Son Of Humphrey Bogart And Lauren Bacall Reflects On Living With Celebrity Parents
Hollywood icons Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall will always be remembered for their undeniable chemistry on the silver screen. Despite having a short-lived marriage, as Bogart passed away when Bacall was still in her early 30s, their love story is one out of a fairytale.
Their children were young when their father died, but they were able to recognize the deep connection between them. After reuniting in the afterlife, one of their sons shared some beautiful memories about what it was like growing up with two parents so deeply in love. Read on to learn all about it...
Love At First Sight On Set
In 1944, Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall showcased a remarkable connection in their first collaboration, "To Have and Have Not." They tied the knot the following year at Ohio's Malabar Farm, owned by Bogart's close friend, Pulitzer Prize winner Louis Bromfield.
The couple continued their on-screen partnership, featuring in films like "The Big Sleep," "Dark Passage," and "Key Largo." In 1949, while filming "Tokyo Joe," their son Stephen was born on January 6th, solidifying their status as a formidable Hollywood power couple.
The Age-Gap Relationship That Started It All
Humphrey Bogart was born on Christmas Day in 1899, while Lauren Bacall, who would later become his wife, was born in The Bronx, New York City, 25 years later. Bacall's captivating beauty and unique voice propelled her to stardom in Hollywood.
Although their significant age gap of 25 years raised eyebrows and concerns about their relationship's longevity, both Bogart and Bacall shared a strong desire for children. Ignoring the skepticism of others, they tied the knot, causing quite a stir whenever they stepped out together.
Kids Didn't Know They Had Famous Neighbors
Stephen, the first child of Bogart and Bacall, was named after a character in their renowned film, "To Have and Have Not." During his childhood, he resided near Liza Minnelli and Judy Garland. Growing up, Stephen pursued a successful career as a documentary filmmaker, writer, and news producer.
Presently, he resides in Naples, Florida, with his wife and their three adult children. Bogart and Bacall's second child, Leslie Howard Bogart, was born in 1952 and named after one of Bogart's co-stars from "The Petrified Forest."
Bogart Was A Proud Dad
Stephen has fond memories of his time spent on Bogart's boat, the "Santana." He recalled going to Catalina Island and swimming back to the 'Santana.'
After he had learned how to swim, this feat was even more impressive and gave Stephen a sense of pride. "He would take me down to the 'Santana,'" said Stephen. “That kind of pride sticks with you.”
Habits May Have Altered Life Span
In 1956, two years after celebrating his 10-year wedding anniversary, Bogart was diagnosed with esophageal cancer. At the behest of his wife Bacall, doctors removed his entire esophagus and two lymph nodes along with a rib in an effort to improve his health; however, chemotherapy proved ineffective as well.
After nearly a year of fighting the disease, he passed away in his final hours while holding Bacall's arm and saying "Goodbye, kid."
Icons Went To His Funerals
In January 1957, some of the biggest stars in Hollywood gathered to say their final goodbyes to actor Humphrey Bogart. The group included Frank Sinatra, Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy. Sadly, Bogart passed away the next day at only 57 years old; his body had been reduced to just 80 pounds by then.
His family held a simple funeral for him and many celebrities attended, such as Hepburn, Tracy, Judy Garland, future President Ronald Reagan, Bette Davis, Danny Kaye, Joan Fontaine and Marlene Dietrich along with James Cagney , Errol Flynn , Gregory Peck , Gary Cooper , Billy Wilder and Jack Warner .
Stephen Was Shocked By The Number Of People At His Father's Funeral
Stephen Bogart realized that his father was an important figure when he attended the funeral. Stephen was just eight years old when his dad passed away. "When my father died there were 3,000 people I didn't know at the funeral," Bogart told Fox News in 2019. “I figured there was something different. And there certainly was.”
Bogart was buried with a very special memento. It was a charm bracelet with a tiny gold whistle on it. Bogart had given the jewelry to Bacall before they wed, and it included a very sweet inscription related to the first film they appeared in together, To Have and Have Not.
Life Changed A Lot For Stephen After His Father's Death
After his father passed away, Bacall decided to leave California to grieve in England. "I had a house with a pool in California. Life was pretty good. And then all of a sudden, there was a big change for all of us," Stephen explained.
He added that his mother eventually started putting herself first and doing things she always wanted to do, such as moving to be near her mother in New York and working in theater productions.
Bacall Made Sure Her Son Was Honest, Just Like His Dad
In 1961, four years after Bogart died, Bacall married her second husband, actor Jason Robards. The marriage ended in 1969. Throughout it all, Bogart was always in Bacall's thoughts.
"She would talk about him all the time," Stephen said. "It was almost like, 'What would your father think?' or “Your father believed in treating people correctly.’ And that’s what she wanted me to do too. … She wanted me to remember that he didn’t like to lie. He wasn’t a liar. She always used to pound that into me. Don’t lie. Tell the truth. That was a big deal.”
Stephen Would Never Act Because He Couldn't Compare To His Parents
It's not uncommon for children of actors to get into the family business. But for Stephen, he's never been interested in following Bogart or Bacall's footsteps. He tried acting when he was younger, but it didn't stick.
"How do you compete with that?" Stephen said. “The comparisons would have been obvious. No, never. Plus, I was lousy at it. I was in a couple of plays in high school. I wasn't very good. I couldn’t do it. I just wasn’t very good at all. It’s not an easy thing to do, to be someone else.”
Stephen Carries On His Father's Legacy And Tries To Keep Classic Hollywood Alive
Stephen currently co-manages the Humphrey Bogart Estate, which helps puts on a Bogart Film Festival every year. "We try to do things that not only keeps him alive but classic Hollywood alive," Stephen said. "There's a lot of great movies now… but I think there’s still room for classic Hollywood."
The estate also partnered with ROK Drinks to distribute Bogart’s Spirits. The actor loved many types of spirits, but his favorites were gin and whiskey. “Some of his favorite cocktails were martinis, which were made with gin in those days, gin and tonics, Manhattans and Old Fashioneds," Stephen said.
Stephen Bogart Never Wanted To Draw Attention To Himself
In an interview with the Palm Beach Post, Stephen Bogart admitted that his parents' fame could be too much for him. "I wanted people to like or dislike me for who I was," he said. He also mentioned that his mother, Lauren Bacall, didn't like all the attention either.
"All my friends are real people," he clarified. "Not that movie people aren't real, but you know what I mean. Did my mother like it? No." Stephen also mentioned that he rarely revealed his last name unless he had to.
Bogart Was 'Sentimental And Romantic,' According To His Daughter
Bogart frequently gave his wife sentimental pieces of jewelry, a memory his daughter Leslie cherishes. In fact, the actor put a lot of thought behind the gifts he gave Bacall. Leslie told Harper's Bazaar in 2015 that her dad loved engraving sweet messages on her mother's accessories.
"My mother always described my father, Humphrey Bogart, as very sentimental and romantic," Leslie revealed. “He often gave her beautiful jewelry, and almost every piece was engraved with a sweet sentence or thought and his initials or name. Romantic indeed!”
Bacall Was A Model And Starred Alongside Marilyn Monroe
Before meeting Bogart, Lauren Bacall was a model. Once her acting career got going, she appeared in several romantic comedies, such as 1953's How to Marry a Millionaire with Marilyn Monroe and Betty Grable and 1957's Designing Woman with Gregory Peck.
Bacall also starred alongside John Wayne in his final film, The Shootist in 1976. In the '70s, she appeared in several Broadway shows and won Tony Awards for 1970's Applause and 1981's Woman of the Year. In 1996, she was nominated for an Oscar for The Mirror Has Two Faces.
The Couple's Charm Bracelet Showed How Much They Loved One Other
In the film, Bacall famously tells Bogart, "You know how to whistle, don't you, Steve? You just put your lips together and blow." Even by today's standards, that line is quite risque. The inscription on the bracelet read: "If you want anything, just whistle." The jewelry was obviously very special to the family, and Bacall wanted her husband to have it by his side even in death.
Bogart was cremated, and his remains were interred in Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery, in Glendale, California. Following his death, fans created a "Bogie Cult" to celebrate the star. Members of the cult lived in Cambridge, Massachusetts, as well as in Greenwich Village, New York, and France.
Bogart & Bacall Were Very Much In Love And Were 'Good Together,' According To Stephen
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When Bogart wasn't making films, his favorite thing to do was spend time at home with Bacall, the love of his life. And Stephen could tell how much the cared for one another.
"When he'd come home from work, he would want to have dinner with her," Bogart recalled. “It was the age in the '50s when kids were seen, not heard. Parents had dinners, at least my mother and father did, with the adults. But they were in love. And they were good together. They were man and wife.”
Bogart Starred In Casablanca And Won An Oscar For The African Queen
Bogart is probably best known for his role in 1942 iconic film Casablanca. He previously appeared in High Sierra and The Maltese Falcon. Bogart's star power continued to rise after he married Bacall. In 1951, he received the Best Actor Academy Award for his role in The African Queen, opposite Katharine Hepburn.
He continued to choose good roles, and in 1954 received another Oscar nomination for his part in The Caine Mutiny. Bogart acted in many movies over the years. He starred alongside Ava Gardner in The Barefoot Contessa and Audrey Hepburn in Sabrina.
Bogart Was Drawn To Bacall's Youth, Beauty, And Strength
When Bogart first met Bacall, he was mesmerized by the actress. "She was pretty good looking," Stephen explained.“She was 19 and he was 44. But I think it was her strength. She was a strong woman. She didn't take crap from anybody. He thought she was very talented as well, but she could also keep up with him.”
Despite the huge age difference, the couple connected in a visceral way. When Bogart got ill, Bacall didn't leave his bedside. Stephen recalled how his mother broke down "but snapped out of it" when his father died.
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Bacall Had Another Child During Her Second Marriage
During Bacall's eight-year-marriage to Robards, the couple had a son named Sam. He was born the same year the couple tied the knot. Sam Robards is an actor and is most known for his role as Henry Swinton in the 2001 film A.I. Artificial Intelligence, which was directed by Steven Spielberg.
In 2002, he was nominated for a Tony Award for his role in Arthur Miller classic The Man Who Had All the Luck. Sam later recalled that he was devastated by his parent's divorce. He has a total of seven half-siblings: five through his father and two from his mother (Stephen and Leslie).
Bacall's Final Years Were Difficult
Bacall lived in the famous Dakota building in New York from 1958 until her death in 2014. She continued to act throughout the '70s, but her last years weren't easy. She was very sick and preferred to stay home rather than go out.
"I don't know how you feel when you get to that point, but… it wasn’t great for her," Stephen remembers. "She was used to getting up and doing things, going out. She had assistants there for her all the time if she needed them. But I think it was a very tough time for her, those last few years."
Bacall Left Her Fortune To Her Children And Her Dog
After Lauren Bacall passed away on August 12th, 2014, she left the bulk of her fortune to her three kids. The family split her $26.6 million fortune, and she instructed them to keep her personal papers private.
Around $10,000 of her money went to her dog, a Papillon named Sophie. Neighbors often saw her walking Sophie around her Central Park West apartment. And finally, Bacall allotted the remaining $250,000 to her grandsons, Calvin and Sebastian Robards, to use for their college tuition.
Stephen Still Misses The Talks He Had With His Mom
Bacall was 89 years old when she passed away in 2014. Stephen was very close to his mother throughout his life, and their close bond made it difficult for him to let her go.
"Just the fact that she's not here anymore, you know?" Bogart revealed when asked what he missed the most about his mom. “Being able to talk to her. I left home to go to boarding school when I was 13. I didn’t really live with her after that, but she was always there to talk to and just to hear her voice. I think hearing her voice is a big thing.”
Bacall And Bogart Married In A Pulitzer Prize-Winning Author's House
On May 21st, 1945, Bacall and Bogart married in the Big House in Malabar Farm, Lucas, Ohio. The house belonged to the Pulitzer Prize-winning author Louis Bromfield, who wrote works such as The Rains Came and Up Ferguson Way, many of which ended up on the big screen.
Bromfield was a good friend of Bogart and allowed the couple to use his Pleasant Valley farmhouse with Greek Revival accents. The house is still available to tour in Malabar Farm State Park. For Bogart and Bacall, though, the site offered a break from World War II, which was nearing its completion.
Bacall Continued To Excel In Acting After Bogart's Death
Bacall launched her acting career with the movie that sparked her marriage, To Have and Have Not. After her husband died in 1957, Bacall continued to act and made significant strides on the big screen.
In the 1970s, she won Tony Awards for her roles on Broadway, Applause and Woman of the Year. In 1996, she won a Golden Globe Award and an Academy Award nomination for The Mirror Has Two Faces. The American Film Institute gave her an Academy Honorary Award in 2009, labeling her the 20th greatest female star in classic Hollywood films.
Bacall And Bogart Had Different Religious Views
Lauren Bacall grew up in a Jewish family and changed her name to adapt to Hollywood culture. According to her autobiography By Myself, she never regretted it since she "felt totally Jewish and always would." Bogart was a Christian, and as such, the couple Christened their Stephen and Leslie.
Bacall explained Bogart's reasoning "with discrimination still rampant in the world, it would give them one less hurdle to jump in life's Olympics." Although Bacall felt uneasy about this choice, she agreed that it would help her children grow up in a post-World War II environment.
Leslie Wanted To Be A Model When She Was Younger
At age 15, Leslie Bogart aspired to follow in her mother's footsteps and embark on a modeling career. She appeared on a four-page spread in a 1968 issue of Vogue magazine. Of course, Leslie never took this career further and instead cared for people as a Registered Nurse.
Growing up, Leslie's best friend was Lorna Luft, the daughter of Judy Garland. Lorna later said that Lauren and Humphrey Bogart were great inspirations to her growing up. She now works as an actress.
Sam Robards Wasn't Too Keen On His Mother's New Marriage
In a 1983 interview with People magazine, Sam Robards offered his perspective on Lauren Bacall's new marriage. As one would expect from a young child, he felt dismayed over his parents' divorce. But as he grew older, he said that his parents taught him about the movie career through this process.
"They made me realize what the dedication of a professional was," he said. With two households full of famous actors, Sam grew up understanding the strength and motivation needed to succeed in Hollywood.
The Movies Never Directly Impacted Bacall And Bogart's Children
During an interview with the magazine Stay Thirsty, author Mark Yost asked Stephen Bogart what it was like to be Humphrey Bogart's son. Stephen replied, "It's not really that different than being anyone else's son. Your father just happens to be in the movies. As a kid, you don't focus on that."
Despite Humphrey Bogart's general absence on Stephen's life, the actor seems to have made a great impact on his son. After he died, Stephen said, "I think about him almost every day."
Humphrey Bogart Taught His Son To Be Playful And Cynical
Although Stephen didn't spend a lot of time with his father Humphrey Bogart, he still realizes that he's "like him in certain ways," according to Stay Thirsty. "He was a needler and a kidder. I can be like that," Stephen explained. "I think he was pretty cynical; I'm pretty cynical."
But the most important trait inherited from his father, according to Stephen, was his belief in "treating people correctly." His mother, Lauren Bacall, also taught him that mindset.
Bacall's Kids Had A Friendly Relationship With Her Previous Husband
Although Lauren Bacall's previous husband, Jason Robards, had an alcoholism problem, he remained friendly with Bacall's new children. Stephen Bogart said that they would "play ball," and he grew up close to Robards' son, Jason Jr.
"But I never though of Jason Robards as my dad," Stephen clarified. "I liked him as a person, and he was married to my mother, but that's it." It seems that through all these years, Humphrey Bogart made a greater impression on his children.
Lauren Bacall Never Told Her Children What To Do
According to Stephen Bogart, Bacall "did not suffer fools gladly" and was a stern, confident mother. "She never told me what to do," he said. Lauren Bacall allowed her son to get away from Hollywood, as he wanted to do. "I wanted to find out who I was," said Stephen, "over and above being the son of Humphrey Bogart."
Although Bacall let her children live their own lives, she had no problem incorporating them into hers. "She brought us up to be certain types of people and live a certain life," Stephen revealed.
Humphrey Bogart Died Just As He Began Enjoying Time With His Children
Humphrey Bogart's death hit his family hard. Not only was it unexpected, but according to Stephen Bogart, his father was spending more time getting to know his kids the year he died.
"I was getting to the age where he could do things with me," Stephen told The Chicago Tribune. "I could be a little adult. He could take me to dinner. We could go out on a boat, and he didn't have to worry about me drowning. We could enjoy each other. We had just gotten to that point. Then he got sick, and it all went downhill."
Stephen Bogart Learned About His Father Through His Projects
After building a family of his own and a life away from Hollywood, Stephen Bogart spent two years writing "Bogart: In Search of My Father." In that time, he realized how little he truly know about Humphrey Bogart.
"My mother would ask me to describe him," Stephen said in an interview. "I would, and she'd say, 'That's him from the movies.'" His research and dedication projects helped him "paint a human portrait" of his father. He discovered that he was similar to Humphrey Bogart in being "kind of a loner."
Humphrey Bogart Never Realized That He "Had Something Special"
Cinema Fanatic asked Stephen Bogart a fascinating question: did Humphrey Bogart ever realize he had a special something? "No," Stephen responded. "That's why he had the special something. If he had been aware of it, it wouldn't have worked."
Stephen asserts that Humphrey Bogart excelled in Hollywood because he was unabashedly himself. "He liked the ocean and he liked his boat and he liked his wife," Stephen said. He also noted that Humphrey Bogart always thanked the screenwriters first for any award that he received.
Bacall And Bogart's Children Weren't Aware That They Were Living With Hollywood Royalty
Until Humphrey Bogart's funeral, which hosted over 3,000 people, Stephen Bogart never understood the impact of his parents' legacy. Their famous neighbors--Judy Garland, Sammy Cahn, Art Linkletter--were just "friends and parents." Only when the children moved did they understand their comfortable life.
Stephen detailed that his family was simply his family. "Your mother and you father and you still get time out and they still argue with you and, 'no mom!' and you fight." Bacall and Bogart raised their children as normally as possible, without spoiling them.
Lauren Bacall Never Advertised Herself
Despite being one of the greatest Hollywood actors of all time, Lauren Bacall never advertised her likeness or marketed her name. Stephen Bogart says that she appreciated her wealth and life, but never bragged about it.
In terms of the AFI's list of greatest Hollywood stars, Stephen said, "Well, if you know my mother at all, she'd be like 'oh the living legends! I hate every bit of it!' but really, she really appreciates it deep down."
Humphrey Bogart "Wasn't A Movie Star Guy"
In his interview with Cinema Fanatic, Stephen Bogart revealed that Humphrey Bogart liked to hang around non-actors. He spent much of his time with people like Frank Sinatra and Spencer Tracy, and loved to talk to the writers. He enjoyed hanging out with non-actors and having a blast.
Stephen calls this the "self-effacing way about him" that makes Humphrey Bogart so special and memorable. Although he understood the impact of his works such as Casablanca, he never let the fame get to his head.
The Surprising Connection Between Humphrey Bogart And Alec Baldwin
Humphrey Bogart's mother's side of the family was descended from one of the passengers of the Mayflower, John Howland. Howland made the journey as an indentured servant, but he almost didn't survive the trip overseas, as he fell overboard. Fortunately, he was rescued before being swept away.
Howland was the servant of John Carver, who was Plymouth Colony's first elected governor. Upon Carver's death, Howland became a free man and married another Mayflower passenger named Elizabeth Tilley. Actor Alec Baldwin is also a descendant of John Howland!
Lauren Bacall Watched Other Movies All The Time
While she wasn't working on her own sets, Lauren Bacall would go out to the theater and watch new movies. Her son said that before awards, she would watch every nominated movie in a row, and then cast her vote.
Surprisingly, Stephen Bogart also expressed that Bacall "knew a lot of the theater people as opposed to the movie people." Having always wanted to act on Broadway, she took the time to know and befriend several Broadway actors such as Richard Burton, Betty Comden, and Roddy McDowall.
