Speaking as someone who would rather not "enjoy" the drifting smoke of someone else's cig, I have to say that I don't think these images should be altered from what they truly are. We can editorialize and discuss the "value" of smoking. But the truth is that it existed and still exists, and many of our heroes smoked, pure and simple.

And I don't think that no actors should portray people smoking, either. It is dishonest to suggest a particular character with particular personality traits that would be consistent with that character being a smoker, and having them not be. This is true for tales of present-tense people, but especially for historical people who lived in different times.

Just saw, for example, "Good Night, and Good Luck" (which I HIGHLY recommend, BTW). Edward R. Murrow, as many of you know was a chain-smoker. And many of his colleagues smoked heavily, also. To have sanitized the movie by having it smoke-free would have been a baldfaced lie.

Patience, folks. With the way the laws and public opinion are going, smoking will be history, soon enough. And then all people, noteworthy and otherwise can honestly be portrayed sans cancerette.