Here’s Looking At You, Kid: The Life of Humphrey Bogart
Humphrey Bogart has been hailed as one of the finest American actors to ever grace the silver screen, but success didn’t come easily to the New York City native. He didn’t hit the big time until well into middle age, with three failed marriages and a personal life that was in tatters. Golden Age Hollywood was reluctant to make a leading man of the sailor with a scarred mouth.
Although many are familiar with his work, few know how Bogart rose up through the ranks to achieve stardom and what obstacles he faced. Join us as we take a look at the life of Humphrey Bogart, an icon of American cinema. Here’s looking at you, Kid.
He Was A Christmas Baby
Humphrey DeForest Bogart was the eldest child of Belmont DeForest Bogart and his wife, Maud Humphrey. The precise date of the actor’s birth would be questioned for years.
While Warner Bros listed his birthday as Christmas Day 1899, historian Clifford McCarty speculated that this was changed from January 23rd, 1900, “To foster the view that a man born on Christmas Day couldn’t really be as villainous as he appeared to be on screen.” His wife, Lauran Bacall, stated in her biography that Bogart celebrated his birthday on December 25, and the federal census records also confirm a Christmas 1899 birthday.
