Nine Lessons in Success from Bogart

Preparing a festive game of Pass the Parcel last week, I was reminded that Humphrey Bogart was born on Christmas Day 1899.

I know a fair amount about Humphrey Bogart because he’s one of my father’s boyhood - and adulthood -heroes.

Growing up, there had to be absolute silence if a Bogart movie was on the TV. Even now, working in my parent’s attic, I’m surrounded by posters and stills from his movies.

When I was young, I was always perplexed as to how Humphrey Bogart had made it as a movie star.

To me, he didn’t fit the typical movie-star mold. And I knew for a fact he was older than the usual male lead.

In the days when talent was spotted young, Bogart had popped up intermittently on the radars of movie executives.

He’d had some success on Broadway – playing sleek, perennial juveniles, but gained greatest notoriety playing world-weary villains and street-smart tough guys relatively late in his career.

And this prompted my reflection on how he achieved success in his lifetime - as well as gaining legendary status beyond his passing.

These are some of the lessons I took from his career.

1. Supporters

Bogart gained critical acclaim in the Broadway production of ‘The Petrified Forest’, playing the ruthless killer, Duke Mantee, opposite the established Hollywood star, Leslie Howard.

Warner Bros. bought the movie rights and wanted a bigger star for the part of Mantee. When Bogart found out, he telegraphed Howard, who promptly wired the studio, ‘No Bogart. No deal.’

He won the first of his standout leading roles, as private eye Sam Spade in ‘The Maltese Falcon’, in part due to his friendship with John Huston.

Again, Bogart wasn’t the studio’s first choice, but their preferred actor, George Raft, possibly unwisely, turned down the role. Huston jumped at the chance to have Bogart in the movie.

2. Keep At It

You’ve probably realized by now that Bogart was often not the studio’s first or often even second choice for leading roles for much of his career.

He rose to prominence in the movies in tough guy roles – for many years, playing second fiddle to the bigger names of the 1930s – James Cagney, Edward G. Robinson, and George Raft.

He felt frustration at being type-cast as the villain – as well as not being offered leading, and more, challenging roles.

As he said, ‘I made more lousy movies than any actor in history.’

Still, he kept at it. He took the opportunities that came his way and made the most of them.

3. Transitions

Sometimes a side-step is required to move into the roles you desire.

Bogart had always aspired to playing diverse, complex characters.

Over time, he began to take roles that extended beyond the pure tough guy. His roles incorporated elements of the romantic lead – whilst still maintaining a tough guy persona.

In The Maltese Falcon, he plays Sam Spade, the Los Angeles detective with a heart, but not so much of a heart that he will be the stooge of the leading – and deviously villainous – lady.

By this time, Bogart was in his 40’s and his image had evolved to suggest a world-weary cynic.

Perhaps his best known role, as bar-owner, Rick Blaine, in ‘Casablanca’, marked a clear transition to romantic lead.

Whilst he had shown his ability to play the leading man in possession of romantic appeal – he was first and foremost the private eye, who also possessed the semblance of a heart.

As an aside, neither Bogart, nor the female lead, Ingrid Bergman, thought Casablanca a stand-out movie.

Which leads us to the next point.

4. Timing

Casablanca premiered in New York in November 1942, coinciding with the Allied invasion of North Africa and shortly after the capture of Casablanca.

The movie was released in January 1943, to coincide with the Casablanca Conference, between Winston Churchill and Franklin D. Roosevelt.

As for Bogart’s role in the film – the main contenders, George Raft (again) and Clark Gable, were unavailable.

And the window for filming was tight. Timing was crucial.

Casablanca cemented Bogart’s status as an all-round actor.

As an aside, none of the stars – Bogart, Ingrid Bergman and Paul Henreid – ever imagined it would become the blockbuster it did.

5. Luck

You can work hard, take chances and hone your craft, but there are always forces beyond your control. Sometimes these forces work in your favour and sometimes not.

For Bogart, for many years, luck wasn’t exactly on his side. He wasn’t considered a leading man. The studio system required him to make movies he didn’t believe in. And when he did win leading roles, he was consistently cast as the villain.

And when luck did come his way, it was because other actors weren’t available, or had turned down the roles before being offered to him.

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6. Principles

In many movies, Bogart played characters that could be cynical, but were also principled.

This is possibly best reflected in the movie Casablanca. Rick (Bogart) encourages Ilse (Bergman) to leave Casablanca and support her husband with the wartime resistance, saying:

‘I'm no good at being noble, but it doesn't take much to see that the problems of three little people don't amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world.’

In real life, Bogart – who aged 19 had enlisted in the US Navy - demonstrated his principles when speaking out against the actions of The House Un-American Activities Committee – a committee formed to identify Communist sympathizers in America.

The committee had turned its attention to Hollywood and Bogart and his wife, Lauren Bacall, travelled to Washington to promote the rights enshrined in the First Amendment – namely free speech.

Bogart blended purpose with practicality. Recognizing that his actions may be mis-interpreted, he clearly stated he was no Communist – and no dupe.

And finally, as an actor, he respected his profession and worked hard at it:

‘The only thing you owe the public is a good performance.’

7. Bringing Out the Best in Others

Bogart worked hard as an actor, but he also sought to bring out the best in those around him – and deliver a great movie.

HIs success in doing this is reflected in the words of his key co-stars and directors:

Katherine Hepburn, his co-star in ‘The African Queen’, which was a challenging shoot, partly filmed in Africa:

"Bogart was hilarious. Even in the worst conditions, he kept the mood light with his dry wit."

Lauren Bacall, his co-star and (last) wife:

“He was incredibly supportive of me when I started in Hollywood. He guided me, but never tried to control me. He wanted me to be the best I could be.”

John Huston, director of ‘The Maltese Falcon’ and ‘The African Queen’:

“Bogey understood the importance of the team effort. He was always interested in making the best movie, not just the best scene for himself.”

8. Fallback Options

Things don't always work out.

When Bogart wasn’t making ends meet as an actor – or indeed in any profession – he would play chess for money.

He was apparently of expert strength – one level below Master – making him on e of the top few percent of chess players at the time.

Fortunately, post the struggles of his early years, he didn’t need to play chess for money – but he did continue to play. He even played correspondence chess with American soldiers in World War Two.

9. Switch-Off Time

Sailing was an integral part of his life. He had grown up near the water in New York. And he joined the Navy as a teenager.

With earnings later in his career, he bought a schooner, The Santana, which he sailed most weekends.

Sailing took him away from the pressures of work.

Bogart drew the comparison with his life as an actor and his sailing:

“An actor’s life is like sailing. You have to improvise, adjust, and make the best of what you’ve got at the time.”

Bogart's Legacy

Like all great leaders, Bogart’s legacy has lived well beyond his passing.

His inspiration is visible in popular culture. Possibly most famously in the Woody Allen play and movie, ‘Play It Again, Sam.’, where Allen imagines conversations with a Bogart-like figure.

He – and his lines – continue to be referenced in movies, TV programmes and cartoons, such as The Simpsons, Cheers and Frasier.

Though I’ve referenced his positive qualities, he was certainly not without flaws.

Yet overall, it was his straight-talking, no-nonsense approach – both on and off the screen, coupled with a love for his work – that created a simultaneously inspiring and relatable figure.

Just like Bogart’s career, the quality of a leader’s abilities are reflected in the choices they make in different situations and with a diverse cast of characters, over time.

Bogart's Academy Award

Bogart won his only Academy Award for the 1952 movie, The African Queen, where he played against type as a Canadian steamboat operator, Charlie Allnut. Allnut is not suave, cool or morally complex – rather, he is initially cowardly, bumbling and self-interested.

Andrea Stone is an Executive Coach and Educator, working with leaders and their teams in dynamic, multinational organizations operating across diverse cultures to create greater value and sustainable success.

? Andrea Stone, Stone Leadership