David McLean(1922-1995)

Actor

Mr. McLean appeared for years on television commercials as the Marlboro Man. After he learned he had cancer, he became an anti-smoking crusader. At a meeting of stockholders of Philip Morris, maker of Marlboro, Mr. McLean asked them to limit their advertising. In addition to his movie credits, Mr. McLean also appeared on the television programs 'Tate', 'Bonanza', 'The Westerner', 'The High Chaparral', 'The Virginian', and 'Gunsmoke'.

IMDbProStarmeter See rank

Photos5

Known for

Days of Our Lives

5.3

TV Series

Craig Merritt

Deathsport

4.1

Lord Zirpola

1978

Tate

7.2

TV Series

Tate

X-15

5.5

Matt Powell

1961

Credits

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IMDbPro

Actor

Deathsport
4.1
- Lord Zirpola
- 1978
Kingdom of the Spiders
5.7
- Gene Smith
- 1977
Hughes and Harlow: Angels in Hell
3.9
- Billy
- 1977
Tales of the Unexpected
7.2
TV Series
- Croft
- 1977
The Streets of San Francisco
7.3
TV Series
- James Courtney
- Captain
- Clint, Deputy Harbor Master ...
- 1973–1976
Bonanza
7.3
TV Series
- Sheriff Touhy
- Marshal Steve Fallon
- Marshal Calhoun
- 1969–1973
Ironside
6.9
TV Series
- Gus Hadley
- 1972
The Andromeda Strain
7.2
- Sen. McKenzie (New Mexico) (uncredited)
- 1971
Death Valley Days
7.5
TV Series
- McGrath
- Jean Baptiste Lamy
- Marshall Lewis Stone ...
- 1963–1970
Lancer
7.1
TV Series
- Sheriff
- Hostetler
- 1969–1970
Daniel Boone
7.3
TV Series
- Smith
- 1970
Gunsmoke
8.1
TV Series
- Webb
- 1969
The Guns of Will Sonnett
7.6
TV Series
- Sheriff
- 1968
The Magical World of Disney
8.4
TV Series
- Professor Wilson
- 1968
Days of Our Lives
5.3
TV Series
- Craig Merritt
- 1965–1967

Videos1

Trailer 1:21

Kingdom of the Spiders

Personal details

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Alternative name
- David Eden
Height
- 6′ 1″ (1.85 m)
Born
- May 19, 1922
- Greentown, Ohio, USA
Died
- October 12, 1995
- Culver City, Los Angeles, California, USA(lung cancer)
Spouses
Parents
Other works
TV commercials: Marlboro cigarettes (as "The Marlboro Man")

Did you know

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Trivia
In the early to mid 1960s he played "The Marlboro Man" in a series of commercials for Marlboro cigarettes. Part of his compensation was a free supply of the cigarettes. In 1994 McLean learned he had developed lung cancer, which he was told by his physicians was due to his heavy smoking. He then joined a campaign to end the airing of ads for cigarettes on TV, which was eventually successful. The character in the novel "Thank You for Smoking" and the subsequent film Thank You for Smoking (2005)) was based on McLean.