HUMPHREY DEFOREST BOGART was born in New York in 1899 although sources disagree as to the exact date, some citing January 23 and others December 25. Though he began his acting career on the stage after military service in World War I, in 1930 he made his first motion picture and was on his way to becoming one of Hollywood's most prominent leading men of the 1940s and '50s. He was nominated as Best Actor for his portrayal of Rick Blane, Ingrid Bergman's rekindled romance, in the Best Picture of 1943, CASABLANCA, but won his first and only Oscar for THE AFRICAN QUEEN with Katharine Hepburn in 1951. He was nominated for a third and final time in 1954 for THE CAINE MUTINY.

Bogart made several prominent films during his career including THE PETRIFIED FOREST (1936) with Bette Davis, and ANGELS WITH DIRTY FACES (1938), both Warner Bros. crime pictures. Other important achievements included DARK VICTORY (1939) with Bette Davis, HIGH SIERRA (1941) with Ida Lupino, THE MALTESE FALCON (1941) and THE TREASURE OF THE SIERRA MADRE (1948), both directed by John Huston, and SABRINA (1954) with Audrey Hepburn. He also made four noteworthy picture with his last wife, Lauren Bacall: TO HAVE AND HAVE NOT (1944) and THE BIG SLEEP (1946), both directed by Howard Hawks, as well as DARK PASSAGE (1947), and KEY LARGO (1948).

Though she was his fourth wife and 25 years his junior, the marriage to Bacall lasted until his death from cancer in 1957.  The couple had two children, a son and a daughter.

Return to the Humphrey Bogart main page.