As a child, she dreamed of becoming a dancer, but, fascinated by Bette Davis's roles, she decided to try her hand at acting. Lauren Bacall studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Manhattan while working as a ticket-taker in a Broadway theater. It was there that she was noticed by critic George Jean Nathan, who mentioned her in an issue of Esquire magazine. Her captivating beauty caught the attention of Diana Vreeland, then editor of Harper's Bazaar, who offered her a cover shoot. One copy of the magazine ended up in the hands of Nancy Hawks, the wife of renowned director Howard Hawks, who set out to make the 19-year-old a big Hollywood star.
When they met, Bogart was married. He completely lost his head for 19-year-old Bacall
Bacall trusted Hawks implicitly and believed that he would help her break into the film industry. Although he promised her a debut alongside Cary Grant, she eventually made her screen debut as Marie Browning in the adaptation of Ernest Hemingway's To Have and Have Not. She had a husky, slightly purring voice and a "cat-like gaze" that captivated not only audiences but also her co-star, Humphrey Bogart. The actor was already an established star, with many great roles to his name, including the iconic Casablanca, which had cemented his status as one of the greatest actors of his generation. The debutante, 25 years his junior, immediately caught his eye, and with his third marriage to Mayo Methot already on the rocks, he had no qualms about starting an affair.
He subtly let Bacall know he was interested in her until he finally made a tender gesture, kissing her on the cheek during a break in the dressing room. He then handed her a matchbox, asking her to write her phone number on it. "I wasn't sure if he was serious or if it was just a whim," she recalled years later. "But secretly, I hoped his kiss meant something more," she added. Despite her doubts, his intentions proved sincere, and they quickly became lovers. Initially, they kept their relationship a secret, but the truth was revealed by the director, who decided to use their affair to promote the film.
Bacall was 33 when she became a widow. She claimed Bogart was the love of her life
In 1944, To Have and Have Not hit the big screens, and less than a year later, Bacall and Bogart were married. It's no secret that, initially, only a few people supported them; even Bacall's mother was angry when she found out her daughter wanted to marry a thrice-divorced man. "Various people in Hollywood predicted that our relationship would end soon. They moaned that it wouldn't last. They didn't realize one thing, that the Bogarts were truly in love," she said years later. Four years after their wedding, the couple's first son, Steve, was born, and three years later, their family grew with the arrival of their daughter, Leslie. At that point, Bacall decided to slow down her career, focusing primarily on running the household and raising the children.
She appeared on screen alongside her beloved a few more times, including in The Big Sleep, Dark Passage, and Key Largo. They also planned to star together in Top Secret Affair, but just before filming began, their roles were given to Susan Hayward and Kirk Douglas. The change was due to Bogart's decision, as he was already battling cancer at the time. He passed away on January 13, 1957, leaving his 33-year-old beloved to raise their two small children alone. Although Bacall later remarried, she quickly divorced. In her later years, she even claimed that she was never able to love another man as she had loved Bogart. "No one has ever written a better romance than the one we lived," she insisted.
