Smoking in summer Wine

Just before Gloria moved to australia, she had a smoke with the trio and the lollipop man in the shelter.
 
I noticed it was a lot more prevalent in early episodes for characters to smoke, and seemed to be phased out, I saw Brian Wide as a guest actor in another tv series, possibly the Avengers smoking, but, it seemed rare to see him doing so in any other programme. Sadly I read certain actors, John Comer, Gordon Wharmby, and Juliette Kaplan all succumbed to smoking related deaths, I would support the rights of people to smoke if they wished, but, knowing the information about the dangers of tobacco consumption was effectively suppressed until quite a long time after it was realised it was not just the lungs that can be affected, it seems sad we lost these wonderful actors.
 
In one episode the Women are discussing the contents of their husband's pockets, Ivy mentions that Sid always seemed to end up with 2 toffees covered tobacco & fluff in a pocket!

From what I remember Compo tried smoking Seymour's pipe in one episode!
 
In the 60's & 70's about half the UK population smoked, and it's likely that the Trio from their socioeconomic backgrounds would have smoked. Therefore it made the characters of the time a lot more believable. Today about 1/8 or less of the UK population still smoke, so the series just moved with the times. Wonder if Stella would be puffing on one of those vaping things today to calm her nicotine nerves!???
 
Smoking suited the early episodes as it was just another element of unsavoury but commonly prevalent grime that permeated the landscape along with that of decayed factories. Later on the majority of smoke comes from either Seymour's inventions or Wes-leh's shed. There's also that which is left behind when Tom outwits the repo man for the upteenth time! :)
 
I cant stand smoking even on the TV and for this reason I never watch the first two seasons, but it happens occasionally in later series.
 
I often wonder how many of the LOTSW actors and actresses smoked in real life. I can understand why it might be attractive to those in that profession because it is an easy way to keep the weight off and save going to the gym every day. I have a good idea who's who, but It is only the idle curiosity of a former glass house dweller who knows better than to throw stones.
 
In response to Seymour's question, since as late as the 80's smoking was almost a social thing, very many of the Summer wine cast were smokers. Sadly the extent of the damage smoking can do was either not entirely understood, or, more likely suppressed by the tobacco industry. Bill Owen, and Frank Thornton were in other shows where it was a part of the plot to light up as it was deemed sophisticated. Sadly some of the cast became ill and passed due to smoking related diseases. It was eventually cut from Summer wine although in one late episode, the trio are outside Aunty Wainwrights, and as the camera tracks past Bill Owen, he can be seen with a cigarette. As someone who lost family members to smoking related diseases, I would only hope anyone who did start smoking may have the support to cease. I worked with a chap who became borderline COPD, and he tried to leave it behind but as nicotine is highly addictive he unfortunately resumed, and once certain conditions take hold they are not reversible.
 
Denton Pette said:
In response to Seymour's question, since as late as the 80's smoking was almost a social thing, very many of the Summer wine cast were smokers. Sadly the extent of the damage smoking can do was either not entirely understood, or, more likely suppressed by the tobacco industry. Bill Owen, and Frank Thornton were in other shows where it was a part of the plot to light up as it was deemed sophisticated. Sadly some of the cast became ill and passed due to smoking related diseases. It was eventually cut from Summer wine although in one late episode, the trio are outside Aunty Wainwrights, and as the camera tracks past Bill Owen, he can be seen with a cigarette. As someone who lost family members to smoking related diseases, I would only hope anyone who did start smoking may have the support to cease. I worked with a chap who became borderline COPD, and he tried to leave it behind but as nicotine is highly addictive he unfortunately resumed, and once certain conditions take hold they are not reversible.
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Denton, Thank you for your message. I am well aware of cultural changes relating to smoking over the years. I vacated my own glass house on May 21, 1990, thanks to my Doctor frightening me and Nicorette gum, and I haven't looked back. I consider myself fortunate to have no outfall issues, at least not to date. I too have lost people close to me to cigarette related issues. Fortunately for all of us it is not as prevalent now.

In my post, I was making a statement rather than posing a question. When you consider the percentage of the population smoking in the early years of Summer Wine, there was unrealistically very little on screen smoking captured on film, which was typical of American Television back then as well.

In LOTSW, I noticed there was an actor for whom a voice over had been done in a very early special. Sadly he ended up leaving the show. I thought he made a great contribution while he was in the show. He reminded me of my Uncle, who I lost to smoking. I couldn't help wonder if the actor's departure wasn't smoking related. I guess this event is what sensitized me to wonder about other actors from the show who smoked.

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John Comer (Sid) was a heavy smoker and died of throat cancer. Tony Melody dubbed his lines in "Getting Sam Home".

Gordon Wharmby (Wesley Pegden) was also a heavy smoker, who died of lung cancer. His part was written out shortly before the start of filming for the 24th season because his voice was severely damaged.
 
Marianna said:
John Comer (Sid) was a heavy smoker and died of throat cancer. Tony Melody dubbed his lines in "Getting Sam Home".

Gordon Wharmby (Wesley Pegden) was also a heavy smoker, who died of lung cancer. His part was written out shortly before the start of filming for the 24th season because his voice was severely damaged.
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Yes I recall Alan J Bell referring to these two in his book, and he stated 'why does anybody smoke?'

I certainly have no issue with many smoking in the early series, it was indicative of the time when a significant proportion of the population did smoke. I'm fairly sure that there are 'fake' cigarettes which actors used who were non smokers so I suppose we don't even know if they were real cigarettes used.
 
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