Cartoons & Cigars- wait...what?

Cartoons featuring cigars, especially in older animated shows, were once fairly common. Cigars in cartoons were often used as a character trait to make a figure seem tough, rebellious, or just comically flawed. Some of these characters were archetypes, like mobsters or tough guys, and the cigars were part of their "tough-guy" persona.

Here are a few notable examples of cartoons where cigars played a prominent role:

1. **Popeye the Sailor Man** (1930s - 1950s)

• Popeye is one of the most iconic characters to regularly appear with a pipe or cigar. While not always with a cigar, Popeye's pipe-smoking became a signature aspect of his character.

  • Popeye's cigar-smoking was part of his gruff but lovable personality, emphasizing his working-class, no-nonsense attitude. The character’s love of spinach, his squabbles with Bluto, and his frequent use of tobacco added to his rugged charm.

2. **Bugs Bunny (Looney Tunes)** (1930s - 1960s)

• Many of the characters in Looney Tunes, especially the villains and side characters, would be seen with cigars. For example, **Daffy Duck**, **Yosemite Sam**, and **Elmer Fudd** are often seen smoking cigars or pipes in various episodes.

  • Cigar-smoking was generally used to make characters seem more mature, self-assured, or more menacing. The Looney Tunes cartoons often included slapstick humor that was designed for adults and children alike, and cigar-smoking was just one element that made certain characters appear more "grown-up" or "badass."

3. **Dick Dastardly** (Wacky Races) (1968)

• Dick Dastardly is an exaggerated "villain" character from the Hanna-Barbera cartoon series *Wacky Races*. His cigar-smoking, along with his mustache, cape, and villainous laugh, made him a memorable antagonist.

  • Cigar smoking, like other visual elements, was used to underscore Dastardly’s role as the bumbling yet sinister antagonist. It’s a hallmark of his "villainy" persona.

4. **The Godfather Parodies (Various)** (1960s - Present)

• Various animated shows have parodied characters from *The Godfather*, such as in *The Simpsons*, where figures like **Fat Tony** (the mob boss) often smoke cigars.

  • The cigar-smoking here plays on the long-standing trope of the mafia boss or crime lord who is always seen with a cigar. These parodies usually lean into this stereotype for comedic effect.

5. **The Flintstones** (1960 - 1966)

• Fred Flintstone, the head of the household, occasionally smokes cigars in the series. In fact, many of the adult characters in the show (like Fred, Barney Rubble, and others) are depicted smoking cigars or pipes.

  • Cigars were often used in *The Flintstones* to show adult behavior in a comedic light, as the show was designed for families but often aimed at a broader audience that included adults.

6. **Johnny Bravo** (1997 - 2004)

• The character of Johnny Bravo is often depicted as an over-the-top, muscular, womanizing tough guy, and cigars occasionally make appearances in his persona, reinforcing his "bad boy" image.

  • Johnny’s cigar-smoking was used to amplify his comical, exaggerated macho persona. It helped underscore the "cool guy" aesthetic of the character, but also lampooned it in typical *Johnny Bravo* fashion.

7. **The Pink Panther** (1960s - 1980s)

• In some of the later *Pink Panther* shorts and TV specials, a cigar-smoking figure known as **Inspector Clouseau** (the bumbling detective) would occasionally light up. Clouseau, in his clumsy yet endearing way, added cigar-smoking to his list of comedic attributes.

  • Like in other cartoons, the cigar here contributed to Clouseau’s quirky, European, and ultimately “grown-up” persona, though often it was used to show how out of place he was in professional or social settings.

8. **The Simpsons** (1989 - Present)

• Cigars are often associated with the character of **Homer Simpson**, especially in episodes where he assumes a more "manly" or self-indulgent persona. Another key character, **Mr. Burns**, frequently smokes cigars, playing into his role as a wealthy, power-hungry corporate tycoon.

  • In *The Simpsons*, cigar-smoking is often used as a symbol of power, laziness, or indulgence. While *The Simpsons* addresses adult themes and social issues, the cigars are more often used for comedic effect, satirizing adult behaviors and corporate greed.

Why Did Cigars Appear in Cartoons?

• Characterization:

  • Smoking, and particularly cigar-smoking, was often used to define a character’s personality. It signified a certain ruggedness, wealth, or worldliness.

• Cultural Context:

  • In the early to mid-20th century, smoking was more socially acceptable, and many of these cartoons were made during an era when smoking was ubiquitous in films, TV, and even children’s media.

• Visual Cue:

  • A cigar can be a quick visual shorthand. It's an easy way to make a character look "tough," "cool," or "sophisticated." It might have been a way to appeal to adult audiences as well, reflecting real-world behavior in a humorous or exaggerated way.

Changing Attitudes

By the 1990s and 2000s, smoking began to be viewed more negatively in society, leading to the removal or reduction of cigar-smoking from many cartoon shows, especially those aimed at children. In recent years, there's been more awareness about the dangers of smoking, so cigars (and smoking in general) are much less common in modern animated shows, though they still appear occasionally for comedic or nostalgic effect.