# Late RIP: William Thourlby (Original Marlboro Man)

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/late-rip-william-thourlby-original-marlboro-man/680500>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [February 4, 2014, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/late-rip-william-thourlby-original-marlboro-man/680500 "2014-02-04T18:16:58Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**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:** [February 4, 2014, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/late-rip-william-thourlby-original-marlboro-man/680500/1 "2014-02-04T18:16:58Z")

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[April, 2013](http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/05/nyregion/william-thourlby-the-marlboro-man-spends-his-time-alone.html?_r=0). Not a recognizable name or face, but he has a role in ‘classic’ bad movie history. He was one of the stars of [The Creeping Terror (1964)](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Creeping_Terror), as well as its biggest single investor.

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**Author:** ![UntouchedTakeaway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/d78d45/32.png) [@UntouchedTakeaway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UntouchedTakeaway)\
**Post date:** [February 5, 2014, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/late-rip-william-thourlby-original-marlboro-man/680500/2 "2014-02-05T16:42:57Z")

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Were the makers of [Creep!](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1686027/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1) able to interview him? I see him as “himself” in the credit list on IMDb, so I’m hoping that’s a yes. I’m really looking forward to this.  
I watched him recently in [Angel’s Flight](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0316601/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1)

I also remember that NY Times article - it was pretty sad.

UT~

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**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:** [February 5, 2014, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/late-rip-william-thourlby-original-marlboro-man/680500/3 "2014-02-05T17:11:48Z")

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By the way, here’s the [definitive thread on “Creeping Terror.”](http://monsterkidclassichorrorforum.yuku.com/topic/3053/The-Creeping-Terror?page=1). It’s a fun read to start from the very beginning (2006), and work your way forward as various bits of information keep getting uncovered. The producer posts a number of times in it toward the end, but I didn’t see where he actually said he interviewd Thourlby. He interviewed just about everyone else still living, whether they make it into the final cut or not. Except one–Louise Lawson. She was the blonde dancing at the dance hall. She wasn’t interested in talking about it.

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**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\
**Post date:** [February 5, 2014, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/late-rip-william-thourlby-original-marlboro-man/680500/4 "2014-02-05T18:56:12Z")

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When I saw the title I immediately was thinking about Marlboro and lung cancer and didn’t some of their actors die of it? On checking:

“Four men who claimed to have appeared in Marlboro-related advertisements—Wayne McLaren, David McLean, Dick Hammer and Eric Lawson —died of smoking-related diseases, thus earning Marlboro cigarettes, specifically Marlboro Reds, the nickname “Cowboy killers”.”

> **[Marlboro Man](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marlboro_Man)**
>
> The Marlboro Man is a figure that was used in tobacco advertising campaigns for Marlboro cigarettes. In the United States, where the campaign originated, it was used from 1954 to 1999. The Marlboro Man was first conceived by Leo Burnett in 1954. The images initially featured rugged men portrayed in a variety of roles but later primarily featured a rugged cowboy or cowboys in picturesque wild terrain. The ads were originally conceived as a way to popularize filtered cigarettes, which at the The c...