Two Augusts ago, we lost two great film, stage, and television stars: Lauren Bacall and Robin Williams. Today, we're going to focus on Bacall. Born Betty Joan Perske in 1924, Lauren Bacall made her debut in Hollywood and sealed her legendary status in her film debut, which was "To Have and To Have Not" (1944). It wasn't that long ago when I discovered Lauren Bacall. I was fortunate to come across her autobiography (I'm even more fortunate now that I own it). Her personal story is remarkable.
Here are just a few tips you can pick up from Lauren Bacall:
1. Channel Your Nerves Into Confidence
Among other things, Lauren Bacall was known for "The Look". The Look was achieved by lowering her chin near her chest and keeping her eyes up. Although this became a gesture considered to be sexy and mysterious, Bacall actually made it up for an entirely different reason. On the set of To Have and Have Not (1944), she was so nervous that her head would have visibly shaken on camera if she had not lowered her chin. Instead of letting her nerves run amok, Bacall controlled them like a pro and used them to her advantage.
2. Take the Time to Do Things That Are Important to You
Sure, it's cliche, but Bacall exemplified this. After she got her footing down in Hollywood, she took the time to raise a family with her husband Humphrey Bogart, got involved in political activism, made lifelong friendships, etc. As Bacall got older and more seasoned with her profession, she became more selective in what film projects she wanted to work on. Love what you do in your professional career, but make sure you take time to build in time for the good stuff.
3. Grieve Over Heartbreak, But Find the Strength to Move On
“At the time of [Humphery Bogart’s] death, all I wanted, I think, was to believe that my life would continue. Everyone's a survivor. Everyone wants to stay alive. What's the alternative? See, I prefer to prevail." Lauren Bacall married actor and frequent co-star Humphrey Bogart (affectionately called "Bogie") after they met on the set of To Have and Have Not. Their romance is often remembered most for being one of the strongest that was ever shared between a Hollywood couple and for the age gap between them: Bogie was twenty-five years older than Bacall. She was nineteen when they married. They married in 1945 and were married until Bogart's death in 1957. (Sadly, he died of esophageal cancer at the age of 57.) Lauren Bacall remarried once, but more importantly she found a lot of her strength in working. Among other achievements, she would go on to win a Tony Award for her starring role in the Broadway musical Applause. She began her acting career on the stage and she loved it.
4. Work Hard and Don't Feel the Need to Retire (Unless It's Necessary)
In 1994, fifty years after she began acting in Hollywood, Bacall remarked, "I've never stopped working, and I never will." Up until her death, she was still working lightly in the film and television industry. In her later years, she even went on to do work in several avant-garde, artistic, and international films proving that she had a huge acting range.
5. When You Are Given the Chance, Lie On a Piano Being Played By the Vice President of the United States
It happened at the National Press Club in Washington, DC in February 1945: Lauren Bacall was just one of the public figures in attendance in order to entertain World War II servicemen. Vice President (soon to be President) Harry Truman was also in attendance and at one point sat down to play the piano. History has it that Lauren Bacall's press agent - also the publicity chief at Warner Bros. - told her to go lie on the piano. Well, she did it. Publicity stunts worked way differently back then than they do now, especially since celebrities just have to Tweet something controversial today in order to pull a stunt. The photo taken of that moment became immensely popular and it's still considered iconic today.
