Humphrey Bogart

Biography

Humphrey DeForest Bogart (December 25, 1899 – January 14, 1957), nicknamed Bogie, was an American film and stage actor. His performances in Classical Hollywood cinema films made him an American cultural icon. In 1999, the American Film Institute selected Bogart as the greatest male star of classic American cinema.

Bogart began acting in Broadway shows, beginning his career in motion pictures with Up the River (1930) for Fox and appeared in supporting roles for the next decade, regularly portraying gangsters. He was praised for his work as Duke Mantee in The Petrified Forest (1936), but remained cast secondary to other actors at Warner Bros. who received leading roles. Bogart also received positive reviews for his performance as gangster Hugh "Baby Face" Martin, in Dead End (1937), directed by William Wyler.

His breakthrough from supporting roles to stardom was set in motion with High Sierra (1941) and catapulted in The Maltese Falcon (1941), considered one of the first great noir films. Bogart's private detectives, Sam Spade (in The Maltese Falcon) and Philip Marlowe (in 1946's The Big Sleep), became the models for detectives in other noir films. His most significant romantic lead role was with Ingrid Bergman in Casablanca (1942), which earned him his first nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actor. 44-year-old Bogart and 19-year-old Lauren Bacall fell in love during filming of To Have and Have Not (1944). In 1945, a few months after principal photography for The Big Sleep, their second film together, he divorced his third wife and married Bacall. After their marriage, they played each other's love interest in the mystery thrillers Dark Passage (1947) and Key Largo (1948).

Bogart's performances in The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948) and In a Lonely Place (1950) are now considered among his best, although they were not recognized as such when the films were released. He reprised those unsettled, unstable characters as a World War II naval-vessel commander in The Caine Mutiny (1954), which was a critical and commercial hit and earned him another Best Actor nomination. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of a cantankerous river steam launch skipper opposite Katharine Hepburn's missionary in the World War I African adventure The African Queen (1951). Other significant roles in his later years included The Barefoot Contessa (1954) with Ava Gardner and his on-screen competition with William Holden for Audrey Hepburn in Sabrina (1954). A heavy smoker and drinker, Bogart died from esophageal cancer in January 1957.

CritifyHub Reviews Featuring Humphrey Bogart

Shadows of Valor: The Moral Tempest of Key Largo

on Key Largo | Jul 16, 2025

John Huston’s Key Largo (1948) is a cinematic crucible where human resilience and moral ambiguity collide against the backdrop of a looming hurricane. The film’s power lies not in its gangster-thrille... Read more

A Timeless Tale of Love, Sacrifice, and Political Intrigue in the Heart of Morocco

on Casablanca | Jun 06, 2025

Casablanca, directed by Michael Curtiz, stands as a cinematic classic that continues to captivate audiences with its blend of romance, suspense, and moral complexity. Set against the backdrop of World... Read more

"Here’s looking at you, kid." This iconic line encapsulates the bittersweet romance and enduring sacrifice at the heart of "Casablanca."

on Casablanca | May 31, 2025

Michael Curtiz’s Casablanca isn’t merely a romantic drama set against the backdrop of World War II; it’s a timeless masterpiece that explores themes of love, duty, sacrifice, and the difficult choices... Read more