Often high-functioning alcoholics feel “locked in” to their drinking because they worry that when the alcohol stops, so will their success. One of the most famous classic Hollywood stars, Elizabeth Taylor spent over three decades of her career addicted to alcohol and painkillers. She became the first celebrity to openly admit herself to rehab at the Betty Ford Center in 1983. Co-founder (with Dr. Bob) of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA).

Scotch and Soda

Besides writing under his own name, he also wrote under approximately 75 other names. K. L. Saigal, the first superstar of Hindi cinema, was revered and idolised for his singing and acting styles. He gained-attention starring and singing in the Hindi film Puran Bhagat.

Celebrity Drink Choices: Unveiling the Top 10 Beverages Loved by the Stars

After sobering up, it’s reasonable to assume that his encounters with the green fairy were not forgotten. For mixing instructions, he suggested stirring it all in a pitcher, and « if you get it too potent, dilute with more tomato juice,e. If it lacks power, add more vodka. » Ernest Hemingway drank heavily to escape the pain he experienced due to multiple severe injuries in World War 2. He once declared that « a man does not exist until he is drunk. » Winston seldom went with no after-dinner brandy.

LBJ Liked Scotch on the Go

Frank Sinatra’s liquor of choice was Jack Daniels. Sinatra preferred sipping whiskey with a little bit of water, and some ice. His drinking meant trouble sometimes as he had moments wherein he was violent and having fist-fights with journalists or taking out his temper on TV sets or telephones. This cocktail was invented by Ernest himself, sharing a name with the author’s classic treatise on bullfighting. The Death in the Afternoon is easy-to-make, effervescent, and potent.

The Most Famous Drunks Who Made History

Hemingway liked to drink; he is, in fact, one of the most famous drinkers in literary history and a diabetic to boot. He spent many years in Key West and spent many nights (and days) imbibing mojitos, as well as those famous daiquiris. Jack London was an American novelist, social activist, and journalist. A pioneer of American magazines and commercial fiction, London was one of the first authors from the US to become an international celebrity. His life and work inspired several films, such as the 1943 movie Jack London and 1980 film Klondike Fever.

When he was at a diplomatic event in Vancouver, Yeltsin began with wine at lunch, consumed three whiskies on a boat in the afternoon, then abstained food over dinner with glasses of wine, downed in one. He concluded the evening by offering Bill Clinton bear hugs across the table. Elizabeth created the Chocolate Martini cocktail with friend Rock Hudson when they were filming Giant in Texas during the 50s. She drank in Moxons in Jamaica, the Dorchester, the Ritz, the Bel Air Hotel, the Beverly Hills Hotel, Chateau Marmont, the Sands in Vegas, and pretty much everywhere in her glorious years. Later in life, she was also a fan of gay bars, notably, The Abbey. Alexander drank in conquered palaces and army camps all across Europe and Asia, generally reclining on a couch, garlanded in leaves, perfumed with oil, and tended to by servants of various genders.

• His luxurious lifestyle and role in the 1920s Prohibition-era world made the Martini the drink of choice for a man of power, wealth, and influence.
• Along with his partner in thought, Friedrich Engels, the two drank their way across Europe and changed the course of political history along the way.
• The sports drink category is largely dominated by three main players.
• He developed a drinking pattern even into parenthood and admitted that it piqued anger and violence within him.
• Of course, it’s not mere historical coincidence that juleps became such a popular accessory at the race.
• The former Secretary of State, Senator and First Lady is known for her political prowess, but she’s also been known to slug whiskey every now and again.

Having a signature drink that has become a classic cocktail is a nice bonus. You should probably have a memorable drinking quote to your name, and if your accomplishments are great and you achieve many of them while drunk, you’re golden. These iconic beverages not only tell us about the personal tastes of these historical figures but also offer insight into the cultural and historical contexts in which they lived. While Jack Daniel’s was his drink of choice, Sinatra also reportedly enjoyed martinis.

He led America for an unprecedented four terms. He revived the American worker after the Depression with the New Deal. But in our books, Roosevelt’s greatest accomplishment was inventing the Dirty Martini. He mixed up a batch of the briny Martinis at the Yalta Conference, a meeting with Churchill and Stalin (hearty drinkers in their own right), using a coffee pot. Recognize these warning signs in yourself or a loved one? Alcoholics often suffer withdrawal symptoms if they are forced to stay sober or are cut off from their alcohol supply.

Mahatma Gandhi, the leader of the Indian independence movement against British rule, was a staunch advocate of temperance. His abstention from alcohol was part of a broader commitment to self-discipline and non-violence, which he believed were essential to personal and political transformation. In stark contrast to Franklin’s continental tastes, Winston Churchill, the British Prime Minister during World War II, was rarely seen without a glass of whisky or brandy in hand. The cultural impact of these legendary drinkers is not merely anecdotal; it has tangible effects on the beverages themselves. For instance, the association of Churchill with Pol Roger led the Champagne house to name a cuvée after him. Similarly, Hemingway’s endorsement of the mojito contributed to its global popularity.

Humphrey Bogart is considered one of the greatest Hollywood actors famous drinkers and a legend. His filmography includes classics such as Casablanca, The Maltese Falcon, To Have and Have Not, The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, In a Lonely Place and The Caine Mutiny. He won Academy Award for Best Actor for the 1951 film The African Queen.

From the clothes they wore to the food they ate, every detail is scrutinized and discussed. Among these details, the favorite drinks of historical figures stand out, offering a glimpse into their personal tastes and the social customs of their time. Historical figures often left behind legacies that encompassed not only their achievements but also their personal tastes, including their preferred drinks. These beverages, whether alcoholic or not, can offer a glimpse into the social customs, cultural contexts, and personal habits of the times. From statesmen to writers, artists to military leaders, the favorite drinks of famous historical personalities often became part of their public image or private comfort.

In the roaring ’20s, he was known for being more than just a great writer—Fitzgerald’s low tolerance and tendency for tomfoolery gave him a reputation as a prankster. So, when he disclosed he loved gin because it wasn’t easy to detect on his breath, his friends were probably left biting their tongue. If there are two things Big Ben Franklin will always be remembered for, it’s drinking and syphilis. Or is it persuading the French to join in with the colonists to fight the British and the key-on-the-kite electricity experiment?

Some may prefer Scotch or bourbon, others rye or Japanese whisky. Either way, all you need to indulge in this simple pleasure is a glass, maybe a little ice and your favorite bottle of whiskey. Tiki bars are all about escapism, so it makes sense that Nixon would sneak off to Trader Vic’s in Washington to get away from the politics for a while. As a Navy man himself, Nixon most enjoyed the chain’s Navy Grog, a heady mix of rums, grapefruit juice, honey syrup and seltzer. The drink is powerful enough to make a Commander-in-Chief forget even the most pressing of international crises, at least for a little while. Kennedy may have had a mixed relationship with Cuba, but he was clear about his feelings for the country’s signature drink, the Daiquiri.

• It provided the world with plenty of the world’s great drinking quotes and established these sharp-dressed, high-rolling men as drinking role models for generations to come.
• The independent and strong-willed actress was known to sip a Martini in between takes on film sets and at gatherings, adding to her allure.
• He then starred in several films, most notably in the Hindi film Devdas.
• Also a political activist, he is a vocal opponent of capital punishment.

If drinking at all influenced Pablo Picasso’s painting of “The Absinthe Drinker,” then those bottles he bought were a great investment. In 2010, this Blue Period piece sold for $51.2 million. The way this British leader lived makes the characters in Mad Men look soft. Then again, after you lead a nation against Nazi Germany, having whiskey for breakfast is an OK thing to do. When these celebrities and iconic characters want to knock one back, these are the drinks they choose. Anna Archibald is a Kansas-based writer with more than 10 years of experience.

The most famous and talented football (that’s « soccer » to most of you) player of his generation, this Manchester United star was infamous for his drinking and womanizing. The world loved his charismatic personality and fast lifestyle, a lifestyle that ultimately resulted in a liver transplant, two divorces to model wives and bankruptcy. Notoriety as an imbiber and some solid and well-known stories about your drinking habits are probably good places to begin.

These historical figures not only shaped the world with their actions but also left an indelible mark on the world of drinks. And after a long day negotiating treaties, posturing over trade, and hobnobbing with political elites, sometimes a world leader just needs a drink to relax. But how a president, prime minister or monarch chooses to sate those needs says a lot. Here, the preferred drink of some of the modern world’s most powerful leaders, from bygone boozers to sitting drinkers. The infographic below shares the story of ten of the most famous high-functioning alcoholics in history, and how they either turned their life around or succumbed to their alcoholism.