6 Things You Didn’t Know About ‘The Maltese Falcon’ Star Humphrey Bogart
Humphrey DeForest Bogart has one of the most unusual and recognizable names in Hollywood history. Born on Christmas in 1899, he began his acting career on Broadway and soon blossomed in film. While he played a supporting role, usually in gangster films, for over a decade, he got his big break in 1941’s High Sierra. He went on to have an impressive career in films such as The Maltese Falcon and Casablanca and attracted attention for his romantic life as well, being linked to a much younger star, Lauren Bacall. What else can you learn about the actor? Read on to find out.
1 He was a tough guy in real life
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While he was known onscreen for being a tough guy and often played a gangster, he was a bit like that in real life too. He had a heavy drinking problem and would cause issues, especially at gambling joints.
2 He never graduated high school
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Bogart did not have much interest in school or even after-school activities. He attended boarding schools, and his family hoped that he would go on to attend Yale University, but he failed four out of six of his classes and dropped out of high school in 1918.
3 Bogart and Bacall were very different
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Despite a huge age difference (Bacall was 19 and Bogart was 44 when they met), they fell in love. The two wed in 1945 and stayed together until his death in 1957. While they had very different interests, for example, Bogart was more of a homebody who liked to go sailing and Bacall loved to go out and party and routinely got seasick on the boat, they seemed happy together over the years. Proof that opposites attract, I suppose.
4 His children’s names have special meanings
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Bogart had two children, Stephen and Leslie. Stephen was named after Bogart’s character’s nickname in the movie To Have and Have Not, where he met his wife Bacall. Leslie was named Leslie Howard after Bogart’s friend and costar in The Petrified Forest.
5 He loved chess
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Bogart was a great chess player and enjoyed the game so much that he eventually went professional. He would often play by mail with soldiers during World War II.
6 He wore platform shoes to appear taller
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Bogart was just about 5’8″, around the same height as Bacall. He was a bit insecure about his height and would often use platform shoes or stand on a platform while filming to ensure that he was taller than his female costars.
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Hollywoods Golden Couples
February 2022
Gaze back at the classic romances of old Hollywood, both onscreen and off.
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