James Dean was adored by an entire generation. In his 1955 film "Rebel without a Cause," the cigarette drooping from the side his mouth symbolized rebellion against the stuffy 1950s: Dean was one of Hollywood's first "bad boys."

Nobody smoked a cigarette as nonchalantly as Humphrey Bogart. In the 1950s, he wowed fans and critics in the role of private investigator Philip Marlowe in "The Devil's Pact," perhaps the best crime thriller of all times. His cig is the only point of light in the gloomy film noir - and without it, Bogart may well have never become such an unforgettable legend.

To this day, "Breakfast at Tiffany's" is the epitome of 1960s glamour. The cigarette was an elegant accessory to the hat, gloves and little black dress. In Audrey Hepburn's era, smoking was socially accepted. The film poster showing Hepburn wearing a statement necklace and a long cigarette holder between her slender black-gloved fingers made her a fashion icon.

Reading the paper, driving a car, flirting, or chasing a serial killer - French actor Jean-Paul Belmondo was a chain smoker who was constantly lighting up. Scenes like the one above cemented his image as a sensuous smoker with seductive lips.

Cigarette in one hand, a gun in the other and a Bond girl in his lap: In a nutshell, that's James Bond. In 2002, there was a huge debate over whether the Bond movies were being used to plug certain brands of cigarettes. But like his well-pressed dinner jacket, Bond's inhaling a pack of smokes is part of agent 007's identity.

In "Grease," Sandy's (Olivia Newton-John) best friends, the Pink Ladies, advise her on how to get beau Danny's attention: dressed to the nines, and don't forget the cigarette. What would Sandy be without it? Most likely the same. The cigarette is just the icing on the cake.

In "Pulp Fiction," Uma Thurman plays mafia boss Marcellus Wallace's drug-addict wife Mia. She smokes as unabashedly as her husband's henchmen. Cigarettes, it seems, can be contradictory, appearing both sexy and dangerous.

In keeping with the prevalent gloomy mood in "Sin City," most of the protagonists smoke, like Rosario Dawson alias Gail (above), an enforcer of the criminal Old Town. The film follows the tradition of the smoke-filled 1940s and 1950s film noire genre.

"Mad Men" brings the 1960s back to life, cigarettes and all. In fact, the actors were only allowed to smoke herbal cigarettes on the set. But like many other films, the US series wouldn't be the same without dishy Don and his fellow Mad Men constantly lighting up, as smoking symbolizes the lifestyle of that particular era.

Wild West cartoon hero Lucky Luke shoots faster than his shadow - and after a day's work, he likes to enjoy a smoke. At least he used to, until cartoonist Morris replaced the cig by a wisp of straw. The move won Morris an award from the WHO in 1988. The lean cowboy, meanwhile, is as cool and relaxed as ever.