Humphrey Bogart

Lore & Background

Humphrey Bogart was born on Christmas Day 1899 in Manhattan, the second of three children of surgeon Belmont DeForest Bogart and commercial illustrator Maud Humphrey; he had two younger sisters, Frances and Catherine. He was raised Episcopalian but was non-practicing for most of his adult life. His mother used a drawing of baby Humphrey in an advertising campaign for Mellins Baby Food. Bogart attended the Delancey School, Trinity School, and Phillips Academy, but was expelled in 1918 after one semester in 1917–1918, failing four out of six classes and possibly facing disciplinary issues. With no viable career options, he enlisted in the United States Navy in spring 1918 during World War I, serving as a model sailor and leaving as Seaman First Class in June 1919. He may have received his trademark scar and lisp during his naval stint, though there are conflicting stories.

Bogart began acting in Broadway shows and debuted on film in an uncredited short, The Dancing Town (1928), with his first credited film role in A Devil with Women (1930), appearing in supporting roles for more than a decade, regularly portraying gangsters. He was praised for his work as Duke Mantee in The Petrified Forest (1936) and as gangster Hugh 'Baby Face' Martin in Dead End (1937). His breakthrough came in High Sierra (1941), and he catapulted to stardom as the lead in John Huston's The Maltese Falcon (1941). His private detectives Sam Spade and Philip Marlowe became models for detectives in other noir films. During the filming of To Have and Have Not (1944), 44-year-old Bogart fell in love with his costar, 19-year-old Lauren Bacall; they married in 1945 and later co-starred in Dark Passage (1947) and Key Largo (1948).

Bogart's later significant roles included The Caine Mutiny (1954), The Barefoot Contessa (1954), and Sabrina (1954). A heavy smoker and drinker, he died from esophageal cancer in January 1957. Casablanca, The Maltese Falcon, The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, and The African Queen made the American Film Institute's 1998 list of the greatest American movies of all time, with Casablanca ranked second.

Reader's Guide

Humphrey Bogart's significance lies in his enduring status as an American cultural icon and the greatest male star of classic American cinema, as selected by the American Film Institute in 1999. His performances defined the film noir genre, with his portrayals of detectives Sam Spade in The Maltese Falcon (1941) and Philip Marlowe in The Big Sleep (1946) setting the standard for noir protagonists. His romantic lead role as Rick Blaine in Casablanca (1942) was ranked the fourth greatest hero of American cinema, and his romance with Ilsa Lund was named the greatest love story in American cinema by the American Film Institute. Four of his films—Casablanca, The Maltese Falcon, The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, and The African Queen—appeared on the AFI's 1998 list of the greatest American movies, with Casablanca ranked second. Bogart's legacy is also marked by his marriage to Lauren Bacall, with whom he made several films, and his reputation as a heavy smoker and drinker who died of esophageal cancer. His work continues to influence actors and filmmakers, and his characters remain archetypes of toughness, cynicism, and hidden vulnerability.

Did You Know?

• Bogart's birth date was disputed; Warner Bros. publicity altered it to January 23, 1900, but his birth record confirms December 25, 1899.
• He may have received his trademark scar and lisp during his naval service, though there are conflicting stories.
• Bogart's mother, Maud Humphrey, used a drawing of baby Humphrey in an advertising campaign for Mellins Baby Food.
• During World War II, Bogart attempted to re-enlist in the Navy but was rejected due to his age; he then volunteered for the Coast Guard Temporary Reserve (Coastal Picket Force) in 1943.

Notable Quotes (Wikiquote)

"It was practically a masterpiece. I don't have many things I'm proud of but that's one." — Humphrey Bogart "I'm about as much in favor of communism as J. Edgar Hoover. I despise communism and I believe in our own American brand of democracy." — Humphrey Bogart "All you owe the public is a good performance." — Humphrey Bogart "You're not a star until they can spell your name in Karachi." — Humphrey Bogart