Lauren Bacall Turns 80

 

"You know you don't have to act with me, Steve. You don't have to say anything, and you don't have to do anything....not a thing. Oh, well maybe just whistle. You know how to whistle, don't you, Steve? You just put your lips together and blow."~Lauren Bacall's most famous line from her movie debut in To Have and Have Not.

Born in 1924 as Betty Perske in Brooklyn, New York. She studied at the New York School of Theatre and the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. In 1942, she became 'Miss Greenwich Village,' which brought her several modeling contracts as a cover girl for Harper's Bazaar and lead to an acting career at age 19. 

Lauren Bacall went from fashion model to one of the late 1940's and early 1950's top leading ladies of the silver screen. Her stage name "Bacall" was taken from her mother's maiden name, "Bacal." She starred in four movies with Humphrey Bogart: To Have and Have Not (1945), the Big Sleep (1946), Dark Passage (1947), and Key Largo (1948), opposite Marilyn Monroe and Betty Grable in How to Marry a Millionaire (1953), in Designing Woman (1957) with Gregory Peck, Murder on the Orient Express (1974), The Shootist (1976), in John Wayne's last film Misery (1990), and in The Mirror Has Two Faces with Barbra Streisand (1997).

In spite of a 26 years difference, Bacall married Humphrey Bogart in 1945. Together, they had two children.The following is a picture of Bacall, Bogart, and Marilyn Monroe after the filming of How to Marry a Millionaire. Bacall widowed in 1957.

She had a brief romance with Frank Sinatra. She is shown here at Frank's birthday party with Frank and movie star, Kim Novak. Her second marriage was to Jason Rhoads in 1961 but it only lasted until 1969.

  

Bacall's sultry look and her sexy, raspy voice made her well known and admired on the silver screen, but she was never nominated for an Academy Award until The Mirror Has Two Faces in 1997. Bacall won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress.

Lauren Bacall's performances with her husband, Humphrey Bogart, made them an amazing couple to watch, and she surely should have been recognized for her performances early in her acting career. Some people may think that it is sad that her reward didnt come until late in her life. Sometime we try and try and we may give up when we get so tired of trying, not realizing that success could be just around the corner. Sometimes persistance pays off when you least expect it! Persistance, persistance, persistance.. never underestimate persistance! Lauren never gave up, and at 80, she still has a thirst for life. She continues with her career and will be releasing a new film soon.

To me, Lauren's reward didnt come with the Oscar. As I see it, Lauren's life has been full of blessings throughout her entire life. She was blessed with beauty and grace. She married the love of her life. She had two beautiful children. She has known fame and success. She never had to worry about money. She has known some of the most influential people of her time: Humphrey Bogart, Marilyn Monroe, Betty Grable, John Wayne, Frank Sinatra, and Barbra Streisand, and those are only the ones I know about.

Happy Birthday, Lauren! May your life continue to send you blessings of much happiness and joy.

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Some people think that rewards only come in winning the lottery or getting a raise at work. Some people give up, because they dont think their reward will ever come. Some people have rewards their entire lives and fail to recognize them. Some people allow life's difficulties to keep them from recognizing the little rewards that the Lord has to offer them each day. If this is how you are living your life, learn to take notice of all the little things that you've failed to notice before. Dare to go beyond your everyday difficulties. Listen to the song of the bird at your window. Allow the coolness of the water in the shower to touch and refresh your tired body. Notice the colors of the sunset. Smell the fragrance of a beautiful rose in full bloom. Taste the sweetness of a perfect peach.