Bogart

by Jeffrey Meyers

Now in paperback, the definitive biography of an American icon. Humphrey Bogart was not just the most popular American actor of the twentieth century but also a larger-than-life icon, whose reputation and influence have, if anything, only grown since his death. Bogart dominated the golden years of Hollywood with his stoic tough-guy image. But behind Bogey the hard-boiled cult hero was a consummate actor, a courageous artist who stood up to tyrannical studio bosses and defied the heavy hand of McCarthyism. The scion of a socially prominent New York family, Bogart played dozens of roles in Broadway plays until he broke through to film stardom after he teamed up with John Huston in The Maltese Falcon and then took his place in the Hollywood firmament with the legendary acting ensemble of Casablanca. He lived a tempestuous private life off the screen, but carefully guarded his privacy from the prying eyes of the press.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction

384 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1997

About the author

Jeffrey Meyers, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, has recently been given an Award in Literature by the American Academy of Arts and Letters. Thirty of his books have been translated into fourteen languages and seven alphabets, and published on six continents. He lives in Berkeley, California.

Reviews

[John P · Rating 4 out of 5]

I recommend it. What more could one ask for? An interesting subject who led an interesting life. Mr. Meyers does a good job in that he doesn't ruin anything; he is transparent to this reader and lets the life and times of Bogart come through.

I didn't know anything of Bogart's early life at home, at school, in the Navy, or on the stage. And there is a lot to tell before the breakthrough Petrified Forest film.

The tangles of his marriages before Bacall, the dangers of the HUAC, his conflicts with his primary studio - it's all here, including his disturbing final days.

I find little to criticize in this work. Even the notes were interesting, although it is my preference to see them closer to the referencing subject rather than all at the end of the book. In this case, there are enough notes to make that a bit cumbersome, so I can understand the author's choice.

[Candace · Rating 1 out of 5]

Meyers borrows VERY heavily from Lauren Bacall's autobiography, "By Myself," then twists her words around to suit his purpose.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the best actors. It was nice to read about his life and the movies he was in.

[Truman Tietmeyer · Rating 3 out of 5]

wished it focused on more than the movies he was in and his wives

[Read1000books · Rating 3 out of 5]

An in-depth bio of my favorite movie actor. Not a moral man in his personal life by any stretch, yet an interesting character none the less. Within you will find that "Bogie" (he preferred this over "Bogey" but said "Spell it anyway you want"): was quite a seaman (served in the Navy and later had his own sailboat), was a great chess player, loved to eat dinner on trays in front of the t.v. and once while drunk tried half heartedly to hang his likewise drunk wife (it was wife #3) from the second floor window of their house. [It's been six years since I read this but if I remember correctly she later tried to even the score by stabbing him.] Never a dull moment with Bogie!

[GothChickVibing · Rating 2 out of 5]

The biography part was all right but the author is a complete idiot!!! His vocabulary is crude and blatant, his decriptions of the movies unrealistic and stupid, and it's quite obvious that his mind is in the gutter!