Humphrey Bogart's Biography

Humphrey Bogart is one of the most iconic actors in American history, having made an indelible mark upon the world of film with legendary performances in movies like Casablanca and The Maltese Falcon. He’s synonymous with film noir, often playing sarcastic men with dark pasts and a little too much sentimentality for their own good—“Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine.”

Before his acting career, Bogart (sometimes known as “Bogie,” a nickname given to him by fellow actor Spencer Tracy) did a stint in the US Navy, beginning in 1918 at the end of the First World War. Most of his time in the service was spent ferrying soldiers back from Europe, and he spoke of it fondly, saying “At eighteen, war was great stuff. Paris! Sexy French girls! Hot damn!” He was never one to mince words.

Like so many of his characters, Humphrey Bogart always enjoyed a good drink. Though his go-to was scotch, he apparently tried to branch out and start drinking Martinis at some point in his life. However, they didn’t agree with him, and he bluntly declared, “I never should have switched from scotch to Martinis.”