Want to buy or sell something? Check the classifieds
  • The Fedora Lounge is supported in part by commission earning affiliate links sitewide. Please support us by using them. You may learn more here.

Famous Pipe Smokers

Tiller

Practically Family
Messages
637
Location
Upstate, New York
Nice anecdote about Jeremy Brett too, thanks.

It comes from one of the Sherlock Holmes dvd specials from Brett's Grenada series. They interview Edward Hardwicke (the second Watson) who talked alot about Brett as a person. Hardwicke claimed he would go and buy three packs of cigarettes, and would have then gone by the end of the day. Well this was going on he would also smoke cigars, and of course his pipe as the day went on. He was also famous for getting the director to put Holmes smoking in scenes he wasn't originally written to if it was filmed in a public building, because Brett didn't like the non-smoking laws, but was allowed to smoke because they were filming a "period" piece lol. Edward laughed about it as he told the story, ending with "I always got a kick out of that" (or something along those lines). He describes it by saying something along the lines of "So there we were in some bank, or pub or something, and there Jeremy would be smoking away well everyone else watched him."lol
 

Carlisle Blues

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,154
Location
Beautiful Horse Country
Vincent Van Gogh


c_vangogh.jpg
 

Shangas

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,116
Location
Melbourne, Australia
I'm something of Sherlockian Holmesian, and yes, Jeremy Brett did smoke a GREAT deal, both in real-life, and during the 10-year run of the Sherlock Holmes Granada series. The toll on his health was considerable, but what eventually killed him was a mixture of Manic Depression and stress, combined with the smoking. The death of his wife drove him positively looney.
 

TCMfan25

Practically Family
Messages
589
Location
East Coast USA
Damn, seems like all my idols from Tolkien to Bogart to Crosby smoked one, what ever happened to pipe smoking?

Pipes actually smell nice and aren't as bad for you if yoou don't inhale... now the great majority is sickening cigarettes...
 

Edward

Bartender
Messages
24,789
Location
London, UK
Thanks for that, I never knew he smoked a pipe.

Me neither. On screen I only remember seeing him with cigarettes, perhaps a sponsorship thing? I'm sure I remember reading that he was one of a number of Hollywood stars paid handsomely to be seen smoking a particular brand in pictures.

Damn, seems like all my idols from Tolkien to Bogart to Crosby smoked one, what ever happened to pipe smoking?

Pipes actually smell nice and aren't as bad for you if yoou don't inhale... now the great majority is sickening cigarettes...

If you inhale from a pipe, you're doing it wrong! Pipe smokers also tend to be hobbyists rather than addicts (no judgemental tone intended there). Most I know, at least, tend to pick up the pipe as an occasional indulgence rather than something they feel compelled to do regularly on a daily basis. Cigar smokers I've known are the same.

The most prominent pipe smoker of whom I know at present is Stephen Fry, the winner of the final Pipe Smoker of the Year award in 2003, since discontinued as the British Pipesmokers' Council considered (probably correctly) that publicising this award would contravene a legal ban on advertising tobacco products for sale. Nice little interview with Mr. Fry here:

http://www.thechap.net/content/section_archive/fry.html

02122007130740.jpg

17cover.gif
 

TCMfan25

Practically Family
Messages
589
Location
East Coast USA
Me neither. On screen I only remember seeing him with cigarettes, perhaps a sponsorship thing? I'm sure I remember reading that he was one of a number of Hollywood stars paid handsomely to be seen smoking a particular brand in pictures.



If you inhale from a pipe, you're doing it wrong! Pipe smokers also tend to be hobbyists rather than addicts (no judgemental tone intended there). Most I know, at least, tend to pick up the pipe as an occasional indulgence rather than something they feel compelled to do regularly on a daily basis. Cigar smokers I've known are the same.

The most prominent pipe smoker of whom I know at present is Stephen Fry, the winner of the final Pipe Smoker of the Year award in 2003, since discontinued as the British Pipesmokers' Council considered (probably correctly) that publicising this award would contravene a legal ban on advertising tobacco products for sale. Nice little interview with Mr. Fry here:

http://www.thechap.net/content/section_archive/fry.html

02122007130740.jpg

17cover.gif

Yes, but on youtube there are a large number of "Pipers" that inhale, and yes I know that you aren't supposed to inhale, meaning that addiction is difficult.
 

TCMfan25

Practically Family
Messages
589
Location
East Coast USA
Me neither. On screen I only remember seeing him with cigarettes, perhaps a sponsorship thing? I'm sure I remember reading that he was one of a number of Hollywood stars paid handsomely to be seen smoking a particular brand in pictures.



If you inhale from a pipe, you're doing it wrong! Pipe smokers also tend to be hobbyists rather than addicts (no judgemental tone intended there). Most I know, at least, tend to pick up the pipe as an occasional indulgence rather than something they feel compelled to do regularly on a daily basis. Cigar smokers I've known are the same.

The most prominent pipe smoker of whom I know at present is Stephen Fry, the winner of the final Pipe Smoker of the Year award in 2003, since discontinued as the British Pipesmokers' Council considered (probably correctly) that publicising this award would contravene a legal ban on advertising tobacco products for sale. Nice little interview with Mr. Fry here:

http://www.thechap.net/content/section_archive/fry.html

02122007130740.jpg

17cover.gif

At least you guys have things like the Chap, The New Sheridan Club, The Handlebar Mustache Club, (Formerly) Pipe Smokers Council.... but it seems as though smoking is becoming taboo over in the UK, is this true?

Do you still hold pipe smoking speed races?
 

Edward

Bartender
Messages
24,789
Location
London, UK
At least you guys have things like the Chap, The New Sheridan Club, The Handlebar Mustache Club, (Formerly) Pipe Smokers Council.... but it seems as though smoking is becoming taboo over in the UK, is this true?

It has been illegal to smoke inside a public building (including restaurants, shops, etc) in the UK for some years now; a law which, without getting into the politics of it all (you'll find them all over at least one closed thread in the FL archives), I wholeheartedly support. Pipe smoking is very rare among anyone under about seventy, though unlike cigarettes it tends to be viewed as charmingly eccentric by those who choose not to pursue it.

Do you still hold pipe smoking speed races?

I've never personally encountered one, but I gather there are events where the aim is to make a single bowl last as long as possible.
 
Last edited:

Renault

One Too Many
Messages
1,688
Location
Wilbarger creek bottom
I do not smoke my pipes around the place or in the house. But put me in the wood or on the stream and I am rabid! My most famous pipe smoker was my 8th grade math teacher, Mr. Lee! He'd even light up while we were testing! What a guy!!!!!

Kaywoodies forever!

Renault
 

Hereward

One of the Regulars
Messages
246
Location
London, England
Here is a link to the Pipe Club of London, which I am an Honorary Life Member of: http://www.pipecluboflondon.com/. Meeting was initially difficult after the smoking ban in pubs was introduced but the covered areas certain pubs have has made it possible now.

I have taken part in many pipe smoking competitions over the years. They are certainly bonkers I think. After all, if you speak to each other, pipes may go out.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
107,288
Messages
3,033,086
Members
52,748
Latest member
R_P_Meldner
Top