(Riverton, Wyo.) – A Riverton rancher who became the iconic image of the rugged American Cowboy has died at the age of 85. Darrell Winfield was the original Marlboro Man and his image was used in marketing campaigns around the world. Winfield was declared dead Monday at SageWest-Riverton after a lengthy illness. He had been in hospice care at his home. Winfield’s image of a hard working real cowboy was burned into the national memory on billboards, signs, advertisements, and promotional materials from Times Square in New York City to Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood and across the world. He served as the Marlboro Man from 1968 to 1989.
Winfield was first spotted by a marketing executive on a photo shoot in Wyoming and he was soon identified as “The Marlboro Man.” Even after he was no longer the subject in the ads, Winfield worked as a wrangler for Marlboro ad photo shoots for his successors. He was an active rancher when not assisting with the commercial shoots.
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