Humphrey Bogart

02 October 2013
5 Comments


Humphrey DeForest Bogart (1899-1957) was an American actor widely regarded as an icon of
American culture. The American Film Institute ranked him as the greatest male star in the history
of American cinema.

Q: Mr. Bogart, which character was your favorite?
HB: Sam Spade.

Q: Why?
HB: The symbolism of the bird, as I saw it at the time and the intrigue of a falcon from a place
like Malta.

Q: My favorite was Rick Blaine in Casablanca, probably because I liked the idea of a
wartime setting without the war going on around the movie.
HB: You liked Louis Armstrong in that movie?

Q: Louis Armstrong?
HB: Sam, the piano player, was a symbol of the Great Satchmo. My idea.

Q: Great song, sounded interesting with his scratchy voice.
HB: You're here to ask things people can't watch in my movies or read about them.

Q: Of course, and thanks for the reminder! Please, if you could expand on it, did you see
your origins in New York City as an asset, something to help your career and persona?
HB: Yes, after some time. I wasn't the most polished person, fine social skills and elegant
sophistication that I thought were necessary. That's what I saw at first. Turned out, it wasn't true.

Q: Did you have much input with movie scripts and dialogue during filming?
HB: I offered my version of how the director could do things after I felt enough confidence
he'd listen without telling me to hose myself.

Q: How did they react?
HB: Better and better, as long as I wasn't a pain in the neck about it. Not gettin' crabby when
they turned down my ideas.

Q: Compare films made today versus your successful films of the 40s and 50s; what
comment would you offer?
HB: Directors overuse the technology; the story gets lost in all that sauce. Special effects and
all those computer gizmos they use now? That's not filmmaking. Good things to spice up a scene
but the house doesn't stand on its Christmas lights.

Q: So what recommendation would you make?
HB: I'd tell the actors to stay out of the political crap.

Q: That answer has nothing to do with movie making....
HB: That's right, it doesn't, just like political commentators who dont attempt acting in films,
either. A good decision, going both ways.

Q: So lessen the technology, and what else would you recommend?
HB: A good story is always a good idea, but movie makers invest for television sets as much
as the big screen and the good story dressed up in effects doesn't sell as well as the effects
demonstration dressed up in a cute tale of whatever they think up.

Q: Can you name a good movie that's been made recently?
HB: Yes. Shall I? [Lights a cigarette, and takes a long drag on it]

Q: You died from throat cancer; cigarettes contributed to it?
HB: Caused it.

Q: Still smoking?
HB: [Exhales first] Yes, in character.

Q: Ok, what movie did you like?
HB: Million Dollar Baby.

Q: I've always thought a good actor got that way by convincing many movie goers about the
authenticity of the character. Two that come to mind are Michael Caine and Jack Nicholson; you
watch them and find it easy to believe they are Alfred, Bruce Wayne's butler and Batman's left
hand or any of the characters Nicholson portrayed, so many. Do you agree?
HB: Sometimes; the actor also has a brand to create. I suppose enough make-up and costumes
could cover that up and but then, what the hell's the point? People wanted to see me when my
name appeared in the ads.

Q: I've always been a bit confused by the trend to refer to an actress called an actor.
HB: That's a broad who wants it both ways; treat me feminine until I want a man's advantage.
Nothing new there, just a new way to do it. Dames have been doin' that since time began.

Q: How about if we call you an actress?
HB: Let me adjust my brassiere; hold on. Not to my brassiere, though.

Q: What films made since your death did you dislike?
HB: I still dislike a lot of them, too long a list. Two I liked were Cool Hand Luke and Fistful of
Dollars.

Q: Have you run across Paul Newman in Heaven, the afterlife or whatever name best fits?
HB: No; but I will look him up as soon as we finish here.

Q: Movies entertain and help us forget the details of life, and the distraction never hurts and
the images of film help us dream of things we might even get to see and do someday. Do you see
this role of movies changing?
HB: Expanding; all those things and also adding in information. Pay attention. Just today your
well known writer Clancy kicked the bucket and has come up the big white elevator to the sky,
that's what I call it. He mentioned in an interview how he surprised himself by making up things
for his books that later came true. There's your channeling there, folks, movies will have more of
this, coming soon to a planet near you.

Q: How should people avoid smoking? Considering it killed you.
HB: Don't teach it; that simple. But some people will choose that behavior and that ending in
a few cases. As I did.

Q: You planned the cancer and your death in 1957?
HB: Yes, it was one way I scheduled how I would check out. It was the way I chose.

Q: The explanation, some would say excuse, is nobody knew what smoking did.
HB: Nobody thought it would help an athlete, either. When did the world figure out it was
bad to drink too much?

Q: What lessons did your life plan involve? What did you hope to achieve and were you
successful?
HB: My life plan wasn't primarily for my benefit but I did get this, all of us do. No such thing
as a wasted life. I did it to help add to society, to help provide an image people would enjoy at
certain times, a pick-me-up that would help. To hold out a certain character of confidence, to
provide an inspiration to others.

Q: Do you think you succeeded?
HB: Just look at the crowds and especially the dames running around any show or movie
opening where I might be; I was the bad boy Daddy said keep the hell away from, and that
magnetized me to some of these people.

Q: If you could do something differently, what would it be?
HB: I wouldn't; I don't regret anything I did. If you'd asked me that in 1955 or 1956, I'd have
a different answer for you, pal, but from here? Nope.

Q: Mr. Bogart, thank you for coming.
HB: It was great, keep your eyes peeled for a good flick. So long.


Humphrey Bogart
10/02/2013
5 Comments


Humphrey DeForest Bogart (1899-1957) was an American actor widely regarded as an icon of
American culture. The American Film Institute ranked him as the greatest male star in the history
of American cinema.

Q: Mr. Bogart, which character was your favorite?
HB: Sam Spade.

Q: Why?
HB: The symbolism of the bird, as I saw it at the time and the intrigue of a falcon from a place
like Malta.

Q: My favorite was Rick Blaine in Casablanca, probably because I liked the idea of a
wartime setting without the war going on around the movie.
HB: You liked Louis Armstrong in that movie?

Q: Louis Armstrong?
HB: Sam, the piano player, was a symbol of the Great Satchmo. My idea.

Q: Great song, sounded interesting with his scratchy voice.
HB: You're here to ask things people can't watch in my movies or read about them.

Q: Of course, and thanks for the reminder! Please, if you could expand on it, did you see
your origins in New York City as an asset, something to help your career and persona?
HB: Yes, after some time. I wasn't the most polished person, fine social skills and elegant
sophistication that I thought were necessary. That's what I saw at first. Turned out, it wasn't true.

Q: Did you have much input with movie scripts and dialogue during filming?
HB: I offered my version of how the director could do things after I felt enough confidence
he'd listen without telling me to hose myself.

Q: How did they react?
HB: Better and better, as long as I wasn't a pain in the neck about it. Not gettin' crabby when
they turned down my ideas.

Q: Compare films made today versus your successful films of the 40s and 50s; what
comment would you offer?
HB: Directors overuse the technology; the story gets lost in all that sauce. Special effects and
all those computer gizmos they use now? That's not filmmaking. Good things to spice up a scene
but the house doesn't stand on its Christmas lights.

Q: So what recommendation would you make?
HB: I'd tell the actors to stay out of the political crap.

Q: That answer has nothing to do with movie making....
HB: That's right, it doesn't, just like political commentators who dont attempt acting in films,
either. A good decision, going both ways.

Q: So lessen the technology, and what else would you recommend?
HB: A good story is always a good idea, but movie makers invest for television sets as much
as the big screen and the good story dressed up in effects doesn't sell as well as the effects
demonstration dressed up in a cute tale of whatever they think up.

Q: Can you name a good movie that's been made recently?
HB: Yes. Shall I? [Lights a cigarette, and takes a long drag on it]

Q: You died from throat cancer; cigarettes contributed to it?
HB: Caused it.

Q: Still smoking?
HB: [Exhales first] Yes, in character.

Q: Ok, what movie did you like?
HB: Million Dollar Baby.

Q: I've always thought a good actor got that way by convincing many movie goers about the
authenticity of the character. Two that come to mind are Michael Caine and Jack Nicholson; you
watch them and find it easy to believe they are Alfred, Bruce Wayne's butler and Batman's left
hand or any of the characters Nicholson portrayed, so many. Do you agree?
HB: Sometimes; the actor also has a brand to create. I suppose enough make-up and costumes
could cover that up and but then, what the hell's the point? People wanted to see me when my
name appeared in the ads.

Q: I've always been a bit confused by the trend to refer to an actress called an actor.
HB: That's a broad who wants it both ways; treat me feminine until I want a man's advantage.
Nothing new there, just a new way to do it. Dames have been doin' that since time began.

Q: How about if we call you an actress?
HB: Let me adjust my brassiere; hold on. Not to my brassiere, though.

Q: What films made since your death did you dislike?
HB: I still dislike a lot of them, too long a list. Two I liked were Cool Hand Luke and Fistful of
Dollars.

Q: Have you run across Paul Newman in Heaven, the afterlife or whatever name best fits?
HB: No; but I will look him up as soon as we finish here.

Q: Movies entertain and help us forget the details of life, and the distraction never hurts and
the images of film help us dream of things we might even get to see and do someday. Do you see
this role of movies changing?
HB: Expanding; all those things and also adding in information. Pay attention. Just today your
well known writer Clancy kicked the bucket and has come up the big white elevator to the sky,
that's what I call it. He mentioned in an interview how he surprised himself by making up things
for his books that later came true. There's your channeling there, folks, movies will have more of
this, coming soon to a planet near you.

Q: How should people avoid smoking? Considering it killed you.
HB: Don't teach it; that simple. But some people will choose that behavior and that ending in
a few cases. As I did.

Q: You planned the cancer and your death in 1957?
HB: Yes, it was one way I scheduled how I would check out. It was the way I chose.

Q: The explanation, some would say excuse, is nobody knew what smoking did.
HB: Nobody thought it would help an athlete, either. When did the world figure out it was
bad to drink too much?

Q: What lessons did your life plan involve? What did you hope to achieve and were you
successful?
HB: My life plan wasn't primarily for my benefit but I did get this, all of us do. No such thing
as a wasted life. I did it to help add to society, to help provide an image people would enjoy at
certain times, a pick-me-up that would help. To hold out a certain character of confidence, to
provide an inspiration to others.

Q: Do you think you succeeded?
HB: Just look at the crowds and especially the dames running around any show or movie
opening where I might be; I was the bad boy Daddy said keep the hell away from, and that
magnetized me to some of these people.

Q: If you could do something differently, what would it be?
HB: I wouldn't; I don't regret anything I did. If you'd asked me that in 1955 or 1956, I'd have
a different answer for you, pal, but from here? Nope.

Q: Mr. Bogart, thank you for coming.
HB: It was great, keep your eyes peeled for a good flick. So long.

Comments

Sarah
10/03/2013 7:49am
Nice, thank you Patrick and Committee.
Eva Masini
10/03/2013 9:38am
I second that! Thank You!
Robert
10/03/2013 3:54pm
Thanks for these interviews. I really enjoy reading them!
I missed hearing Bogie's "advice for humanity", though.
By the way, "L'amendement" called to mind Marie Antoinette.
I wonder if she would be amenable to an interview.
Or perhaps Louis XIV? Charles deGaul? Charlemagne?
Merci!
Patrick
0/04/2013 8:25am
I can put them all on the list and will!
Reggae fan
10/04/2013 1:18pm
Can you please put Haile Selassie on the list? Rastafarians call him Jah and
consider him as their God - would be interesting to see what he thinks about this.