Humphrey Bogart
Bogart returned home to find his father in poor health with medical practice faltering. Much family wealth disappeared due to bad timber investments. He worked briefly as a shipper and bond salesman before joining the Coast Guard Reserve. Frank Kelly Rich notes that Bogart dove headfirst into the Jazz Age lifestyle always up for late night revels. When money ran out he played chess against all comers in arcades for a dollar per match. Mike Doyle of Chess.com writes that before making any acting money he hustled players for dimes and quarters at New York parks and Coney Island.
He resumed friendship with Bill Brady Jr who had show business connections. Bogart obtained an office job with William A. Brady's World Films company. Although he wanted to try screenwriting or directing he excelled at neither task. He served as stage manager for Brady's daughter Alice's play A Ruined Lady. His stage debut arrived months later as a Japanese butler delivering one line of dialogue in Drifting. He appeared in at least eighteen Broadway productions between 1922 and 1935 including eleven comedies. Alexander Woollcott described him as inadequate while Heywood Broun praised his dry fresh performance in Nerves. He played juvenile leads like reporter Gregory Brown in Meet the Wife which ran 232 performances at Klaw Theatre from November 1923 through July 1924. Bogart disliked these trivial effeminate White Pants Willie roles calling them such.
Bogart debuted on film with Helen Hayes in The Dancing Town released in 1928. He signed a contract with Fox Film Corporation paying seven hundred fifty dollars weekly. There he met Spencer Tracy becoming close friends and drinking companions. Tracy first called him Bogie during their time together. Their only movie pairing was John Ford's Up the River in 1930 where both played inmates. Bogart received fourth billing yet his role matched Tracy's size despite appearing behind Claire Luce and Warren Hymer.
He shuttled back to Hollywood permanently after 1935 out of work for long periods. His father died in debt in 1934 which Bogart eventually paid off. In 1936 Warner Bros bought screen rights to The Petrified Forest. Edward G Robinson held production rights but Leslie Howard insisted Bogart play Duke Mantee or no deal would happen. The studio gave in casting him as the escaped murderer. Variety reported that Bogart's menace left nothing wanting while Frank S Nugent wrote for The New York Times that he could be a psychopathic gangster more like Dillinger than the outlaw himself. The film earned five hundred thousand dollars in rentals making Bogart a star though he remained typecast as heavy roles.
High Sierra released in 1941 marked Bogart's last major gangster film before transitioning to leading man status. Paul Muni George Raft James Cagney and Edward G Robinson all turned down the lead giving Bogart the opportunity. He worked well with Ida Lupino sparking jealousy from Mayo Methot. John Huston directed this film adapting W R Burnett's novel. It cemented a strong personal connection between Bogart and Huston who became lifelong friends.
The Maltese Falcon arrived in 1941 as John Huston's directorial debut based on Dashiell Hammett's novel. Hal B Wallis initially offered George Raft the role but Raft refused due to contract stipulations. Huston eagerly accepted Bogart as Sam Spade complementing him with Sydney Greenstreet Peter Lorre Elisha Cook Jr and Mary Astor. Bogart's sharp timing and facial expressions proved vital to quick action and rapid fire dialogue. He declared it practically a masterpiece noting he had few things to be proud of. Casablanca followed in 1942 where he played Rick Blaine an expatriate nightclub owner hiding from suspicious past. Bosley Crowther wrote for The New York Times that Bogart injected cold tough resistance against evil forces. The film won Best Picture though Bogart lost Best Actor to Paul Lukas.
Howard Hawks introduced Bogart and Lauren Bacall while filming Passage to Marseille in 1944. They collaborated on To Have and Have Not which served as Bacall's film debut. When they met she was nineteen and he forty four years old. He nicknamed her Baby after seeing her test footage. Their emotional bond formed immediately creating a mentor student dynamic despite age difference. Bogart encouraged her to steal scenes while Hawks highlighted her role. Jack Warner settled disputes when Hawks threatened sending her to poverty row studio Monogram Pictures.
The Big Sleep released in 1946 reunited them based on Raymond Chandler's novel. Chandler admired Bogart's ability to be tough without a gun plus his grating undertone of contempt. Production partner Charles K Feldman agreed to rewrite Bacall's scenes heightening insolent quality per director Howard Hawks insistence. Dialogue contained sexual innuendo especially in added scenes supplied by Hawks. Dark Passage followed in 1947 then Key Largo in 1948 where Edward G Robinson received second billing behind Bogart. Claire Trevor won Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress playing Rocco's alcoholic girlfriend. The Treasure of the Sierra Madre arrived in 1948 starring Barbara Stanwyck before Bogart created Santana Productions.
By 1955 Bogart's health began failing with persistent cough and difficulty eating becoming too serious. A heavy smoker and drinker he developed esophageal cancer that year. He visited a doctor in January 1956 after considerable persuasion from Bacall. On the 1st of March 1956 surgery removed his esophagus two lymph nodes and a rib though it proved unsuccessful. Chemotherapy followed then additional surgery in November 1956 when cancer metastasized. Although weak walking up stairs he joked putting him in dumbwaiter riding down first floor in style.
Frank Sinatra Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy visited him on the 13th of January 1957. Bogart lapsed into coma dying the following day weighing only ninety pounds at death. Simple funeral held at All Saints Episcopal Church featuring music by Johann Sebastian Bach and Claude Debussy. Attendees included Mary Astor Ingrid Bergman James Cagney Harry Cohn Bing Crosby Olivia de Havilland Errol Flynn Henry Fonda James Mason Gregory Peck David O Selznick and Jack L Warner. Bacall asked Tracy to give eulogy but John Huston spoke instead. Bogart cremated ashes interred Forest Lawn Memorial Park Columbarium of Eternal Light Garden of Memory Glendale California buried with gold whistle inscribed If you want anything just whistle.
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Common questions
When and where was Humphrey Bogart born?
Humphrey DeForest Bogart was born on Christmas Day 1899 in New York City. His family lived in an Upper West Side apartment and owned a cottage on Canandaigua Lake.
How did Humphrey Bogart get his lip scar?
Conflicting stories surround how he developed his trademark lip scar including shrapnel cutting his lip when his ship was shelled or a prisoner smashing handcuffs against his mouth while changing trains in Boston. A third story suggests a loosened cuff struck his face during transport before a doctor treated him.
What role made Humphrey Bogart a star in The Petrified Forest?
The studio cast him as the escaped murderer Duke Mantee after Leslie Howard insisted on the deal. Variety reported that Bogart's menace left nothing wanting while Frank S Nugent wrote for The New York Times that he could be a psychopathic gangster more like Dillinger than the outlaw himself.
Who directed High Sierra and what was its significance for Humphrey Bogart?
John Huston directed this film adapting W R Burnett's novel which marked Bogart's last major gangster film before transitioning to leading man status. It cemented a strong personal connection between Bogart and Huston who became lifelong friends.
When did Humphrey Bogart die and where are his ashes interred?
Bogart died on the 14th of January 1957 following surgery to remove his esophagus two lymph nodes and a rib though it proved unsuccessful. His cremated ashes were interred at Forest Lawn Memorial Park Columbarium of Eternal Light Garden of Memory Glendale California buried with gold whistle inscribed If you want anything just whistle.