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It's a grim pattern, familiar enough that it's even gotten the Hollywood treatment: Eric Lawson, an actor who played the Marlboro Man in cigarette ads during the late '70s, died on Jan. 10 of a smoking-related illness - at least the fifth Marlboro Man to pass away from such circumstances. Lawson, an actor and model who had smoked since age 14, died of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease at the age of 72. Like other former Marlboro Men, he turned against tobacco later in life, speaking out against smoking on Entertainment Tonight and in an anti-cigarette PSA, though he did not give up...

Eric Lawson, former ‘Marlboro Man,’ who appeared in ads for Marlboro cigarettes in the late 70s died Jan. 10, 2014 due to respiratory failure at the age of 72.

Lawson, a former actor, also made his career appearing on many television shows in the 70s and 80s, such as Charlie’s Angels, CHiPs and Dynasty. Lawson reportedly slowed his acting career when he was diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (Copd), which eventually led to his death. Like two of his ‘Marlboro Man’ colleagues, his smoking no doubt caused the disease. Former ‘Marlboro Men’ David McLean and Wayne McLaren both died of lung cancer in the early 90s.

Lawson appeared in print advertisements as ‘The Marlboro Man’ for three years, from 1978 to 1981, but began smoking much earlier at the age of 14. For years, Lawson struggled to quit smoking and he reportedly was finally able to abandon cigarettes when he was diagnosed with Copd.