Humphrey Bogart, Verita Thompson
Bogie and Bacall - The two actors seemed like the perfect couple and I'm sure they really did love each other, but, did anyone really think that Humphrey Bogart could be totally faithful to Lauren Bacall, who was wife number four? In Bogart's case, it appears that the saying, "once a dog, always a dog" rings true.
Verita Thompson, in her book, "Bogie and Me: The Love Story of Humphrey Bogart and Verita Thompson," details the long running affair the two had during the 1940s and 1950s. Thompson, a wig maker to the stars, first met Bogart in 1942 at a wrap party for Casablanca. At the party Bogart and Thompson danced and drank the night away. It was the "beginning of a beautiful friendship" - or maybe "beautiful" isn't the appropriate word.
Bogart would continue to see Thompson after that night. When Thompon's husband at the time, Robert Peterson, was away on military service, Bogart would stop by Thompson's home in Burbank. The home was conveniently located near the Warner Bros. studio where Bogart worked, so afterwards, Bogie could visit Thompson without his then third wife, Mayo Methot, ever knowing.
What is surprising is that, after Thompson divorced her husband and Bogart divorced Methot, he would go on to marry Lauren Bacall just 12 days later. Though this didn't stop Bogart from seeing Thompson. In 1949, when Bogart left Warner Bros. to form his own production company, he hired Thompson. Thompson was a wig maker and Bogart wore a toupee. It made perfect sense for Thompson to be working for Bogart.
The affair continued until 1955, when Thompson, married the producer Walter Thompson. Verita Thompson remained friends with Humphrey Bogart until his death.
722 Roselli Street, Burbank, California
Above is a photo of Thompson's home on Roselli Street in Burbank, the location where Thompson and Bogart spent many evenings together. Bogart was a heavy drinker and apparently Thompson could hold her liquor too. The two would kick back Scotch and soda, get loud, and then...
Your thoughts?
12 comments:
Very interesting, Robby. I had no clue of this. You always hear of this with Gable, but not Bogey. Oh well, he and Bacall were still a great couple.
Robin
Interesting--I'd never heard of this woman, let alone the affair. I'm not surprised though. If it could happen to Gable and Lombard, it could happen to Bogie and Bacall.
I am sure Bacall was quite patient with her husband, I feel like she had to be, interesting stuff! never know this story.
aside from the affair the toupee was the real shocker for me!! ehehhe. i'm horrible at notcing those types of things! :) great post cutie. :)
I live in her house in New Orleans!!!!
I read about this on the other sites, but I think that this woman published her book about secret affair only because of money and publicity. I am the great fan of Bogie and Bacall and I am not sure that they both were faithful to each other, but I am certain that some facts which this woman.
I read about this on the other sites, but I think that this woman published her book about secret affair only because of money and publicity. I am the great fan of Bogie and Bacall and I am not sure that they both were faithful to each other, but I am certain that some facts which this woman.
I suspect Thompson may have had several reasons for writing her book;
especially for notoriety.
I suspect Verita Thompson may have had several reasons to publish
this book; notoriety, most likely one of them.
Nooooo. I have never believed this woman. Maybe they knew each other before but I don't believe Bogie was unfaithful to Bacall. I don't believe it, I think it was to sell a book.
I've only read parts of Thompson's book on internet, but Lax's bio.
"Bogart," talks about the two being seen together while Bacall was
home. Podcast "Authors Views" Verita Thompson appears to be in her
80's gives anecdotes: Bogart sometimes ate glass. According to her,
he did at a director's party, cut tongue, which was stitched up.
No evidence of such, nor that she was even present, according to
Farley Granger, who was anxious to meet Bogart. Bacall, present, was
greeted by her husband w/ a toothy, bloody grin!
Tongue incident, Bogart's broken dentures were result of car accident
on Italy. Huston and Bogart passengers. Bogart woke up, bit into
tongue, which was stitched up.
I wonder if Thompson was lying or simply mixed up.
I again feel the need to stress the correct length of Thompson
Bogart affair: 1942-1954, 12 yrs! 1955, married other lover,
Walter Thompson. Time frame of affair has been exaggerated to
15, 20 yrs!
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