Thanks to the anti-Nazi melodrama "Casablanca", Bogart and Ingrid Bergman (1915-1982) made history as Rick and Ilsa.
The American producer Stephen Bogart has already lived 11 years longer than his famous father. And is that the only son of Humphrey Bogart was barely eight years old when the legendary Hollywood heartthrob died on January 14, 1957. He was 57 years old and suffered from esophageal cancer.
"I don't have many memories of him, 60 years is a long time," Stephen tells in a telephone conversation. "But there is a moment that comes to mind over and over again, and that is when I was sailing with him," he recalls. "I don't think he was the type of man who handled small babies well. And I couldn't live how he would have been with an older child," he says of his father, who finally found the love of his life in his fourth marriage.
It was 1944, during the filming of "To Have and Have Not," when the "Casablanca" star met newfound Lauren Bacall, who was 19 years old. "Does anyone have a fire?" She asked this one in the first scene that they both shared. And Bogart fell in love like never before. Three weeks later, he kissed her for the first time in the locker room, and a year later they were married. In 1949 Stephen was born and at the age of three, Leslie Howard.
After adapting Ernest Hemingway's novel of the same name, the couple made three other films: the film noir classics "The Big Sleep" (or "On the Edge of the Abyss"), "The Dark Path" and the John Huston classic "Key Largo". "("Hurricane of passions"). Bacall survived "Bogie" by 57 years and passed away in August 2014, at 89. "I had her own life, also without my father," says her son. "He won a few Tonys and an honorary Oscar and wrote bestsellers."
Stephen Bogart ended up dedicating himself to film and television production, published a book about his father, and sees to it that the cult of the Hollywood star is kept alive. "My father was an exceptional actor, he made exceptional films that will always be current", he proudly asserts.
At the height of his career, Bogart embodied the quintessential Hollywood male heartthrob, and this despite his short stature, narrow shoulders, and thinning hair. His angular face, with that characteristic scar on his upper lip, made him typecast at first in villain roles. In 1941, "The last refuge" ("Alta's Sierras") marked the turning point.
A year later, and thanks to the anti-Nazi melodrama "Casablanca", Bogart and Ingrid Bergman (1915-1982) made history as Rick and Ilsa. Some of Bogart's phrases are unforgettable, such as when asked about his nationality he answers "I'm drunk" or the famous and romantic "We will always have Paris". "Casablanca" was a box office success and garnered three Oscars, including Best Picture. Bogart, on the other hand, had to wait until 1952 to receive the only golden little man of his career, for his role in "The African Queen" (or "The African Queen").
This year, Stephen Bogart intends to celebrate the 75th anniversary of "Casablanca" in style. According to what he told, Bergman's daughters, Isabella Rossellini, and Pia Lindström, are invited to the traditional Bogart festival that takes place in mid-October in Key Largo, Florida. The event has been taking place since 2013 and is attended by fans of the artist from all over the world.
Among the hallmarks of the legendary actor were his trench coat and hat, cigarette dangling from the corner of his mouth and drink in hand. A myth that continues to generate money today. "Together with Warner Bros. studios, this year we launched a 'Casablanca' slot machine for casinos," the administrator of his estate, Robbert de Klerk, told. Also included in the "Bogie" memorabilia catalog are photo and signed gin bottles, a British trench coat, and a French fountain pen like the one Bogart once used.
Still, Bogart himself was not one of those stars who loved to be in the spotlight, says his son. "He liked his job, being in front of the camera, but he was more one of those people who went it alone. He loved to play chess, go sailing with a couple of friends or play golf," he adds. he. "He cared about good scripts and he stayed away from bad movies."
