Marlboro Man Darrell Winfield died on Monday at the age of 85.

RIP Darrell Winfield: Cowboy Marlboro Man

Winfield was one of the most popular Marlboro Men in the cigarette advertising campaign, in one period appearing in 8 out of 10 Marlboro Men ads. Perhaps this had to do with Winfield’s authenticity. Unlike other Marlboro Men models, Winfield was an authentic cowboy who lived in Wyoming with his wife, Lennie Spring, and six children when he was recruited by the Leo Burnett Advertising Agency in 1968.

“The image they try to portray is more that kind of…a kind of rugged individual. It makes us a little more mysterious, but maybe that’s not the right word. It’s as close to authentic as they can make it,” Winfield told reporters in 1975.

Adding to Winfield’s authenticity, he revealed in a 1986 interview that he wore his own clothes in the ads and never wore makeup. Furthermore, he sometimes provided the use of his horses and cattle for various photo shoots.

According to his obituary, Winfield was a member of the Screen Actors Guild, as well as the Rodeo Cowboy Association:

“At one time, his face was known as the most photographed around the world. Darrell was asked what his life would have been like if he had not been the Marlboro Man, he said ‘life would have basically been the same.’”

Winfield is survived by his wife, his children – one son and five daughters – and his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. While at least four other former Marlboro men have died recently due to lung cancer, Winfield’s cause of death has not been reported. However, his obituary stated that he had recently suffered a stroke.

Article by Olivia Truffaut-Wong

Olivia Truffaut-Wong was born and raised in Berkeley, California, where she developed her love of all things entertainment. After moving to New York City to earn her degree in Film Studies, she stayed on the East Coast to follow her passion and become an entertainment writer. She lives on a diet of television, movies and food.