| Bold Venture |
| Humphrey Bogart plays Slate Shannon the owner and proprietor of a dubious Havana hotel. Lauren Bacall is Sailor Duval, his sulty, wisecracking sidekick, whose exact status is questionable. Jester Hairston plays the calypso-singing aide-de-camp King Moses, whose witty rhymes comment on the plot as it whips along. Shannon's hotel attracts cutthroats, gamblers, and other denizens of the deep to its nautical watering hole, so Shannon is ready to do what it takes to keep the peace, or get a piece of the action. Music by the stalwart David Rose adds to a quality cast of Hollywood radio talent. |
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| Jester Hairston |
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| Read about Jester Hairston click on the links. |
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| She met Humphrey Bogart on the set of her first movie, To Have and Have Not in 1944. After three of four weeks their feelings for each other started to change, the first time she knew that Humphrey Bogart was interested in her was when he came into her dressing room at the end of the day’s shooting and said, “goodnight”, she said, “goodnight” back, he then lifted her chin and kissed her. This was something he had never done before, and it startled her. After that, despite a 25-year difference in age, she could not stop thinking about him, but he was married to Mayo Methot. Confused, she confided in her mother, who wanted her to stay away from him, but she started seeing him off the set. Bogart wanted a wife first, not an actress first, and she was willing to alter her career to spend time with him. May 21, 1945, Lauren Bacall married Humphrey Bogart. At the time of their marriage, Bacall was 20 and Bogart was 45. Humphrey Bogart called Lauren Bacall "Baby". They remained married until Bogart's death from cancer in 1957. |
| Howard Hawks gave Lauren Bacall several screen tests, taught her to speak in a lower tone, and changed her first name from Betty to Lauren. She was so scared in front of the camera that Hawks had her drop her head a little and pull her hair over one side of her face. This caused her to look with her eyes, something that would be called "The Look", and become a sensual trademark. |
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Bold Venture Page: Two |