His distinctive voice and tough man persona made Humphrey Bogart a natural in crime and film noir movies. But what was he like away from the camera? His co-stars and friends talk about the cinema legend below.
1. Katharine Hepburn
“Bogie was funny. A generous star. And a no-bunk person. He just did it. He was an actor who enjoyed acting. Knew he was good. Always knew his lines. Always on time. Hated anything false.”
Read about The African Queen here.
2. Bette Davis
“What women liked about Bogey, I think, was that when he did love scenes, he held back – like many men do – and they understood that. Up until Betty Bacall, I think Bogart was really embarrassed doing love scenes, and that came over as a certain reticence. With her he let go, and it was great. She matches his insolence.”
Read about Dark Victory here.
3. Director John Huston
“Bogie was a medium-sized man, not particularly impressive off-screen, but something happened when he was playing the right part. Those lights and shadows composed themselves into another, nobler personality… He had no side. No pretensions. Loved having a good time. Loved acting the fool and getting into scrapes.”
Read about The Treasure of Sierra Madre here.
4. James Cagney
“When it came to fighting, he was about as tough as Shirley Temple.”
Read about The Roaring Twenties here.
5. Lauren Bacall
“Tremendous character. Total integrity and honesty. He had great wit and intelligence, many surprising qualities. He could not be bought. He knew the way to live life. Whenever I’d be at a party, I would look across the room, and wherever there were people laughing, and there was fun, he was there.”
Read about Key Largo here.
