‘Marlboro man’ passes away at 72 due to lung disease linked to smoking

Eric Lawson, one of several actors who depicted the ‘Marlboro Man’ cowboy in a long-running series of cigarette ads for Philip Morris and later appeared in an anti-tobacco message for the American Cancer Society, has died of lung disease. He was 72, and died at his home in the central California town of San Luis Obispo of respiratory failure due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which the US surgeon general has linked to smoking. His death was reported by his family in an obituary notice published on Sunday in the Los Angeles Times. The date of his death was not specified. The square-jawed Lawson played dozens of bit parts in television shows spanning three decades, starting in the 1970s, including Baretta, The Waltons, CHiPs, Charlie’s Angels and The A-Team.

His screen credits also included appearances in several relatively obscure film titles, such as Gymkata, King Cobra and Tall Tale, but his acting career was disrupted by an accident he suffered while filming the 1991 movie The Shooter, according to his obituary.