each year, with a significant proportion of these in Southeast Asia . Using chewing tobacco can cause many adverse health effects such as dental disease, oral cancer, oesophagus cancer, pancreatic cancer, cardiovascular disease, asthma, and deformities in the female reproductive system. It also raises
2057-551: A new contract and both stars had conflicting stipulations requiring top billing in MGM movie credits and on promotional posters. Despite his reluctance to play the role, Gable is best known for his Oscar-nominated performance in the Academy Award-winning best picture Gone with the Wind (1939). Carole Lombard may have been the first to suggest that he play Rhett Butler (and she play Scarlett ) when she bought him
2178-419: A newcomer whom MGM saw as a successor for both Crawford and the now-deceased Jean Harlow. Honky Tonk (1941) is a western where Gable's con-man/gambler character romances Turner, a prim, young judge's daughter. , Gable had been reluctant to act opposite the younger Turner in the required romantic scenes. But their chemistry served them well in this and three later films, with Honky Tonk finishing third at
2299-447: A notorious celebrity lifestyle in the late 1960s and early 1970s surfing scene, ultimately leading to his early death in 1977. Gable also formed Russ-Field-Gabco in 1955, a production company with Jane Russell and her husband Bob Waterfield , and they produced The King and Four Queens (1956), a film Gable thought would also star Russell to capitalize on The Tall Men 's moderate success. That role instead went to Jo Van Fleet . It
2420-419: A powerful role-model effect on youth, particularly among young males in sport, some of whom remain addicted in future careers as professional athletes." According to Connolly, one-quarter of Minor League players do not support allowing the use of chewing tobacco during games, and one-third of Major League players support abolishing it. Due to health concerns, MLB was asked to ban the use of chewing tobacco during
2541-432: A professional level. We had done it without him weeping several times and then we had one last try. I said, 'You can do it, I know you can do it, and you will be wonderful ...' Well, by heaven, just before the cameras rolled, you could see the tears come up at his eyes and he played the scene unforgettably well. He put his whole heart into it." The role was one of Gable's most layered performances and partially based on
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#17327805043962662-426: A result of British American Tobacco (BAT) buying out American Tobacco Company in 1976, Lucky Strike came under control of BAT. The company acquired Formula 1 's Tyrrell Racing team in 1997 and rebranded it as British American Racing the following year, sponsoring the team with its Lucky Strike and stablemate 555 brands. In the team's début season , they originally wanted to brand Jacques Villeneuve's car in
2783-481: A rope-like mass. Unlike most loose-leaf tobaccos, twist chewing tobacco is usually not sweetened. Pieces of twist are either bitten off or cut and then chewed. Twist chewing tobacco is not widely available and is mostly found in Appalachia . Historically, twists could also be smoked in a pipe, or ground up into nasal snuff . Even though it is less dangerous than smoking, chewing tobacco is addictive, represents
2904-589: A rubber plantation in Indochina . Gable portrayed a plantation manager involved with Harlow's wisecracking prostitute; however, upon her arrival, Gable's character started to pursue Mary Astor's prim, classy newlywed. While some critics thought Harlow stole the show, many agreed that Gable was a natural screen partner. Gable's "unshaven love-making" with braless Jean Harlow in Red Dust made him MGM's most important romantic leading man. With Gable established as
3025-468: A sensitive issue and new image for Gable. Gable and Harlow were then teamed in Hold Your Man (1933), China Seas (1935), in which the pair were billed above Wallace Beery, and Wife vs. Secretary (1936) with Myrna Loy costarring and supported by newcomer James Stewart . A popular combination on-screen and off, Gable and Harlow made six films together in five years. Their final film together
3146-536: A series of two-reel comedies called The Pacemakers and in Fox's The Johnstown Flood (1926). He also appeared as a bit player in a series of shorts. However, he was not offered any major film roles, so he returned to the stage in What Price Glory? (1925). He became lifelong friends with Lionel Barrymore , who initially scolded Gable for what he deemed amateurish acting but nevertheless urged him to pursue
3267-763: A stage career. During the 1927–28 theater season, he acted with the Laskin Brothers Stock Company in Houston , Texas; while there, he played many roles, gained considerable experience, and became a local matinee idol. He then moved to New York City, where Dillon sought work for him on Broadway. He received good reviews in Machinal (1928), with one critic describing him as "young, vigorous, and brutally masculine". Gable and Dillon separated, filing for divorce in March 1929, while he began working on
3388-565: A star, MGM positioned him in the same manner as Harlow for Myrna Loy, a previously lesser billed actor in Night Flight , moving Loy to a costar role in Men in White , a movie filmed in 1933, though delayed in release due to pre-Code Legion of Decency cuts until 1934. The relationship of a doctor (Gable) and nurse ( Elizabeth Allan ) implied intimacy with a resulting complication of pregnancy,
3509-605: A start in acting until he turned 21 and received his $ 300 inheritance (equivalent to $ 5,461 in 2023 ) from a Hershelman trust. After his stepmother died in 1920, his father moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma , going back into the oil business. He worked with his father for some time wildcatting and sludge removing in the oil fields of Oklahoma before traveling to the Pacific Northwest. Gable toured in second-class stock companies, finding work with traveling tent shows , lumber mills, and other odd jobs. He made his way across
3630-583: A supporting role again. He received extensive fan mail as a result of his performance; the studio took notice. The Hollywood Reporter wrote "A star in the making has been made, one that, to our reckoning, will outdraw every other star ... Never have we seen audiences work themselves into such enthusiasm as when Clark Gable walks on the screen." Gable co-starred in Susan Lenox (Her Fall and Rise) (1931) with Greta Garbo , and in Possessed (1931),
3751-499: A three-cornered hat", one he had to be talked into by friend and producer Irving Thalberg , and of which Gable said "I stink in it" after filming. Mutiny on the Bounty (1935) was a critical and commercial success, receiving eight Academy Award nominations. There were three Best Actor nominations for stars Gable, Charles Laughton and Franchot Tone , and the film won Best Picture , the second of three films in which Gable played
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3872-668: A unit commander. (Prior to this, he and McIntyre were both first lieutenants.) Gable spent most of 1943 in England at RAF Polebrook with the 351st Bomb Group. Gable flew five combat missions, including one to Germany, as an observer-gunner in B-17 Flying Fortresses between May 4 and September 23, 1943, earning the Air Medal and the Distinguished Flying Cross for his efforts. During one of
3993-418: A villainous chauffeur who knocked Barbara Stanwyck 's character unconscious for trying to save two children whom he was methodically starving to death. The supporting role was originally slated for James Cagney until the release of The Public Enemy catapulted him to star status. "His ears are too big and he looks like an ape", said Warner Bros. executive Darryl F. Zanuck about Gable, after testing him for
4114-561: Is a movie so bad that it must be seen to be disbelieved." Next, he paired with Doris Day in Teacher's Pet (1958), shot in black and white at Paramount. He did Run Silent, Run Deep (also 1958), with co-star and producer Burt Lancaster , which featured his first on-screen death since 1937, and which garnered good reviews. Gable started to receive television offers, but rejected them outright. At 57, Gable finally acknowledged, "Now it's time I acted my age". His contracts began including
4235-569: Is flavored and often sweetened; it is not ground fine like dipping tobacco . Unwanted juices are spat while chewing. Chewing tobacco is a source of nicotine and therefore highly addictive . Quitting chewing tobacco use is as challenging as smoking cessation . Using chewing tobacco can cause various harmful effects such as dental disease, oral cancer , oesophagus cancer , and pancreas cancer , coronary heart disease , as well as negative reproductive effects including stillbirth , premature birth and low birth weight . Chewing tobacco poses
4356-411: Is on Gable and French Devil's Islands convicts in an escape from the penal colony, who on the way pick up a local entertainer (Crawford) whom Gable had met earlier in the movie. In their eighth and last film together, Gable and Crawford "again demonstrated their on-screen magic" and the film was among the top ten grossing films for the year. Gable then made his first film with 20-year old Lana Turner,
4477-546: Is present in countries such as the United States but particularly prevalent in Southeast Asian countries where the use of smokeless tobacco is common. All tobacco products, including chewing, contain cancer-causing chemicals. These carcinogenic compounds occurring in chewing tobacco vary widely, and depend upon the kind of product and how it was manufactured. There are 28 known cancer-causing substances in chewing tobacco products. Using chewing tobacco increases
4598-426: Is rarely seen outside museums. Spittoons are still present on the floor of the U.S. Senate 's old chamber, honored as tradition. Clark Gable William Clark Gable (February 1, 1901 – November 16, 1960) was an American film actor. Often referred to as the "King of Hollywood", he had roles in more than 60 films in a variety of genres during a career that lasted 37 years, three decades of which
4719-434: Is tobacco leaves pressed into a square, brick-like mass called a plug. From this, pieces are bitten off or cut from the plug and then chewed. Plug tobacco is declining in popularity, and is thus less readily available than loose-leaf chewing tobacco. Historically, plug tobacco could be either smoked in a pipe or chewed, but today, these are two distinct products. Twist chewing tobacco consists of leaves twisted together into
4840-566: Is true, especially among white and Hispanic males. In 1970, five times as many 65-and-older males used smokeless tobacco as 18- to 24-year-olds did (12.7% of the population were 65+ male users, 2.2% of the population were 18–24 male users). More specifically, moist snuff use increased for males ages 18–24 from 1% of the population to 6.2% of the population, while 65+ male users decreased from 4% to 2.2%. A 2009 survey by The U.S. Centers for Disease Control revealed that 8.9% of U.S. high-school students had used smokeless tobacco on at least 1 day during
4961-451: The 2011 World Series between the St. Louis Cardinals and Texas Rangers . Many believe that the widespread use of chewing tobacco by baseball players has led to a rampant increase in youth, and particularly teen, use. Additionally, teen use of smokeless tobacco has increased and it is more harmful and dangerous to tobacco user, while the use of all tobacco products by teens has decreased. This
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5082-406: The 351st Bomb Group to England as head of a six-man motion picture unit. In addition to McIntyre, he recruited the screenwriter John Lee Mahin , camera operators Sgts. Mario Toti and Robert Boles, and the sound man Lt. Howard Voss, to complete his crew. Gable was promoted to captain while he was with the 351st Bomb Group at Pueblo Army Air Base , Colorado, a rank commensurate with his position as
5203-593: The American Civil War era were made with cigar clippings. Loose-leaf chewing tobacco is the most widely available and most frequently used type of chewing tobacco. It consists of shredded tobacco leaf, usually sweetened and sometimes flavored, and often sold in a sealed pouch typically weighing 3 oz. Loose-leaf chewing tobacco has a sticky texture due to the sweeteners added. Common loose-leaf chewing tobacco brands include America's Best Chew , Levi Garrett , Beech-Nut, and Stoker's. Plug chewing tobacco
5324-723: The American Tobacco Company , refused, citing the money that he had already spent millions advertising the package. Bernays then endeavored to make green a fashionable color. The centerpiece of his efforts was the Green Ball, a social event at the Waldorf Astoria , hosted by Narcissa Cox Vanderlip . The pretext for the ball and its unnamed underwriter was that all proceeds would go to charity. High society women would attend wearing green dresses. Manufacturers and clothing and accessories retailers were advised of
5445-442: The Distinguished Flying Cross , Air Medal , American Campaign Medal , European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal , and World War II Victory Medal . He was a qualified aerial gunner having received his wings upon completion of flexible gunnery school at Tyndall field. Immediately after his discharge from the service, Gable returned to his ranch and rested. Personally, he resumed a pre-war relationship with Virginia Grey ,
5566-625: The Gone with the Wind premiere in segregated Atlanta , because African American actors Hattie McDaniel and Butterfly McQueen were not permitted to attend. He reportedly only went after McDaniel pleaded with him to go. They appeared in several more films, remaining life-long friends and he always attended her Hollywood parties. Gable did not want to shed tears for the scene after Rhett inadvertently causes Scarlett to miscarry their second child. Olivia de Havilland made him cry, later commenting, "Oh, he would not do it. He would not! Victor (Fleming) tried everything with him. He tried to attack him on
5687-734: The Korean and Vietnam Wars , ending in 1976 with the growing evidence that linked smoking to various health problems. In 1978 and 1994, export and US rights were purchased by Brown & Williamson . In the 1960s, filtered styles were launched in addition to a mentholated version called "Lucky Strike Green," "green" referring to menthol , and not to the package color. In late 2006, the "Full Flavored" and "Light" filtered varieties were discontinued in North America. However, Lucky Strike continued to have marketing and distribution support in territories controlled by British American Tobacco (BAT) as
5808-552: The Methodist church where his father was a Sunday School teacher. The dispute was resolved when his father agreed to allow him to spend time with his maternal uncle Charles Hershelman and his wife on their farm in Vernon Township, Pennsylvania . In April 1903, Gable's father married Jennie Dunlap (1874–1920). Gable's stepmother raised the tall, shy child with a loud voice to be well-dressed and well-groomed. She played
5929-532: The sonnets . His father had financial difficulties in 1917 and decided to try his hand at farming, and moved the family to Palmyra Township , near Akron, Ohio . His father insisted that he work the farm, but Gable soon left to work in Akron for the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company . Gable was inspired to become an actor after seeing the play The Bird of Paradise at age 17, but he was unable to make
6050-460: The 30 days before the survey. Usage was more common among males (15.0%) than females (2.2%) and among Whites (11.9%) than Blacks (3.3%) or Hispanics (5.1%). The five states with the highest percentage of high-school users were Wyoming (16.2%), North Dakota (15.3%), South Dakota (14.6%), Montana (14.6%), and West Virginia (14.4%). Notable chewing tobacco brands include: Chewing is one of the oldest methods of consuming tobacco. Indigenous peoples of
6171-462: The Americas in both North and South America chewed the leaves of the plant long before the arrival of Europeans. The Southern United States was distinctive for their production of tobacco, which earned premium prices globally. Most farmers grew some for their own use, or traded with neighbors who grew it. Commercial sales became important in the late 19th century, as major tobacco companies arose in
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#17327805043966292-671: The Circus (1932). Gable was considered for the role of Tarzan in Tarzan the Ape Man , but lost out to Johnny Weissmuller 's more imposing physique and superior swimming prowess. Gable then starred as the romantic lead in Strange Interlude (1932), again teaming with Shearer, the second of three films they would make together for MGM. Next, Gable starred with Jean Harlow in the romantic comedy-drama Red Dust (1932) set on
6413-614: The Los Angeles stage production of The Last Mile , Gable was offered a contract with Pathe Pictures . His only film for them and first role in a sound picture was as the unshaven villain in their low-budget William Boyd Western , The Painted Desert (1931). The studio experienced financial problems after the film's delayed release, so Gable left for work at Warner Bros . The same year in Night Nurse , Gable played
6534-608: The Midwest to Portland, Oregon , where he worked as a necktie salesman in the Meier & Frank department store. Also working there was local stage actor Earle Larimore , (the nephew of Laura Hope Crews who portrayed Aunt Pittypat alongside Gable in Gone with the Wind ) who encouraged Gable to return to acting. Though Larimore didn't invite him to join his theater group The Red Lantern Players, he did introduce Gable to one of its members, Franz Dorfler, and they started dating. After
6655-987: The South African Grand Prix in Kyalami , but during the 1972 Formula One season , the team also participated in the French Grand Prix in Circuit de Charade , the British Grand Prix in Brands Hatch and the German Grand Prix at the old Nürburgring . After the retirement of the team, it took over 20 years before Lucky Strike participated in Formula 1 again with the British American Racing team. As
6776-710: The South, becoming one of the largest employers in Winston-Salem, North Carolina , Durham, North Carolina , and Richmond, Virginia . Southerners dominated the tobacco industry in the United States. So much so that a concern as large as the Helme Tobacco Company , headquartered in New Jersey , was headed by former Confederate officer George Washington Helme . In 1938, R. J. Reynolds marketed 84 brands of chewing tobacco, 12 brands of smoking tobacco, and
6897-674: The US market. From 1972 until the team's departure in 1975, Lucky Strike sponsored the Scuderia Scribante team, which was also known as "Neville Lederle" and "Lucky Strike Racing" . The cars, driven by Neville Lederle and Dave Charlton , were some of the first to be sponsored by a major tobacco company after the Lotus Team was sponsored by Gold Leaf in 1968, and Marlboro started sponsoring British Racing Motors in 1972 and later McLaren in 1974. The team mainly participated in
7018-540: The Western United States, a device known as the spittoon was a ubiquitous feature throughout places both private and public (e.g. parlors and passenger cars ). The purpose of the spittoon was to provide a receptacle for excess juices and spittle accumulated from the oral use of tobacco. As chewing tobacco's popularity declined throughout the years, the spittoon became merely a relic of the Old West and
7139-738: The Wind (1939). He received Golden Globe Award nominations for his comedic roles in Teacher's Pet (1958), and But Not for Me (1959). He also starred in Call of the Wild (1935), Key to the City (1950), and Mogambo (1953). His final on-screen role was as an aging cowboy in The Misfits (1961). Gable was one of the most consistent box-office performers in the history of Hollywood, appearing on Quigley Publishing's annual Top Ten Money Making Stars Poll sixteen times. He appeared opposite many of
7260-579: The Wind "hardly befitted a national idol" and began a career decline for Gable. On August 12, 1942, following Lombard's death and his completion of the film Somewhere I'll Find You , Gable joined the United States Army , under the Army Air Forces . Lombard had suggested that Gable enlist as part of the war effort, but MGM was reluctant to let him go. Commanding General of the U.S. Army Air Forces Henry H. "Hap" Arnold offered Gable
7381-643: The World War II romantic intrigue film, Idiot's Delight (1939). He plays a nightclub singer that doesn't recognize former love (Shearer) while Nazis are closing in on guests at a hotel on the brink of war. The film is memorable for Gable's song and dance routine, "Puttin' on the Ritz" and an alternative ending. Gable also starred in Strange Cargo (1940), a romantic drama with Joan Crawford , costarring Peter Lorre and Ian Hunter . The film's focus
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#17327805043967502-451: The age difference". The publicity only helped ticket sales as the film finished No. 7 at the box office, grossing 8.2 million for the year, easily his most popular hit since he returned to MGM after the war. Despite the positive critical and public response to Mogambo , Gable became increasingly unhappy with what he considered mediocre roles offered by MGM, while the studio regarded his salary as excessive. Studio head Louis B. Mayer
7623-676: The ante-room at the White House, covered its floor with pools and rivulets of their spittle. An observant traveller in the South in 1865 said that in his belief seven-tenths of all persons above the age of twelve years, both male and female, used tobacco in some form. Women could be seen at the doors of their cabins in their bare feet, in their dirty one-piece cotton garments, their chairs tipped back, smoking pipes made of corn cobs into which were fitted reed stems or goose quills. Boys of eight or nine years of age and half-grown girls smoked. Women and girls "dipped" in their houses, on their porches, in
7744-515: The box office that year. Since the couple had been popular with the public, Gable and Turner were quickly paired again in Somewhere I'll Find You (1941) as war correspondents who travel to the Pacific theatre and get caught up in a Japanese attack. The movie was another hit finishing No. 8 at the box office for 1942. Film historian David Thomson wrote the quality of his movies after Gone With
7865-576: The cadets with their commissions. Arnold then informed Gable of his special assignment: to make a recruiting film in combat with the Eighth Air Force to recruit aerial gunners. Gable and McIntyre were immediately sent to Flexible Gunnery School at Tyndall Field, Florida , followed by a photography course at Fort George Wright , Washington State and promoted to first lieutenants upon its completion. On January 27, 1943, Gable reported to Biggs Army Airfield , Texas to train with and accompany
7986-561: The cancer was linked to his lifetime use of chewing and dipping tobacco. A 2016 MLB collective bargaining agreement prohibited all new Major League Baseball players from using smokeless tobacco. Debate exists over whether players should be banned from using tobacco products during the games. The Major League Baseball Players Association disagrees, claiming it is a legal substance, so is acceptable to be used during games. Harvard School of Public Health professor Gregory Connolly , however, says, "the use of smokeless tobacco by players has
8107-472: The careful aim which made for cleanly living. Even the pews of fashionable churches were likely to contain these familiar conveniences. The large numbers of Southern men, and these were of the better class (officers in the Confederate army and planters, worth $ 20,000 or more, and barred from general amnesty) who presented themselves for the pardon of President Johnson, while they sat awaiting his pleasure in
8228-463: The cigarettes carried on the 'Friendship' when she crossed the Atlantic. They were smoked continuously from Trepassey to Wales. I think nothing else helped so much to lessen the strain for all of us." In the late 1920s, the brand was sold as an avenue to thinness for women. One typical advertisement said, "Reach for a Lucky instead of a sweet." Sales of Lucky Strikes increased by more than 300% during
8349-429: The couple's audition for The Astoria Players, Gable's lack of training was evident, but the theater group accepted him after cajoling from Larimore. Gable and Dorfler moved to Astoria, Oregon , touring with the group until its bankruptcy, and then moved back to Portland where Gable obtained a day job with Pacific Telephone and started receiving dramatic lessons in the evening. Gable's acting coach, Josephine Dillon ,
8470-413: The director Frank Capra , Gable's character in the film closely resembled his real personality. Gable returned to MGM a bigger star than ever. From 1934 until 1942, when World War II interrupted his movie career, he was near the top of the box office money-makers lists. Gable's first movie role back at MGM was to portray reluctant leader of mutineers Fletcher Christian , an "Englishman in knickers and
8591-483: The excitement growing around the color green. Intellectuals were enlisted to give highbrow talks on the theme of green. The company's advertising campaign generally featured a theme that stressed the quality of the tobacco, claiming that the higher quality tobacco resulted in a cigarette with better flavor. This campaign included a series of advertisements using Hollywood actors as endorsers of Lucky Strike. For example, Douglas Fairbanks referenced its toasted tobacco as
8712-510: The existing green and red package with a $ 50,000 bet. Loewy changed the background from green to white because market research suggested it had more appeal to female smokers while also cutting printing costs by eliminating the green dye. He also placed the Lucky Strike target logo on both sides of the package, a move that increased both visibility and sales. Hill paid off the bet. The message "L.S./M.F.T." ("Lucky Strike means fine tobacco")
8833-410: The fall of 1944, Lucky Strike began sponsoring comedian Jack Benny 's Radio and TV show, The Jack Benny Program , which was also introduced as The Lucky Strike Program . The Lucky Strike signature dark-green pack was changed to white in 1942 in a famous advertising campaign that used the slogan "Lucky Strike Green has gone to war." The company claimed the change was made because the copper used in
8954-546: The film Combat America in September 1944, giving the narration himself and making use of numerous interviews with enlisted gunners as focus of the film. Because his motion picture production schedule made it impossible for him to fulfill reserve officer duties, he resigned his commission on September 26, 1947, a week after the Air Force became an independent service branch. Gable was awarded military honors for service:
9075-646: The first year of that advertising campaign. Sales went from 14 billion cigarettes in 1925 to 40 billion in 1930. In the early 1930s, Al Jolson was also paid to endorse the brand; he called Lucky Strike "The cigarette of the acting profession... the good old flavor of Luckies is as sweet and soothing as the best 'Mammy' song ever written." In 1935, the American Tobacco Company began to sponsor Your Hit Parade , featuring North Carolina tobacco auctioneer Lee Aubrey "Speed" Riggs (later, another tobacco auctioneer from Lexington, Kentucky, F.E. Boone,
9196-454: The green coloring was needed for World War II , though, in reality, American Tobacco used chromium for the green ink and copper for the gold-colored trim. Supply of each was limited and the substitute materials made the packaging look drab, but attributing the package update to the war effort helped Lucky Strike appear more patriotic. Famed industrial designer Raymond Loewy was challenged by company president George Washington Hill to improve
9317-462: The high cost of the all-star cast. Variety said, "[Gable's] is a believable delivery, interpreting the brigadier-general who must send his men out to almost certain death with an understanding that bespeaks his sympathy with the soldier... ". A very public and brief romance with Paulette Goddard occurred after that. In 1949, Gable married Sylvia Ashley , a British model and actress previously married to Douglas Fairbanks Sr . The relationship
9438-604: The last years of his life to speaking with Major League teams about not using chewing tobacco where television cameras could see the players so that children could not witness and be influenced by it. He also dedicated time to the National Spit Tobacco Education Program, which was being run by friend and former Major League player, Joe Garagiola. Tuttle died on July 27, 1998, after a 5-year battle with cancer. Hall of Fame outfielder Tony Gwynn died of salivary cancer on June 16, 2014. He claimed
9559-513: The lower-rank Columbia studio, for one film It Happened One Night , to teach Gable a lesson, but Columbia wanted him and had paid handsomely for it. The result was that Gable won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his 1934 performance in the film. "Critics praised the fast-paced farce that would enter in a whole new romantic genre: the screwball comedy." Gable's career was revitalized by his whimsical, good-natured performance and to
9680-442: The makers of Lucky Strike, were ordered to pay $ 750,000 to a Florida resident who had developed lung cancer after having smoked cigarettes for 44 years. The jury found Brown & Williamson guilty of manufacturing a defective product, and of engaging in misleading advertising by not warning people about the health danger associated with their product. In 1998, Brown & Williamson again found liable to pay $ 950,000 in damages to
9801-453: The men he served with, such as former Tech. Sgt. Ralph Cowley, said Gable actually unofficially joined other missions and the above five were only a fraction of the total. Adolf Hitler favored Gable above all other actors. During World War II, Hitler offered a sizable reward to anyone who could capture and bring Gable to him unscathed. In November 1943, Gable returned to the United States to edit his film, on an old Warner's lot donated to
9922-502: The missions, Gable's aircraft was damaged by flak and attacked by fighters, which knocked out one of the engines and shot up the stabilizer. In the raid on Germany, one crewman was killed and two others were wounded, and flak went through Gable's boot and narrowly missed his head. When word of this reached MGM, studio executives began to badger the Army Air Forces to reassign its most valuable screen actor to noncombat duty. Many of
10043-462: The most popular actresses of their time. He frequently acted alongside Joan Crawford , Myrna Loy , Jean Harlow , Lana Turner , Norma Shearer and Ava Gardner . Gable died of a heart attack in 1960 at the age of 59. William Clark Gable was born on February 1, 1901, in Cadiz, Ohio , to William Henry "Will" Gable (1870–1948), an oil-well driller, and his wife Adeline ( née Hershelman). His father
10164-437: The pair was recognized by studio executive Louis B. Mayer , who would not only put them in seven more films but also began reshooting Complete Surrender , replacing John Mack Brown as Crawford's leading man and retitling the film Laughing Sinners (1931). His fame and public visibility after A Free Soul (1931), in which he played a gangster who shoved the character played by Norma Shearer, ensured that Gable never played
10285-484: The part. He later conceded, "I think I know now how a fly must react after being caught in a spider's web." According to Lennie Bluett, an extra in the film, Gable almost walked off the set when he discovered the studio facilities were segregated and signage posted "White" and "Colored". Gable phoned the film's director Victor Fleming and told him, "If you don't get those signs down, you won't get your Rhett Butler." The signs were then taken down. Gable tried to boycott
10406-425: The personality of director and friend Fleming. Years later, Gable said that whenever his career would start to fade, a re-release of Gone with the Wind would soon revive his popularity, and he continued as a top leading actor for the rest of his life. One reissue publicized "Clark Gable never tires of holding Vivien Leigh". Between his marriage to Lombard and her death, Gable again costarred with Norma Shearer in
10527-464: The piano and gave him lessons at home. He later took up brass instruments, becoming the only boy in the Hopedale Men's town band at age 13. Gable was mechanically inclined and loved to repair cars with his father, who insisted that he engage in masculine activities such as hunting and hard physical work. Gable also loved literature; he would recite Shakespeare among trusted company, particularly
10648-488: The place of some players' smokeless tobacco habit. Joe Garagiola , who quit, warned about chewing tobacco: "I tell these guys, 'You may not like what I say, but with lung cancer you die of lung cancer, ' " ... "With oral cancer, you die one piece at a time. They operate on your neck, they operate on your jaw, they operate on your throat." Bill Tuttle was a Major League player who made a big name for himself both through baseball and his anti-chewing tobacco efforts. Tuttle
10769-566: The play Hawk Island in New York which ran for 24 performances. In April 1930, Gable's divorce became final, and a few days later he married Texas socialite Maria Franklin Prentiss Lucas Langham, nicknamed "Ria". After moving to California, they were married again in 1931, possibly due to differences in state legal requirements. In 1930, after his impressive appearance as the seething and desperate character Killer Mears in
10890-562: The public parlours of hotels and in the streets. Chewing tobacco is still used, predominantly by young males in some parts of the American South, but also in other areas and age groups. In September 2006, both the Republican and Democratic candidates for Senator from Virginia admitted to chewing tobacco and agreed that it sets a bad example for children. In the late 19th century, during the peak in popularity of chewing tobacco in
11011-560: The quintessential red design to blue, albeit with a red outer covering around the packet. In 2012 consumption of Lucky Strikes stood at 33 billion packets, up from 23 billion in 2007. The television series Mad Men , which featured Lucky Strike as a major client of the advertising firm Sterling Cooper and the cigarette of choice of Don Draper , was credited with inspiring the massive jump in sales. In December 2020, Lucky Strike filtered cigarettes, both full-flavored and lights, plus full-flavored and light menthol versions, were reintroduced to
11132-479: The red and white Lucky Strike livery, while branding Ricardo Zonta's car with the blue colors of 555 . However, the FIA blocked the move, and the team were forced to run two similar liveries. They opted to have the Lucky Strike livery on the left hand side of the car and the 555 livery on the right hand side, with a zip going up in the middle of the nose. From 2000 on, the team solely used Lucky Strike branding. The team
11253-487: The relatives of a Florida resident who had died from lung cancer. The jury found that the company had conspired with other tobacco companies to hide the health risks of smoking cigarettes. According to the Tampa Bay Times , this lawsuit marked "the first time a tobacco company has been ordered to pay punitive damages intended to punish and deter wrongdoing because cigarettes are inherently dangerous". "Lucky Strike"
11374-415: The risk of fatal coronary artery disease , fatal stroke and non-fatal ischaemic heart disease. Quitting chewing tobacco use is as challenging as smoking cessation . There is no scientific evidence that using chewing tobacco can help a person quit smoking. Chewing tobacco is a cause of oral cancer , oesophagus cancer , and pancreas cancer . Increased risk of oral cancer caused by chewing tobacco
11495-607: The risk of fatal coronary heart disease and stroke . In 2010 more than 200 000 people died from coronary heart disease due to smokeless tobacco use. Use of chewing tobacco also seems to greatly raise the risk of non-fatal ischaemic heart disease among users in Asia, although not in Europe. Chewing tobacco can cause adverse reproductive effects including stillbirth , premature birth , low birth weight . Nicotine in chewing tobacco products that are used during pregnancy can affect how
11616-433: The role. Gable followed this up with Homecoming (1948), where he played a married doctor enlisting in World War II and meeting Lana Turner's army surgical nurse character with a romance unfolding in flashbacks. After that he made the war film Command Decision (1948), a psychological drama with Walter Pidgeon , Van Johnson , Brian Donlevy , and John Hodiak . It was a hit with audiences, but it lost MGM money due to
11737-522: The second male lead in the studio's gangster drama Little Caesar (1931). After his failed screen test for Zanuck, Gable was signed in 1930 by MGM's Irving Thalberg for $ 650 per week (equivalent to approximately $ 13,023 in 2023 ). He hired the well-connected Minna Wallis, a sister of producer Hal Wallis , as his agent, whose clients included actresses Claudette Colbert , Myrna Loy and Norma Shearer . Gable's arrival in Hollywood occurred when MGM
11858-453: The top-selling Camel brand of cigarettes . Reynolds sold large quantities of chewing tobacco, even though that market peaked around 1910. A historian of the American South in the late 1860s reported on typical usage in the region where it was grown, paying close attention to class and gender: The chewing of tobacco was well-nigh universal. This habit had been widespread among the agricultural population of America both North and South before
11979-440: The war effort, assigned to the 18th AAF Base Unit (Motion Picture Unit) at Culver City, California , where other stars contributed with any film equipment they had as well. In June 1944, Gable was promoted to major . While he hoped for another combat assignment, he had been placed on inactive duty and on June 12, 1944, his discharge papers were signed by Captain (later U.S. president) Ronald Reagan . Gable completed editing of
12100-414: The war. Soldiers had found the quid a solace in the field and continued to revolve it in their mouths upon returning to their homes. Out of doors where his life was principally led the chewer spat upon his lands without offence to other men, and his homes and public buildings were supplied with spittoons. Brown and yellow parabolas were projected to right and left toward these receivers, but very often without
12221-524: Was Betrayed (1954), an espionage wartime drama with Turner and Victor Mature . Critic Paul Mavis wrote, "Gable and Turner just don't click the way they should here...poor plots and lines never stopped these two pros from turning in good performances in other films." In March 1954, Gable left MGM. His next two films were made for 20th Century Fox : Soldier of Fortune , an adventure story in Hong Kong with Susan Hayward , and The Tall Men (1955),
12342-416: Was Saratoga (1937), a bigger hit than their previous collaborations. Harlow died during its production. The film was ninety percent completed, and the remaining scenes were filmed with long shots or the use of doubles like Mary Dees ; Gable said he felt as if he were "in the arms of a ghost". When MGM head Louis B. Mayer decided that Gable was getting difficult and ungrateful, he loaned Gable out to
12463-621: Was Gable's only time as producer. He found producing and acting to be too much work and this Raoul Walsh western was the only film made. After turning down the lead role in Universal-International's Away All Boats , his next project was the Warner Bros. production Band of Angels (1957), co-starring Yvonne De Carlo and featuring relative newcomer Sidney Poitier ; it was not well received, despite Gable's role's similarities to Rhett Butler. Newsweek said, "Here
12584-551: Was Kelly in Astor's role, with both receiving Academy Award nominations, Gardner for Lead Actress and Kelly for Supporting Actress. While on location in Africa, reports of an affair between Gable and Kelly began to surface (the result of private dinners the stars were having), but their relationship was an intense friendship according to costar Gardner, with Kelly herself later commenting on the lack of any sexual aspect, "maybe because of
12705-454: Was Selznick's first choice. When Cooper turned down the role of Butler, he was quoted as saying, " Gone With the Wind is going to be the biggest flop in Hollywood history. I'm glad it'll be Clark Gable who's falling flat on his nose, not me." By then, Selznick had become determined to hire Gable, and set about finding a way to borrow him from MGM. Gable was wary of potentially disappointing an audience that had decided that no one else could play
12826-624: Was a Protestant and his mother a Catholic. Gable was named William after his father, but he was almost always called Clark, and referred to as "the kid" by his father. Gable was six months old when he was baptized at a Roman Catholic church in Dennison, Ohio . When he was ten months old, his mother died. His father refused to raise him in the Catholic faith, which provoked criticism from the Hershelman family. Gable and his father were active in
12947-539: Was a favorite of Gable's, and he was very disappointed when her mental health problems caused her to be replaced in Mogambo by Grace Kelly . Mogambo (1953), directed by John Ford , was a somewhat sanitized and more action-oriented remake of Gable's hit pre-Code film Red Dust , with Jean Harlow and Mary Astor. Ava Gardner, in her third and final pairing with Gable, was well received in Harlow's leading lady role, as
13068-489: Was a theater manager in Portland. She paid to have his teeth fixed and his hair styled. She guided him in building up his chronically undernourished body, and taught him better body control and posture. He slowly managed to lower his naturally high-pitched voice, his speech habits improved, and his facial expressions became more natural and convincing. After a long period of her training, Dillon considered Gable ready to attempt
13189-472: Was acclaimed for his performance in The Hucksters (1947), a satire of post-war Madison Avenue corruption and immorality, which co-starred Deborah Kerr and Ava Gardner . The film was popular with audiences, placing 11th at the box office, but both Variety and The New York Times reviewed it as a sanitized version of the novel with script issues, that was heavy on Gable screentime, who struggled in
13310-406: Was added). The weekly radio show capitalized on the tobacco auction theme and each ended with the signature phrase "Sold, American." In 1934, Edward Bernays was asked to deal with women's apparent reluctance to buy Lucky Strikes because their green and red package clashed with standard female fashions. When Bernays suggested changing the package to a neutral color, George Washington Hill , head of
13431-687: Was also the prime sponsor of the Suzuki MotoGP team from the 1990 season until the 1997 season . American motorcycle racer Kevin Schwantz became the 1993 world champion riding the Lucky Strike-sponsored Suzuki RGV500 , with riders including Doug Chandler , Alex Barros and Daryl Beattie taking various podiums and wins on the Lucky Strike Suzuki as well. In 1996, Brown & Williamson ,
13552-572: Was an outfielder for the Detroit Tigers , Kansas City Athletics , and Minnesota Twins . He was an avid tobacco chewer; even his baseball cards pictured him with a bulge in his cheek from the tobacco. Nearly 40 years after he began using smokeless tobacco, Tuttle developed a tumor in his mouth so severe, it protruded through his skin. A few years before he died, Tuttle had many of his teeth, his jawbone, his gums, and his right cheekbone removed. He also had his taste buds removed. Tuttle dedicated
13673-510: Was as a leading man . He was named the seventh greatest male movie star of classic American cinema by the American Film Institute . Gable won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in the romantic comedy , It Happened One Night (1934). He was further Oscar-nominated for his roles as Fletcher Christian in the drama Mutiny on the Bounty (1935), and Rhett Butler in the historical romance drama Gone with
13794-503: Was bought outright by partners Honda by 2006, though Lucky Strike continued to sponsor the team until the end of that year. For races where tobacco branding was not allowed, the Lucky Strike logo was blocked out (from 1999 to 2004), replaced by "Run Free" on other parts of the car (in 1999), changed to "Look Alike" (from 2000 to 2003), to a barcode with Formula One car (in 2003–2004), to "Look Left," "Look Right," and "Don't Walk" (in 2004), and "Racing Revolution" (in 2005–2006). Lucky Strike
13915-425: Was fired in 1951, amid slumping revenue and increased Hollywood production costs, due in large part to the rising popularity of television. The new studio head, former production chief Dore Schary , struggled to maintain profits for the studio. Many long-time MGM stars were fired, or their contracts were not renewed, including Greer Garson and Judy Garland . Gable refused to renew his contract. His last film at MGM
14036-409: Was first introduced by R. A. Patterson of Richmond, Virginia in 1871 as cut plug chewing tobacco and later as a cigarette. In 1905, the company was acquired by the American Tobacco Company . In 1917, the brand debuted the slogan "It's Toasted" to promote the manufacturing method of toasting – rather than sun drying – the tobacco. In an attempt to counter this popular campaign, competitor Camel took
14157-663: Was introduced on the package in 1944. Lucky Strike was one of the brands included in the C-rations provided to US troops during the World War II. Each C-ration of the time included nine cigarettes of varying brands because military leaders believed tobacco was essential to the morale of soldiers. The other cigarette brands included in the C-rations were: Camel , Chelsea, Chesterfield , Craven "A"-Brand , Old Gold , Philip Morris , Player's , Raleigh, and Wings . The practice of including cigarettes in field rations continued through
14278-862: Was looking to expand its stable of male stars, and he fit the bill. He made two pictures in 1931 with Wallace Beery . In the first, he had a seventh-billed support role in The Secret Six , although his role was much larger than the billing would indicate, then he achieved second billing in a part almost as large as the film's star Beery in the naval aviation film Hell Divers . MGM's publicity manager Howard Strickling started developing Gable's studio image with Screenland magazine playing up his "lumberjack-in-evening-clothes" persona. To increasing popularity, MGM frequently paired him with well-established female stars. Joan Crawford asked for him to appear with her in Dance, Fools, Dance (1931). The electricity of
14399-533: Was profoundly unsuccessful; they divorced in 1952. Gable did a series of films with female co-stars: Any Number Can Play (1950) with Alexis Smith , Key to the City (1950) with Loretta Young , and To Please a Lady (1950) with Barbara Stanwyck . They were reasonably popular, but he had more success with two Westerns: Across the Wide Missouri (1951), and Lone Star (1952). He then made Never Let Me Go (1953) opposite Gene Tierney . Tierney
14520-554: Was the name of one of a number of temporary U.S. Army "Tent cities" known as Cigarette Camps situated around the French port of Le Havre following its capture in the wake of the Allied Normandy landings in mid-1944. Chewing tobacco Chewing tobacco is a type of smokeless tobacco product that is placed between the cheek and lower gum to draw out its flavor. It consists of coarsely chopped aged tobacco that
14641-834: Was understood that Mr. Gable, if he is commissioned, will make movies for the air forces. Lieutenant Jimmy Stewart , another actor in uniform, has been doing this." Gable had expressed an earlier interest in officer candidate school , with the intention of becoming an aerial gunner upon enlisting in bomber training school. MGM arranged for his studio friend, the cinematographer Andrew McIntyre, to enlist with him and accompany him through training. On August 17, 1942, shortly after his enlistment, he and McIntyre were sent to Miami Beach, Florida , where they entered USAAF OCS Class 42-E. Both completed training on October 28, 1942, and were commissioned as second lieutenants . His class of about 2,600 students (of which he ranked about 700th) selected Gable as its graduation speaker. General Arnold presented
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