# Cigarette brands that used to be popular, but which are now rare or nonexistent **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 14, 2009, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cigarette-brands-that-used-to-be-popular-but-which-are-now-rare-or-nonexistent/502933 "2009-07-14T02:32:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2009, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cigarette-brands-that-used-to-be-popular-but-which-are-now-rare-or-nonexistent/502933/1 "2009-07-14T02:32:43Z")
I’m not a smoker, except for the occasional cigar. Still, I was a child of the 1970s, who grew up in a family that was culturally rooted in the 1940s and 1950s, so I was one of those kids who had parents, relatives, and every other adult puffing away like chimneys around him. My house was filled with massive dinner-plate ashtrays, as were the homes of my friends and relatives. A whle back, I saw some commercials on youtube for a brand of cigarettes called “Spud”. Really. I thought that was such a stupid name for a cigarette, but apparently up until the 1960s it was one of the nation’s most popular cigarette brands. Today, it’s extinct. What other brands were common until relatively recently, but which are now impossible to find or now extinct? Consider “until relatively recently” to mean the 1950s at the earliest; I don’t think many still alive will remember “Colonel Thom. P. Hunter’s Remember The Maine! Little Cigar-Ettes” or something like that to be recent. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2009, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cigarette-brands-that-used-to-be-popular-but-which-are-now-rare-or-nonexistent/502933/2 "2009-07-14T03:18:27Z")
I always think of Lucky Strike. They seem to be in a lot of old murder mysteries I’ve read. ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Buttons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@Mr\_Buttons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Buttons)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2009, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cigarette-brands-that-used-to-be-popular-but-which-are-now-rare-or-nonexistent/502933/3 "2009-07-14T03:20:52Z")
Lucky strike and Pall Mall’s are the two that come to mind. They’re the cigs my grandparents smoked when I was little. You can still buy Pall Mall’s, but they’re not very popular. Oh, Benson & Hedges are another I just remembered as typing this. ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2009, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cigarette-brands-that-used-to-be-popular-but-which-are-now-rare-or-nonexistent/502933/4 "2009-07-14T03:21:03Z")
A couple of years ago I was listening to a replay of an old radio episode of \*Dragnet \*from the 50’s or early 60’s, and the main sponsor was Fatima cigarettes. I’ve never heard of them anywhere else. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2009, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cigarette-brands-that-used-to-be-popular-but-which-are-now-rare-or-nonexistent/502933/5 "2009-07-14T03:26:14Z")
The OP reminds me of [Who owns the zebra?](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zebra_Puzzle#The_original_puzzle) 1. There are five houses. 2. The Englishman lives in the red house. 3. The Spaniard owns the dog. 4. Coffee is drunk in the green house. 5. The Ukrainian drinks tea. 6. The green house is immediately to the right of the ivory house. 7. The Old Gold smoker owns snails. 8. Kools are smoked in the yellow house. 9. Milk is drunk in the middle house. 10. The Norwegian lives in the first house. 11. The man who smokes Chesterfields lives in the house next to the man with the fox. 12. Kools are smoked in the house next to the house where the horse is kept. 13. The Lucky Strike smoker drinks orange juice. 14. The Japanese smokes Parliaments. 15. The Norwegian lives next to the blue house. Now, who drinks water? Who owns the zebra? Old Gold, Parliaments, Chesterfields, Kools, Lucky Strike. I’ll have to see how many of those are at the mini-mart next time I go. I’ve just re-read _Bored Of The Rings_ for the first time in many years. The mounted soldiers (on sheep, not horses) were called the Roi-Tan – after the cigars. ---
**Author:** ![percypercy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8baadc/32.png) [@percypercy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/percypercy)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2009, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cigarette-brands-that-used-to-be-popular-but-which-are-now-rare-or-nonexistent/502933/6 "2009-07-14T03:31:30Z")
My mom smoked Barclay’s in the 80’s. I haven’t seen them in years. ---
**Author:** ![King\_Bobo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c68b51/32.png) [@King\_Bobo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/King_Bobo)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2009, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cigarette-brands-that-used-to-be-popular-but-which-are-now-rare-or-nonexistent/502933/7 "2009-07-14T03:39:19Z")
Both my folks smoked “Players”. I think the ad used to say something like “Players if you please” - whatever that meant. Also, because they were Irish, I remember them going a bit daft over “Sweet Aftons” when they could get them. Further note, they used to look down on people who smoked “Woodbines” as these were considered inferior. This would have been 60’s. in UK. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2009, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cigarette-brands-that-used-to-be-popular-but-which-are-now-rare-or-nonexistent/502933/8 "2009-07-14T03:46:02Z")
Oh, Lucky Strike for sure. I’m surprised Double Happiness cigarettes never took off in America. ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2009, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cigarette-brands-that-used-to-be-popular-but-which-are-now-rare-or-nonexistent/502933/9 "2009-07-14T03:48:55Z")
Senior Service ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2009, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cigarette-brands-that-used-to-be-popular-but-which-are-now-rare-or-nonexistent/502933/10 "2009-07-14T04:39:30Z")
Tareytons. They used to have ads with pictures of Tareyton smokers all beaten up, reading “I’d rather fight than switch!” I guess they finally got quashed. ---
**Author:** ![Rico](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rico/32/3582_2.png) [@Rico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rico)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2009, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cigarette-brands-that-used-to-be-popular-but-which-are-now-rare-or-nonexistent/502933/11 "2009-07-14T04:46:28Z")
> [@King\_Bobo](#): > > Both my folks smoked “Players”. I did too, but I think the USA Players were different from the UK Players. Black pack, flip top, gold lettering. ETA: Here’s a scan of the pack: [http://www.oklahoma-outlet.com/images/products/players\_100\_box.jpg](http://www.oklahoma-outlet.com/images/products/players_100_box.jpg) I quit in 1999, and they were becoming rare then. I could only get them at a smoke shop by special order. I don’t think I’ve seen them in at least 8 years. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2009, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cigarette-brands-that-used-to-be-popular-but-which-are-now-rare-or-nonexistent/502933/12 "2009-07-14T04:58:04Z")
101’s, “a silly millimeter longer” BTW, Camels are not sold in the Middle East. ---
**Author:** ![King\_Bobo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c68b51/32.png) [@King\_Bobo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/King_Bobo)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2009, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cigarette-brands-that-used-to-be-popular-but-which-are-now-rare-or-nonexistent/502933/13 "2009-07-14T05:02:46Z")
> [@Rico](#): > > I did too, but I think the USA Players were different from the UK Players. Black pack, flip top, gold lettering. ETA: Here’s a scan of the pack: [http://www.oklahoma-outlet.com/images/products/players\_100\_box.jpg](http://www.oklahoma-outlet.com/images/products/players_100_box.jpg) > > I quit in 1999, and they were becoming rare then. I could only get them at a smoke shop by special order. > > I don’t think I’ve seen them in at least 8 years. The Players my folks favoured were in a white packet with a somewhat naval theme with an anchor and ropes/lanyard and possibly a sailor figure. They were what was then called “untipped” which meant they had no filter (I think). This was a very long time ago, my folks expired when I was young and my memories are a bit dim. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2009, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cigarette-brands-that-used-to-be-popular-but-which-are-now-rare-or-nonexistent/502933/14 "2009-07-14T12:56:58Z")
Lark? ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2009, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cigarette-brands-that-used-to-be-popular-but-which-are-now-rare-or-nonexistent/502933/15 "2009-07-14T13:12:53Z")
> [@Sigmagirl](#): > > Lark? Yep. Kent. Viceroy. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2009, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cigarette-brands-that-used-to-be-popular-but-which-are-now-rare-or-nonexistent/502933/16 "2009-07-14T13:20:12Z")
Silva Thins L&M ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2009, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cigarette-brands-that-used-to-be-popular-but-which-are-now-rare-or-nonexistent/502933/17 "2009-07-14T13:33:22Z")
Why are there only 24 letters in the new alphabet? L & M got kicked out for smoking. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2009, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cigarette-brands-that-used-to-be-popular-but-which-are-now-rare-or-nonexistent/502933/18 "2009-07-14T13:46:10Z")
My dad smoked Vantages for years. When I smoked, I tried them a couple of times. They were weird because they had a hole through the filter. I never see Vantages in gas stations or stores anymore. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2009, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cigarette-brands-that-used-to-be-popular-but-which-are-now-rare-or-nonexistent/502933/19 "2009-07-14T14:28:04Z")
Are “Sir Walter Raleigh” cigs still made? Aren’t most cigarette brands like gasoline? (same stuff with different labels)? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2009, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cigarette-brands-that-used-to-be-popular-but-which-are-now-rare-or-nonexistent/502933/20 "2009-07-14T14:57:46Z")
I went to the mini-mart for a cuppa joe and a breakfast burrito, and I noticed they carried Pall Mall, L & M, and Parliament in addition to the more popular brands. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cigarette-brands-that-used-to-be-popular-but-which-are-now-rare-or-nonexistent/502933.md?page=2)