Charles Norman, the toddler who smoked
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.
St. Louis Star and Times - July 12, 1933
Public Opinion - July 31, 1934
The Hackensack Record - July 29, 1936
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
-Newsweek, Mar 20, 1950
Philadelphia Inquirer - July 30, 1956
Comments
The human body is amazing. Each is different and you have to have the die of cancer gene to even get it. Now COPD or Emphysema was almost a promise from the Tobacco Barons and their lackeys.
Posted by John on 11/17/18 at 12:11 PM
He should have been in a W. C. Fields movie.
Posted by BMN on 11/17/18 at 01:25 PM
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Category: Smoking and Tobacco | 1930s