If you’re a fan of meerschaum pipes and briar pipes, you likely jump for joy when you see a movie character smoking on screen.

When you see an iconic pipe smoking movie character, you immediately feel connected to the character because you have something in common.

Seeing a briar pipe on-screen not only validates your favorite hobby, but it also cements it in popular culture and may encourage others to explore the wonderful world of pipe smoking!

Whether it’s a cultural staple like Popeye or a beloved wizard like Gandalf, the different pipes of these characters accentuate their personality traits and give a lot of insight into their inner workings.

Thomas Wake

It’s clear that maritime men love to smoke pipes. Thomas Wake is expertly played by Willem Cafoe in the 2019 knockout The Lighthouse, and this movie makes no exception.

His pipe smoking is simple and to the point. He’s not trying to enjoy a luxury- he’s simply a keeper of a lighthouse trying to maintain an ember through the mist and wind of an almighty sea.

The pipe is a lovable clay Cutty Pipe that he smokes upside down, rather than a corn cob pipe, rustic billiard, or meerschaum pipe. It peeks out from Wake’s beard like a tusk that deserves to be there, and perfectly complements the rugged character.

Thomas Wake wouldn’t be complete without his trusty pipe. It’s as fitting to the character as sea mist against his lighthouse, or ships in the ocean. It keeps him grounded when the violent tide whacks ashore, and gives the viewer faith in his abilities.

Dafoe is fully committed to this role. Pipes are frequently a mere prop in movies, but he really sold it.

He famously explained how difficult it was to properly use the pipe in the scenes, stating that you don’t want to be inhaling the smoke the whole scene. Rather, you need to utilize it when it makes sense and light it as an accent to your speech.

And boy, did he pull it off!

Gandalf

"Gandalf’s long-stemmed Churchwarden pipe seems to be an extension of his beard, as if his character wouldn’t be whole without it. A Briar pipe just wouldn’t make the cut!"

Speaking of the great wizard- even for Churchwardens, the pipes in The Lord of the Rings seem almost unreasonably long! Wizards are simply incomplete without their long pipes. It’s a trope that has yet to be broken, and may have even started with this movie!

Can you think of a wizard as famous as Gandalf smoking a pipe prior to The Fellowship of the Rings? The debut of the movie created a huge spike in the purchases of Churchwardens and really cemented them into popular culture.

Interestingly, Gandalf’s pipe wasn’t even mentioned as being long in the books- it was written as a “short clay pipe.”

Bilbo’s pipe, however, reached all the way to his toes. The Churchwarden wasn’t just reserved for wizards in the movies- nearly everyone in Middle Earth (besides the Elves) smoked out of a pipe with a long stem.

Davy Jones

If you want to get a little freaky, Davy Jones, and his pipe, are fully unforgettable.

Becoming one of the main characters in Dead Man’s Chest, the second movie to the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, his pipe was extremely detailed and extravagant, almost like a meerschaum pipe.

Apparently, the pipe was carved from whale bone, while the shark and mouthpiece was made from silver that was mined out of the ocean. 10 crab legs surround the bowl, appearing to eerily hold it up.

As if it couldn’t get any stranger, the pipe is filled with a mixture that can be smoked underwater. This is fitting for a ship that is nearly always submerged!

Popeye

Popeye single-handedly created an archetype with his Corn Cob pipe.

It’s rare that cartoons are translated to live action in a manner that maintains the original show’s magic. However, Popeye found a middle ground between sincere and wacky. It was delivered with such grace, a talent that almost no one possesses more than Robin Williams.

The pipe is so integral to the rugged pirate that even the 1980’s cartoon adaptation, The All-New Popeye Hour, kept the pipe. But of course, Popeye told his nephews that it’s only used to whistle!

Popeye just isn’t Popeye without his pipe.

The most recent iterations have switched out the pipe for a whistle... a true shame.

All regrets aside, this specific pipe is integral to many pipe smoking characters. Nothing is more down-to-earth and simplistic than a trusty Corn Cob pipe. And that's what’s so important about Popeye’s character. He’s not sophisticated- he’s realistic.

Williams completely knocks it out of the park in the 1980 musical, although it wasn’t easy. Some of his lines were even voiceovers that were inserted later; the difficulty of balancing Popeye’s raspy mumble while holding a pipe in the mouth resulted in some pretty hard-to-understand lines. But the pipe was worth it!

Final Thoughts

Thomas Wake, Gandalf, Davy Jones, and Popeye all solidified how much pipe smoking can add depth to a movie character.

By personalizing the pipes smoked by these characters, the directors gave the audience an inside look into their brains and really painted a fuller picture of what they’re all about.

"Your pipe is as special as you are, and just as the characters’ pipes were selected with great care, so should yours be!"

You can get your dragon figurine customized, personalized, and laser engraved! This makes a special gift for the dragon nerd in your life- whether it be a loved one or yourself.

Relish in the mysterious world of dragons by bringing one into your own home. Everything ranging from dragon eggs to baby dragons to dragon incense holders can light your house up with the magic of dragons.

As to whether you view your dragon as an evil serpent or a guardian of the weather...that much is up to you!