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Alan Landers Obituary

In the 1960s and '70s, his hunky good looks made Alan Landers the face of Winston cigarettes -- and a Playgirl cover model.

Then heart disease and tobacco-related cancers stole not just his looks, but his life.

''The Winston Man'' -- once the sexy spokesmodel for a product he claimed addicted him in childhood then destroyed him -- died Feb. 27 at his home in Lauderhill. He had filed suit against the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. in 1995 and was finally headed to trial next month.

An anti-smoking activist who testified before Congress and spoke internationally for the World Health Organization, Landers was 68. He had a small part in one big movie -- Annie Hall -- and larger parts in several B-movies, and in recent years eeked out a living as an acting coach. Television credits include Ellery Queen and America's Most Wanted.

Since learning he had lung cancer in 1987, Landers had undergone multiple surgeries, the scars from which he would reveal in show-and-tell lectures on the dangers of smoking -- especially to kids.

''I am . . . a two-time survivor of lung cancer, as well as open-heart surgery, emphysema, reconstructed vocal cords and nerve damage,'' he wrote on his website, winstonman.com.

``With this background, I chose to come forward in support of a tobacco-free world in the interest of protecting the lives of children and future generations.''

Landers ''loved getting out there and discussing his experience,'' said niece Robin Carns, of Plantation. ``He would rip the shirt off and show all the scars on his back and chest.''

Landers was undergoing a punishing course of chemotherapy and radiation before the trial he had been eagerly anticipating for 13 years.

No longer able to eat, he had had an abdominal feeding tube installed several days before Carns found him dead in his bed.

''He had no money whatsoever,'' said Peggy McCarthy, a fellow activist who founded the Lung Cancer Alliance. The U.S. Army veteran ``was living on Social Security and taught acting -- one-on-one at his home.''

In his lawsuit, Landers claimed that when he became tobacco-addicted at 13, Reynolds was intentionally lying about the health risks of smoking.

In 2006, the Florida Supreme Court ruled that smokers had to sue the cigarette manufacturers individually.

Tim Howard, of Tallahassee, one of Landers' lawyers, said he has not decided whether to seek compensatory damages beyond funeral expenses.

Under Florida law, only spouses, children or dependent relatives can collect punitive damages. Landers was single with no children.

''He wanted justice,'' Howard said.

When someone challenged Landers about his personal responsibility in the matter, he would say ''it's one thing for adults to get addicted and try to quit, but as a child, he was not capable of making that decision,'' according to Howard. ``In 1952, there was nothing out there. The first Surgeon General's warning came in 1964.''

Howard figured that Landers ''would have been a sensation'' in court. ``You'd seen him on TV shows . . . and in Playgirl. He had lived large, and the trial would have been large, too.''

MODEL YEARS

At no time was his life larger than his modeling heyday in New York, when Landers -- born Allan Stewart Levine in Brooklyn and raised in Lakeland -- was a swinging bachelor with thick, dark hair and six-pack abs.

Bonwit Teller, a now-defunct Fifth Avenue department store, once used an Alan Landers look-alike mannequin in their main menswear window.

He posed for Vogue, Cosmopolitan, GQ, Menswear, Esquire and Playboy, for Coca-Cola, Tiparillos and Winston.

''I appeared on billboards and in magazine advertisements holding a Winston cigarette urging others, young and old, to smoke,'' he wrote on his website, where the ads appear.

``I was expected to portray smoking as stylish, pleasurable and attractive. I was required to smoke on the set, constant smoking was required to achieve the correct appearance of the cigarette, ash and butt length.

'During this time frame I also promoted Tiparillo small cigars. In television advertisements, my character, dressed in a trench coat utters the rhetorical line, `Should a gentleman offer a Tiparillo to a lady?' ''

Landers left New York for Los Angeles, where he was far more successful as an acting coach than as an actor. He lived for a time with actress Lois Chiles: Dr. Holly Goodhead in the 1979 James Bond film Moonraker.

His website says that he coached, among others, Michelle Pfieffer, JoAnne Woodward, Jerry Hall, Ali McGraw, Victoria Principal, George Hamilton, Delta Burke, Valerie Perrine, George Maharis, Robert Carradine, Richard Roundtree and Susan Blakely.

Peggy McCarthy said Landers got caught up in Hollywood's '80s-era cocaine culture and found himself behind bars after trying to rob a restaurant where he once worked.

Ironically, the incident led to his first cancer diagnosis, McCarthy said.

``He developed a hernia, and they sent him to the [Veterans Administration] hospital. They did an X-ray of his abdomen and found cancer. If he hadn't committed the armed robbery, he would have been dead in the '80s.''

After several years in remission, the cancer returned. Again, doctors discovered it by chance, in a CAT scan before surgery for snoring.

'My uncle had that `James Dean' look that women died for,'' Robin Carns said. ``It was so surprising how rapidly the cancer and chemo aged him.''

`IT WAS TORTURE'

Toward the end of his life, Landers was in great pain. During an appearance in 2005 on Larry King Live!, he explained that he ``had to get nerve-block shots. I went for six months, I had such pain they had to shoot me up with 30 shots a day, and I had to lie in a vat with ice packs all over my body for like four hours a day. . . It was torture, it was hell on earth when they operated on me.''

He talked about being ``one of the lucky ones. Most Marlboro men are dead, the Camel man, these were friends of mine. They're all dead. Every day I get up, I thank God. Let me go through this day with love in my heart, a sense of humor and a positive attitude.''

As things got worse, ''what kept him going was this case,'' said McCarthy, of Washington state. ``All he could think about was the trial. He wanted his day in court. He wanted to be heard and say to the companies that they were liars.''

R.J. Reynolds did not answer a request for comment.

Landers is survived by one of his three brothers, Jack Landers. A memorial service is planned in Los Angeles.

Published by the Miami Herald from Mar. 9 to Mar. 24, 2009.
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Memories and Condolences
for Alan Landers

Not sure what to say?





God is a God of all Comfort
My condolences

May 31, 2020

Valenda Newell

May 3, 2017

Just as no man has power over the spirit or can restrain the spirit, so no one has power over the day of death. Just as no one is discharged during a war, so wickedness will not allow those who practice it to escape. All of this I have seen, and I applied my heart to every work that has been done under the sun, during the time that man has dominated man to his harm. (Ecclesiastes 8:8,9). Alan is missed by family and friends and prayers continue to pour out for his family may you all have peace.

December 26, 2013

And no resident will say: “I am sick…”Isa 33:24. We can expect this to be a reality in the near future; perhaps you or I may see those missing from our lives due to sickness that leads to death. Prayers go out to the surviving family and friends.

December 26, 2013

I'd just like to offer my condolences and say that I remember this man very well throughout my life from the magazine ads. I did'nt know he was an acting teacher.I discovered this as I was reading about George Maharis,clicked,and realized I knew this man from magazines,and do care.I'm so sorry to hear that he passed away so young,and my prayers are with his loved ones.Sincerely,David Alonzi

David Alonzi

April 11, 2009

Alan was a great acting teacher and a great friend. To lose him this way, so close to finally getting his day in court against the tobacco indusrty is cruel. He would have been great up there on that witness stand.

Mark Hodos

March 16, 2009

I knew Alan in highschool and he was a wonderful guy. I saw him again in Florida and he still had that great charm and personality. He will be missed by all who knew him.

Carole Garlin

March 11, 2009

Thank you Alan for taking on the big boys although I did not know you, I did know you through being an ex-smoker with emphysema thank you for taking up the fight.
Blessings
Jodie Clark London

March 9, 2009

It is an unfortunate thing cigarettes. The pain that is left in their wake is enormous. I didn't know Alan. But I know many Alans. I cry for my own family's cigarette victims and I worry about my own future health.

Outlawing tobacco in all forms and naming the law for Alan --- now that would be something. Get angry Alan's family. We will support you.

Just another tobacco victim.

Julie Turner

March 6, 2009

I used to show the Winston pictures in my drug education class to teach students about the hidden messages contained in the ads. I promise to remember all that you have done to curb tobacco use and keep advancing the message to kids that smoking KILLS!

God Bless!

Mark Szabo, M.Ed.
Certified Health Education Specialist

Mark Szabo

March 5, 2009

This passing hits home with me as I lost my own father in January to cancer as well after he'd smoked for 60 years. My thanks to Mr. Landers for his efforts to raise awareness to the hazards of tobacco and sincerest condolences to his family and friends.

Vincent Villarreal

March 5, 2009

My sincere condolences to family and friends of Alan. We had lost touch but we had some really nice times together.

joyce

March 4, 2009

Our thoughts and prayers are with you in your time of grief. May your memories bring you comfort.

Marty griffin

March 4, 2009

Alan and I first met when we both had roles in the very first episode of "Americas Most Wanted." He played the bank robber, Leslie Rougie and I played the FBI agent that arrested him. We stayed in touch from that point on. I called him last week and he said he felt terrible. That was the last time I talked to him. Rest in peace Alan.

Emmett Fitzsimmons

March 4, 2009

I finally quit smoking after 30 something yrs. I hope it dosent catch up to me. Mr Landers I knew
your ads. and the marlboro man.
We were all taking our chances.
I hope you rest in peace now.

Bill Kerker

March 3, 2009

alan and i worked at the living room nite club in nyc in the sixties. we have stayed in touch all these years alan was a class act. he will be missed.

al leslie

March 3, 2009

R.I.P. Alan

Steve

March 3, 2009

I got to meet Mr. Landers when he came to our school in Upper Sandusky, Ohio when I was in the 7th grade. He gave his presentation with such power. For the next two years he came back to other functions and each time is was more powerful. I feel blessed to have known him and will always remember his great personality and smile and positive comments to me. You are in a better place with no more pain and suffeing and we have another angel watching over us. Rest in peace my friend.

Aaron

March 3, 2009

When I read the story of Alan Landers it just broke my heart to see this young man suffering and now just hearing that he passed away really got to me. I am a smoker and right now my mother is suffering from similiar symptoms and I tryed so many times to quit and it is so hard. I just pray for the family and everyone out there that is going threw the this situation..May God Bless U and Everyone

alyce

March 3, 2009

Didn't know Mr. Landers. Only knew of him.
Dad died of emphasema. Smoking is an insidious habit. Mr Landers fought the for the good. Here's to hoping more like him are here to take up the cause.

Michael Copps

March 3, 2009

I just read the "story" of Alan Landers & was deeply touched by his fight against the tobacco industry. I am sorry that he didn't make it to trial, but am sure he is in a better place. May God bless him and his family.

Suzanne Holland-Schmidt

March 3, 2009

We will miss you Alan especially at our Thanksgiving gatherings. I know how you suffered the last few weeks of your life. You were determined to make your mark in history and you did. Hopefully others will learn how harmful smoking can be.

Kurt Friedman

March 3, 2009

Alan was my acting teacher and I only been working with him for 8 months but within that time he opened a whole new world to me. I will miss you deeply, sir. And as you say "Luv you Babe"

Everett Osceola

March 3, 2009

I also had the pleasure of working with Alan during several of his visits to Ontario, Canada. He had such a presence and made a definite impact in the lives of young people he encountered. He was an incredible person who will be missed.

Ornell Douglas

March 3, 2009

I had the pleasure to be Mr Levine's insurance agent and I must say he was a very special, kind man. May he rest in peace.

FRANCIA ALFORD

March 3, 2009

Alan -

You left your mark on this world. Now it's up to you to do it again on your next journey.

May the wind be always on your back.

Jonathan Rausch

March 3, 2009

ALAN WAS A MAN OF STRENGTH AND COURAGE. wHEN WE WERE AT THE GYM HE ALWAYS MADE ME LAUGH AND WAS ALWAYS POSITIVE EVEN THOUGH HE WAS FIGHTING A BATTLE. I WILL MISS HIM AND WHEN I THINK OF HIM IT WILL PUT A SMILE ON MY FACE. GOODBYE ALAN....BUT NOT FORGOTTEN

BARBARA BECKER

March 3, 2009

I had the pleasure to work with Alan on several occasions in Ohio going to the county schools and to our Relay For Life. I know that with his powerful presentation that he changed and saved many lives. Whoever came in contact with him was always touched. It makes me very sad that he did not get to see his day in court.
I will never forget him and am very thankful that I was able to call him my TRUE friend.

Beth

March 3, 2009

I studied with Alan in the early 90s. He was a forceful presence. He will be greatly missed.

Ken Cooper

March 3, 2009

Alan was the Best.... I new him for 20 years and talked to him once a week. It is so sad that he died before he went to court. He tried so hard to make it... Sally and I will miss him alot...

March 3, 2009

Alan visited us in Canada several times and toured Ontario talking to teenagers in schools. I have no doubt that he prevented countless deaths and suffering by encouraging young people not to smoke. He was a wonderful man and will be sadly missed.

Diane Finkle Perazzo

March 3, 2009

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