Friday, February 06 2009
By Joe Lyons
More than forty years after Clint Eastwood first looked out from under his hat in "A Fistful Of Dollars," people still ask, what cigar was he smoking?
The answer comes about third or fourth hand. Rich Perelman's Cigarcylopedia.com web site quotes James Leaverly, author of a series called "Sharing An Ashtray." Leaverly conducted an interview with Sir Christopher Frayling, biographer for Italian film director, Sergio Leone. Leone directed Eastwood in "A Fistful Of Dollars" (released in the U.S. in 1967) and is also credited with spawning the "Spaghetti Western."
According to the article, Frayling said, "There's a great debate as to what kind of cigars they were. Italians claim that they were cigars called Toscano, which are rather evil southern Italian cigars of very close-packed tobacco. Very dark."
He continues by explaining the cigars always went out, which is why Eastwood was constantly relighting them. The reason for this – Eastwood doesn't like to smoke.
Granted, in "Heartbreak Ridge" he celebrated the taking of Granada with a cigar and, as "The Outlaw Josie Wales," he did chew. You may remember in that film he spit on his dog and even on the white coat of the snake oil salesman, but swallowed the load when the little old lady wouldn't let him spit on her floor.
Getting back to the Leone westerns, Frayling claims Eastwood was willing to return for the second film, "For A Few Dollars More," wearing the same costume and everything else that was asked of him, "But please, no cigars."
Leone is quoted as saying, "You've got to. The cigar's playing the lead part."
If you watch "The Good, The Bad and the Ugly" on DVD, you will notice that, often as not, Eastwood's cigar is not lit. You see him light it for dramatic effect, or because it went out again, but often, the tip is cold.
You should also note Eastwood was not very hygienic with his smoke. Twice in "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly," Eli Wallach's character smokes Clint's cigar and near the end, Eastwood takes his smoke out of his mouth to give to a dying solder. (My wife claims this proves cigars can kill you.)
The Toscano cigar itself dates back to 1818 so it could have been possible for a character like Eastwood's to smoke them in the period between 1860 and 1880, as seen in the films. The big question is whether they were available here in America at that time. Clearly they were available in Italy, the country that produced the films, and described as being made of premium fired Kentucky and Italian tobacco, it might indicate they were indeed sold in America back then.
For the record, their catalog indicates the cigars undergo four months of seasoning which helps to develop their rich, slightly sweet aroma and taste. It says nothing about Frayling's claim that they are "strong stuff."
The company that manufactures them was part of British American Tobacco until recently, when it was sold to an Italian firm, Seci s.P.a., part of the large Maccaferri family group headquartered in Bologna.
Now, the transfer is complete and a new shape is being produced at the factory in Lucca; the 14th in the Toscano range, Toscano Soldati, is dedicated to the memory of Mario Soldati (1906-99), an influential Italian writer and film director, who was also a fan of the Toscano. £
About Joe Lyons
Joe Lyons is the president of Lyons Media, an Inland Empire advertising agency, and a monthly contributor to the Inland Empire Business Journal, where he writes the cigar features, the monthly restaurant review, and commentary. Joe served in the U.S. Air Force, including a term in the Armed Force Radio Network. Joe is also the Regional Sales Manager for AM 1510, KSPA radio in Ontario, CA where he hosts the Saturday morning "Time Out" lifestyle show, and is heard every Sunday Morning on the public affairs program, "Inland Empire Close-Up."
