Charles "Mickey" Norman achieved fame in the 1930s, while only a 2-year-old, because of his love of smoking. He was known as the "puffing prodigy." For a few years the media checked back at each of his birthdays and found him still smoking. Then they eventually lost interest... until his 18th birthday, when they checked and found he was still smoking, and quite healthy. The last news story about him I could find was when he was 25. Not clear what became of him after that. He might still be alive. If so, he'd be 87.
![](https://www.weirduniverse.net/images/2018/smoker01.jpg)
St. Louis Star and Times - July 12, 1933
![](https://www.weirduniverse.net/images/2018/smoker02.jpg)
Public Opinion - July 31, 1934
![](https://www.weirduniverse.net/images/2018/smoker05.jpg)
The Hackensack Record - July 29, 1936
![](https://www.weirduniverse.net/images/2018/smoker03.jpg)
Newsweek - Mar 20, 1950
No Ill Effects: At the age of 14 months, Charles (Mickey) Norman of Paterson, N.J., picked up a smoldering cigar from his father’s ash tray and took a few puffs. He liked it. By the age of 3, Mickey was an inveterate stogie smoker—his pictures appeared in papers from Italy to Australia, bringing an avalanche of fan mail. A short time later he announced: “I drink beer.” None of this seemed to have an ill effect. Now a husky, 6-foot-tall auto mechanic of 18, Norman estimates that he has smoked 13,000 cigars, along with pipes and cigarettes.
-Newsweek, Mar 20, 1950
![](https://www.weirduniverse.net/images/2018/smoker04.jpg)
Philadelphia Inquirer - July 30, 1956
Category: Smoking and Tobacco | 1930s