Born: December 25, 1899 (according to some, others state in January 1899)
Died: January 14, 1957
Aged: 57 yrs-died of throat cancer
Nickname: Bogie
Married: 4 times-all actresses-3rd one-Mayo Methot, last-Lauren Bacall
Famous Partners: Lauren Bacall, John Huston (Director and his best friend)
Hard-drinking, minimum 2 pack a day smoking Man's Man who became an unexpected sex symbol and major film icon. He got his big break when Leslie Howard fought for Humphrey Bogart to star in the film version of "The Petrified Forest". Because of this actor(Ashley Wilkes from "Gone With The Wind"), Bogart got his big break and, as a result, named his daughter Leslie in honour of his friend. This man could play gangsters and hard-boiled detectives equally well. His 3rd marriage to Mayo Methot was one long drunken brawl and they were known as the "Battling Bogarts". She was so jealous and, well, nuts, that she stabbed him once but he was not seriously wounded and he took it with a grain of salt. He met Lauren Bacall on set and, despite the age difference (25 years) they were a perfect match. She went with him to Africa when He and Katherine Hepburn filmed "The African Queen" and everyone became ill except for Bogart and John Huston. Reason? They only drank booze and never touched water. When he became ill with cancer, a small group of friends formed over at Bogart and Bacall's place which included Judy Garland, Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra. After one drunken debauched night, Lauren Bacall looked at the bunch and called them a "Rat Pack". Yes this is where it all began. Bogart loved to play chess and was an expert and often won. He also loved the ocean and named his yacht "The Santana" and enjoyed every spare moment on his boat.
Oscar Nominations: "Casablanca", "The Caine Mutiny"
Oscar Wins: "The African Queen"
Films: ""Dark Victory", "High Sierra", "The Maltese Falcon", "To Have and Have Not", "The Big Sleep", "Key Largo", "Treasure of the Sierra Madre", "Beat The Devil", "The Harder They Fall".
Quote: "The trouble with the world is that it is always one drink behind"
The films I bold are the ones I would choose to see but all are great
Hmmm. I knew about the drinking, but all that other stuff was new and interesting. Still don't understand what Bacall saw in him, but that is probably colored by my aversion to drunks.
ReplyDeleteBogart was her great love and vice versa. Who knows why but they worked
DeleteNot sure I could ever drink as much as he did, or anyone should. But he kept the liquor companies happy haha made some good movies too
ReplyDeleteHe did love his drink and I am certain one could pickle his liver
DeleteOne of my favorite picture of my dad from the late forties shows him in a fedora and he looked Bogart-ish.
ReplyDeleteI love your theme, Birgit!
That is neat-You should put that picture of your dad on your blog one day
DeleteI've seen several of those films on TV, and I agree with you, they're great!
ReplyDeleteThey are!
DeleteFascinating! I love Casablanca. I keep meaning to watch the African Queen. After this interesting post, I might just do that!
ReplyDeleteI love that film and so many great quotes. That film resonates even today-great film
DeleteGreat choice for B! Too bad he drank so much. :(
ReplyDeleteHe did at that but he seemed to enjoy it
DeleteDidn't know that's how the Rat Pack started. Shame he drank and smoked so much. That's probably what killed him.
ReplyDeleteYup it started like that. I was surprised Judy garland was part of it early on. The smoking is what directly killed him-I think he was a minimum 2 pack a day smoker, probably more
DeleteI didn't know how the nickname Rat Pack came to be, interesting! I love that he didn't get sick because all he drank was booze and not water, there might be a lesson to learn there if one is traveling to a foreign country. Gosh, he died the same age I am. Thankfully I don't smoke, do drink a bit of wine :)
ReplyDeletebetty
Same age as my hubby-weird when one relates to it as we still have so much life left. Everyone was so ill making that film except for Huston and Bogie
DeleteAnything with Bogart in it is outstanding. I have always enjoyed his work.
ReplyDeleteyes he is great
DeleteBIRGIT ~
ReplyDeleteFor a guy who had a pretty limited acting ability - not really much of a range from one character to another - Bogart may have been in more truly great movies than any other Hollywood performer I could think of. (William Holden probably gives him a pretty good run for his money though.)
I'd put CASABLANCA at #2 on my list of 'Greatest Film Noir Of All Time'. TREASURE OF THE SIERRA MADRE is a movie I think everyone should see at least once. And that scene about the missing strawberries in THE CAINE MUTINY is a classic that I have sometimes slyly alluded to in my writings.
~ D-FensDogG
'Loyal American Underground'
He did have limitations but he could really use all the range he did have and he kept you focused on him. He couldn't stand William Holden apparently. All thos films are classics and i love the lines from casablanca
DeleteHe was married to my namesake so he ALWAYS get my vote!
ReplyDeleteVery cool!
DeleteSuch great tidbits here. Bogart is not my favorite actor, for his range was quite limited, but he was great at what he did, and is a legend for a reason!
ReplyDeleteI loved it when he played the Mad doctor:) He was limited but what he did within those limits was great
DeleteThat's funny that he didn't got sick because he only drink alcohol. I'm not familiar with this actor but he sounds like a great one.
ReplyDeleteOh he is considered one of THE best ever so you should check him out
DeleteCasablanca was one of my first movies I remember watching. :)
ReplyDeleteGreat film and one I can watch over and over
DeleteI did not realize he was in "Dark Victory".
ReplyDeleteHe was not the lead in this film at all. He actually got little screen time but it helped his career
DeleteB is for Bogey - of course.
ReplyDeleteI've always been resistant to Bogart and I'm not even sure why - definitely rougher around the edges than many of his contemporaries. But really, who else could have played either Sam Spade or Rick Blaine?
I like the original Sabrina, too, though mostly for Audrey.
It is so weird that he can thank George Raft for turning down major roles so he could take them and make them his own. I love Sabrina but I thought he was a bit too old for Audrey who is a sheer delight
DeleteBogart is one of the great ones. He said once - Acting is experience with something sweet behind it!
ReplyDeleteGreat quote!
DeleteOne I know! Though hadn't heard of wife 3 and didn't know LB invented the term Rat Pack. Love Casablanca. Anabel at Anabel's Travel Blog
ReplyDeleteOh his 3rd wife is a pistol! She is not known for much except being married to him and dying young of alcoholism. Yup Betty Bacall did coin that term!
DeleteHe was in some great movies. Wish they were on. I have popcorn. Untethered Realms
ReplyDeleteI know! I have an extensive movie collection so I have some of his great films
DeleteI saw Casablanca a few years ago and really enjoyed it. I didn't know he was married 4 times. Sounds like he enjoyed his life to the fullest! Can't believe his third wife stabbed him. Yikes!
ReplyDelete~Jess
Yup 4 times-all actresses and that 3rd one gave new meaning to the term Nuts!
DeleteHave enjoyed this actor a lot over the years. Too bad all that hard living shortened his life. My all time favorite is Casablanca, for his role with Ingrid Bergman, but also because my husband and I were in a radio play version of this movie. Vince played Rick the piano player, and I was an intermission commercial lady and a customer in the bar. What a blast that was!
ReplyDeleteThat is so cool that you both played in a radio version of this great film.
DeleteI adore Bogie! He reminds me of my grandfather who always wore a suit and hat and always smoking a cigarette. Unlike Bogie, he lived into his 80s. My favorite is Casablanca. The hubs and I watch it and like to show off our knowledge of the one liners. Round up the usual suspects. Here's looking at you, Kid. This is the beginning of a beautiful friendship. LOL!
ReplyDeleteIt's so neat when we can associate someone we love to someone famous and in a nice way. My dad reminds me of the older John Wayne and in so many ways. I love Casablanca-"Are my eyes blue?" "I came here for the waters"..."The waters? We're in the middle of the desert"..."I was misinformed".
DeleteI'd always wondered where the term "rat pack" came from! Nice theme.
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteBIRGIT ~
ReplyDeleteThat's a drag you couldn't listen to the JUBILANT SYKES version of 'HOW I GOT OVER'.
Do you have a SPOTIFY account? If so, it's available there. And if you don't have a Spotify account, it's absolutely free and they have tons and tons of songs and albums from every music genre there is: Rock Jazz, Blues, Country, Gospel, Hollywood and Broadway soundtracks, etc.
You can listen to them via your computer, all at no cost but for the 5 minutes or less that it takes to create an account. Every 5 songs or so you have to listen to a 30-second advertisement, and that's the only catch.
~ D-FensDogG
'Loyal American Underground'
I never even heard of spotify:) I will have to look that up. Thanks!
DeleteMy favorite is Sabrina. I just love that story, and Bogart was perfect as Linus. I'm always glad that he won Sabrina's heart in the end every time I watch it.
ReplyDeleteSabrina is sweet and did you know William Holden and Audrey Hepburn fell in love and had an affair during this film? Years later, when asked who he loved the most, without hesitation, Holden said "Hepburn"
DeleteIt's seems so strange now that not so very long ago, heavy drinking and smoking were socially acceptable.
ReplyDeleteOh it so was. I remember visiting my dad in the hospital back in the 710's and everyone was smoking. Having drinks in the car seemed to be the norm too and we all thought it was fun...how strange
DeleteWow! Great info. I always thought he was an excellent actor, but never understood how he got the 'sexy' label.
ReplyDeleteIt's all about The Maltese Falcon, Casablanca and To Have and Have Not but he is not your typical sex symbol
DeleteHe was an I tense actor. I really enjoyed his work.
ReplyDeleteHe is great
DeleteI remember Bogie with fondness. Did you ever see Sabrina? One of my favourite Bogie movies with Audrey Hepburn. Romance. Thanks for dropping by.
ReplyDeleteI have seen Sabrina and own a DVD of this great film. It's wonderful
DeleteI didn't know much about Bogart, other than he was an iconic actor. Seems he took advantage of all the chances life handed him while enjoying life to the fullest bucking-bronco style. He dealt with the lows but blew it up with the highs :-)
ReplyDeleteHe did live life to the fullest and found true love with Bacall
DeleteSo that's where the "Rat Pack" came from! Great story about how Bogie and Huston didn't get sick in Africa! He was truly one of a kind!
ReplyDeleteJulie
Yup! I was surprised when I found out a few years ago. Those 2 could drink it back that's for sure
Delete:-) Again, love the quote! Bogart was such a master!
ReplyDeletehe was!
DeleteI'm more familiar with Bogart than many of the other actors from this era. I did like the story about how he didn't get ill in Africa because he just drank alcohol. I suppose that's one way of dealing with those countries you visit where you're only supposed to drink bottled water!
ReplyDeleteCait @ Click's Clan
Yes they did escape the illness...but I know their livers were crying:)
DeleteWell Bogie is one despite being an average actor somehow was lucky enough to land roles that made him exceptionally watchable... and likeable. The movies you bolded are some my favourites and could watch them over and over again.
ReplyDeletehugs, Asha
p.s. playing catch up now. sorry for falling behind. :(