A documentary about Humphrey Bogart provides insights into his off-screen life, including his three previous marriages, his wit, and his struggles with cancer. Stephen Bogart reflects on how his parents’ lives influenced him and how he finally shook off the past to find his own identity.
Stephen’s Relationship with His Father
Despite being the son of two Hollywood legends, Stephen never really knew his father well. Humphrey was middle-aged when he had Stephen and his younger sister Leslie, and he was busy with his career.
The family dynamic was such that children were meant to be seen and not heard, and Stephen and Leslie often felt like they were on the periphery of their parents’ lives.
Prioritizing the Past
Stephen has come to realize that nostalgia can be a trap, and that the weight of the past can drag you down. He believes in shrugging off the past and moving forward, rather than getting caught up in memories of his parents’ glory days.
Legacy and Impact
Humphrey Bogart’s legacy continues to inspire and influence new generations. Stephen reflects on how his father’s dual nature – refined but roughneck, compromised but self-directed – is still relevant today.
The documentary provides a nuanced portrayal of Bogart’s life, including his three previous marriages, his relationships with women, and his struggles with cancer.
Stephen’s Thoughts on His Father’s Most Personal Role
Stephen believes that Humphrey’s most personal role was in the film In a Lonely Place, where he played a screenwriter accused of murdering a hat-check girl. This role, Stephen thinks, might have been Bogart’s most personal because it reflected his own struggles with loneliness and searching for something more.
A Complicated Family Dynamic
When Humphrey Bogart went to Africa to film The African Queen, he left his two-year-old son Stephen behind with the nanny. However, the nanny had a brain haemorrhage and dropped dead on the tarmac as the plane took off.
This event marked the beginning of a complex family dynamic, with Stephen’s mother prioritizing her career over raising him.
Stephen Reminds His Mother of Humphrey
In an interview, Stephen revealed that he reminded his mother Lauren Bacall of his father Humphrey Bogart. However, this was both a positive and negative experience for her.
On one hand, Stephen represented a connection to her beloved husband; on the other hand, he also served as a reminder of Humphrey’s death and the challenges she faced raising two young children alone.
Stephen never got to know his father well, as he died when Stephen was just eight years old. He and his sister were often on the periphery of their parents’ lives.
“Kids were always second to the guys and girls getting together,” Stephen says. “The drinking, the smoking, the laughing, the parties.”
Stephen’s Thoughts on His Father
Stephen describes his father as a loner guy who was always searching for something. He thinks that In a Lonely Place might be his father’s most personal role.
“Loneliness was always a part of his life,” Stephen says.
The Documentary and Its Insights
A documentary about Humphrey Bogart provides insights into his off-screen life, including his three previous marriages, his wit, and his struggles with cancer.
Stephen reflects on how his parents’ lives influenced him and how he finally shook off the past to find his own identity.
Stephen’s Thoughts on His Mother
Stephen’s mother was only 32 when Humphrey Bogart died. She had to set her own course and work out who she was.
Stephen thinks that his mother might have preferred to spread her wings rather than taking care of two young children.
Growing Up as the Son of Hollywood Legends
A Complicated Childhood
Stephen’s parents left him in the care of a nanny when they went to make The African Queen in 1951. The nanny had a brain haemorrhage and dropped dead on the tarmac as the plane took off, leaving Stephen alone for six months.
Prioritizing Work Over Family
Stephen’s father was often busy with his career, prioritizing work over family life.
“My father would go to work, shoot in the studio all day and when he came home he’d want to have dinner with my mother,” Stephen explains. “He’d say, ‘Hey kids, how are you?’ – and then we’re done, we’re out of there.”
Children Were Meant to be Seen and Not Heard
Stephen’s parents were part of a different era where children were not prioritized.
“Different times,” Stephen says. “Different people. I mean, there were kids around. There wasn’t much birth control back then.”
