Lauren Bacall
Biography

BETTY JOAN PERSKE was born in New York City on September 16, 1924. After doing some modeling she made her first film TO HAVE AND HAVE NOT ‎(1944)‎ with Humphrey Bogart <../../Actors/Bogie/bogie.htm> at age 19. They went on to star in three more noteworthy films: THE BIG SLEEP <../../Movies/BigSleep/bigsleep.htm> ‎(1946)‎, DARK PASSAGE ‎(1947)‎, and KEY LARGO ‎(1948)‎. She later married Bogart <../../Actors/Bogie/bogie.htm> ‎(who was 25 years her senior)‎ and they had two children.
Bacall was famous for her tough talk and husky voice as well as sultry good looks in many of classic Hollywood's famous film noirs, but went on a hiatus from movies in the late 60's and early 70's. During this time she did some work on the stage including an award winning Broadway performance in Applause in 1970. In 1974 she returned to the screen to lead a star-studded cast in Agatha Christie's MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS, also starring Ingrid Bergman <../Ingrid/ingrid.htm>, Sean Connery, Albert Finny, and Vanessa Redgrave.
She was married to second husband Jason Robards, Jr. from 1961 to 1969, and in 1979 Bacall published an autobiography, Lauren Bacall, By Myself. In 1996 she was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her role in THE MIRROR HAS TWO FACES.

Biography for
Lauren Bacall

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Page 11 of 19

Birth name
Betty Joan Perske

Nickname
Baby
The Look

Height
5' 8½" ‎(1.74 m)‎

Mini biography
Lauren Bacall was born Betty Joan Perske on September 16, 1924 in New York City. Her parents were middle-class with her father working as a salesman and her mother as a secretary. They divorced when she was five. When she was a young sbackchool girl, Lauren originally wanted to be a dancer, but later became enthralled with acting so she switched gears to head into that field. She had studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York, after high school, which enabled her to get her feet wet in some off-Broadway </SearchBios?Broadway> productions.

Once out of school, Lauren entered modeling and, because of her beauty, appeared on the cover of Harper's Bazaar, one of the most popular magazines in the US. The wife of famed director, Howard Hawks spotted the picture in the publication and arranged with her husband to have Lauren take a screen test. As a result, which was entirely positive, she was given a part as Marie Browning in To Have and Have Not ‎(1944)‎ </title/tt0037382/>, a thriller opposite the great Humphrey Bogart </name/nm0000007/>, when she was just 19 years old. This not only set the tone for a fabulous career, but also one of Hollywood's greatest love stories ‎(she married him in 1945.)‎ It was, also, the first of several Bogie-Bacall films.

After 1945's Confidential Agent ‎(1945)‎ </title/tt0037610/>, Lauren received second billing in Big Sleep, The ‎(1946)‎ </title/tt0038355/> with Bogart. The mystery, in the role of Vivian Sternwood Rutledge, was a resounding success. Although she was making one film a year, each production would be eagerly awaited by the public. In 1947, again with her husband, Lauren starred in the thriller Dark Passage ‎(1947)‎ </title/tt0039302/>. The film kept movie patrons on the edge of their seats. The following year she starred with Bogart, Edward G. Robinson, and Lionel Barrymore in Key Largo ‎(1948)‎ </title/tt0040506/>. The crime drama was even more of a nail biter than the previous film. In 1950, Lauren played in Bright Leaf ‎(1950)‎ </title/tt0042285/>, a drama set in 1894. It was a film of note because she appeared without her husband - her co-star was Gary Cooper </name/nm0000011/>. In 1953, Lauren appeared in her first comedy as Schatze Page in How to Marry a Millionaire ‎(1953)‎ </title/tt0045891/>. The film, with co-stars Marilyn Monroe </name/nm0000054/> and Betty Grable </name/nm0002107/>, was a smash hit all across the theaters of America.

After filming _Designing Women ‎(1957)‎_ which was released in 1957, Humphrey Bogart died on January 14, 1957 from throat cancer. Devastated at being a widow, Lauren returned to the silver screen with Gift of Love, The ‎(1958)‎ </title/tt0051657/> in 1958 opposite Robert Stack </name/nm0821041/>. The production turned out to be a big disappointment. Not undaunted, Lauren moved back to New York City and appeared in several Broadway </SearchBios?Broadway> plays to huge critical acclaim. She was enjoying playing before live audiences and the audiences in turn enjoyed her fine performances. Lauren was away from the big screen for five years returning in 1964 to appear in Shock Treatment ‎(1964)‎ </title/tt0058585/> and Sex and the Single Girl ‎(1964)‎ </title/tt0058580/>. The latter film was a comedy starring Henry Fonda </name/nm0000020/> and Tony Curtis </name/nm0000348/>. In 1966, Lauren starred in Harper ‎(1966)‎ </title/tt0060490/> with Paul Newman </name/nm0000056/> and Julie Harris </name/nm0364915/>. It was one of Newman's signature films. Alternating her time between films and the stage, Lauren returned in 1974's Murder on the Orient Express ‎(1974)‎ </title/tt0071877/>. The film, based on Agatha Christie </name/nm0002005/>'s best selling book was a huge hit. It, also, garnered Ingrid Bergman </name/nm0000006/> her third Oscar. Actually, the huge star studded cast helped to ensure its success. Two years later, in 1976, Lauren co-starred with John Wayne </name/nm0000078/> in Shootist, The ‎(1976)‎ </title/tt0075213/>. The film was Wayne's last - he died from cancer in 1979.

In 1981, Lauren played an actress being stalked by a crazed admirer in Fan, The ‎(1981)‎ </title/tt0082362/>. The thriller was absolutely fascinating with Lauren in the lead role. After that production, Lauren was away from films, again, this time for seven years. In the interim, she again appeared on the stages of Broadway </SearchBios?Broadway>. When she returned, it was for the filming of 1988's Mr. North ‎(1988)‎ </title/tt0095665/>. After Misery ‎(1990)‎ </title/tt0100157/>, in 1990, and several made for television films, Lauren appeared in 1996's My Fellow Americans ‎(1996)‎ </title/tt0117119/>. It was a wonderful comedy romp with Jack Lemmon </name/nm0000493/> and James Garner </name/nm0001258/> as two ex-presidents and their escapades.

She claims there has never been a taste quite as good as a hot pastrami sandwich on rye bread with coleslaw.

She was discovered first as a model by Diana Vreeland <../../Society_Divas/Diana_Vreeland.htm>.

All good things and bad, all big things in her life happened on a Tuesday or a Wednesday.

In 1953 she was invited to place her feet in the cement at Grauman's Chinese Theatre. She declined and was never asked again.

In New York she was known as "The Windmill" because of her swinging walk and long arms and legs; also "Pinwheel."

She hid the fact that she was Jewish for years fearing it would hinder her career.

Her daughter Leslie was named after movie great Leslie Howard who gave Humphrey Bogart his start in the movie 'The Petrified Forest'.

She was born in 1924, the same year her future husband Humphrey Bogart got married for the first time.

Former occupation : lingerie shop assistant.

Was discovered in 1945 when Howard Hawks saw her portrait in a magazine and screen-tested her for 'To Have And Have Not'.

Came close to marrying Frank Sinatra.

Heads to Marks & Spencer the moment she arrives in London.

Has a mischievous talent for turning even executives into minions.

For the past 30 years, she has lived in the Dakota apartments in New York, where John Lennon was shot.

Her relationship with Humphrey Bogart was highly sexual. On set for 'To Have and Have Not' ‎(1945)‎, where she and Bogart ‎(then married to his third wife Mayo Methot)‎ first got together, director Hawks would call breaks in filming to allow the couple to disperse the sexual energy between them. They would emerge later from Bogart's dressing room, flushed and smiling, then filming would continue.

She's a grandmother five times over and has pictures of all her grandchildren dotingly held in her Filofax.

Lauren has a daughter and a son from her marriage to Humphrey Bogart.

Provides voice-overs for Carnival Cruise Lines television.

Quit smoking - says she hasn't smoked in 13 years.