Walter Cronkite, Pipe Smoker

[mso489]

In a recent TV documentary on Walter Cronkite's reporting on the Kennedy assassination, I was reminded

that Cronkite was a pipe smoker. There were several shots of him working in the newsroom with his pipe

in his mouth, and even a shot of just his pipe, in an ashtray if I remember. Just guessing, but it looked like

a Dunhill shell, probably a Group 4. It was pricey for the time, but they were less expensive then even

correcting for inflation, I think. Be interesting to know what tobacco he smoked and what pipe shop he

frequented. My guess would be Nat Sherman in Manhattan. The pipe made him look even more

authoritative. Someone was recalling that Edward R. Morrow, a fellow journalist, didn't like Cronkite

because he wasn't quite intellectual enough, but Walter certainly got the job done, and held court in the

CBS newsroom for decades. Commendable career, topped by the Medal of Freedom. Okay for a Missouri kid.

 

[dervis]

They for sure don't make them like him anymore.

 

[peckinpahhombre]

The tobacco shop he frequented was Wilke. He smoked Mixture 72.

 

[jerry]

http://www.newyorkpipeclub.com/content.aspx?page_id=5&club_id=415823&item_id=11491

 

[kashmir]

Great topic mso. Excellent read jerry. Cronkite was a man's man - they sure don't make 'em like that anymore. Straight shooter and pipe smoker.

 

[ssjones]

Yep, that looks like a well used pipe! The Gilda Radner story made me smile.

 

[cortezattic]

The man had a gift for concise, information-dense phrases. I remember him most for his coverage of NASA's lunar missions.

I'll never forget his description of the physical sensations he felt as a Saturn V blasted off the launch pad: comparing the feel

of those thrusting motors, insolently defying gravity, to the pounding of Thor's hammer.

 

[papipeguy]

Pipe smoker and avid yachtsman. At one time, and for a long time, Walter Cronkite was voted the most trusted man in America. I dare say we could use some of that now.

 

[yohanan]

At one time, and for a long time, Walter Cronkite was voted the most trusted man in America. I dare say we could use some of that now.

Amen too that. ::

 

[escioe]

The tobacco shop he frequented was Wilke. He smoked Mixture 72.

A little digging shows that this is a burley-VA-per-latakia. Anyone got any experience with it?

 

[Strike Anywhere]

That is definitely a Peterson P-lip (or at least something similar) in the photo ssjones posted.

 

[puffy]

He was probably the most respected news man ever.To me he represents the image that pipe smokers used to enjoy.

 

[misterlowercase]

At the Newseum they have some Cronkite items, a Kaywoodie, his Zippo, and the stopwatch that he timed his news scripts with before going on the air.

...and although JFK mostly smoked stogies, sometimes he'd puff a pipe too,

http://pipesmagazine.com/forums/topic/jfk-with-pipe-circa-1963

 

[rockymtnsmoker]

Ton of respect for this man. The fact he was a pipe smoker just makes so much sense.

 

[mso489]

Thanks for those good scoops on his pipe brands and tobacco. I may order some Mixture 72 in tribute,

if it's still around. And if so, is it the same blend?

 

[irish]

Always liked him and always respected his professionalism .

 

[bphilli75]

...lived to be 92. Great man, great life.

 

[mso489]

I like it that he was a burley smoker, a special breed of piper, that. You can still get Mixture 72.

 

[shutterbugg]

Someone was recalling that Edward R. Morrow, a fellow journalist, didn't like Cronkite

because he wasn't quite intellectual enough

Yeah well, Murrow chain-smoked cigarettes and died from lung cancer at 57. Cronkite lived to be almost 93. So you decide who was the smarter one :wink: