Although Humphrey Bogart is remembered as one of the greatest Hollywood actors of all time, we should also remember him for his efforts during the First and Second World Wars. With an exemplary time in the service to a mysterious scar with several accounts for how it happened, Humphrey Bogart’s amazing military career may have been overshadowed by his acting career, but never forgotten. Let’s take a closer look at the famous actors’ time spent in service of his country.
World War I and a mysterious scar
Humphrey Bogart was born on December 25, 1899, in New York City. After Bogart failed out of Phillips Academy in 1918, he had no viable career options and decided to join the United States Navy. Sixteen days after the Armistice was signed and the war ended, Bogart joined the troopship, USS Leviathan.
Humphrey Bogart spent most of the time in the Navy ferrying troops between the United States and Europe. By all accounts, Humphrey was a model sail0r during his time in the Navy.
Another account of how Bogart received this scar involves a German prisoner of war and a failed escape attempt. Supposedly, while transporting German POWs to the United States for incarceration, Bogart was struck in the mouth by the handcuffs of a prisoner trying to make a run for it.
The most likely explanation for Humphrey Bogart’s scar is from a childhood injury. Hollywood studios may have hyped up the wartime story to make Bogart seem tough.
Coast guard volunteer during the Second World War
During the Second World War, Humphrey Bogart once again decided to serve his country. By the Second World War, Bogart had already established himself as an extremely successful movie actor. In 1944, Bogart attempted to reenlist in the Navy but was denied because of his age.
Instead of giving up, Bogart decided to volunteer both his yacht, Santan, and himself for service with the Coast Guard Temporary Reserve. Santan was used as a patrol vessel, and Bogart reported for duty once a week at Balboa, patrolling the shore.
During his time with the Coast Guard, Humphrey Bogart often received visits from Lauren Bacall, with whom he was having an affair. She would often drive down to the coast to Balboa and meet him at the Coast Guard station during his break from his volunteer duty. The two would end up getting married in May 1945.
His military career helped his acting career
Without his military experience, Humphrey Bogart may not have reached the same level of success as an actor. During his acting career, he drew on his military experience in many of his films.
Because of his real-life experience at sea, many of his movie scenes felt completely authentic. For example, in Action in the North Atlantic (1943), Bogart played First Officer Joe Rossi, who brought a merchant marine ship safely through a German attack and into Murmansk. At the end of All Through the Night (1942), Bogart’s character prevented a Nazi motorboat filled with explosives from destroying an American battleship. In Across the Pacific (1942), Bogart’s character sailed to Panama on a Japanese ship.
Humphrey Bogart won only one Academy Award for his acting career for his portrayal of Charlie Allnut in The African Queen (1951). For this role, Humphrey Bogart once again was able to draw on his real-life Naval experience to make his character’s experience more accurate for the audience. One could certainly argue that Humphrey Bogart would not have been such a successful and impactful actor without his military career.
Humphrey Bogart passed away on January 14, 1957, from esophageal cancer.