Another Icon Passes....Lauren Bacall at 89

On the heels of the death of a comic icon, another icon, this one , the old school Hollywood variety, passes from us. Film and stage actress Lauren Bacall has died at the age of 89. It just seems to  be one  of those sad moments in time when you realize, nothing is forever and you become very aware of your own mortality. You find yourself grieving for another time, long past, when things were simpler, perhaps more innocent and there was not so much to fear in the world.

Her Hollywood career spanned seven decades, with a memorable debut aged 19 opposite her future husband, Humphrey Bogart, in To Have and Have Not. More than 50 years later, The Mirror Has Two Faces earned her a Golden Globe Award and an Academy Award nomination.
 She went on to become one of cinema's biggest stars, best known for her husky voice and beauty.
A Twitter account of the Bogart estate, run by Bacall's son, tweeted: "With deep sorrow, yet with great gratitude for her amazing life, we confirm the passing of Lauren Bacall."
She reportedly died after suffering a major stroke at home. Bogart was awarded an honorary Oscar in 2009 in recognition of "her central place in the golden age of motion pictures".

Born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1924 as Betty Joan Perske, Bacall took a variation of her mother's last name after her parents divorced. Her first film performance, as the tough and tender dame in To Have and Have Not, became one of the most powerful debuts in film history.The film featured her legendary lines: "You don't have to act with me, Steve. You don't have to say anything and you don't have to do anything. Oh, maybe just whistle. You know how to whistle, don't you, Steve? You just put your lips together and... blow. She continued her on-screen partnership with Bogart in Key Largo, The Big Sleep and Dark Passage after the couple were married in 1945.

They had two children and were married until his death in 1957. She had another child with her second husband, Jason Robards.

 

Bacall with her second husband, Jason Robards, and their baby son Sam

 

In 2007, she appeared in Berlin with her dog Sophie during a photocall for "The Walker"

Bacall appeared in more than 30 movies, including How to Marry a Millionaire and Murder on the Orient Express. She also acted on stage in New York, winning Tony Awards for best leading actress in a musical in 1970 for Applause and in 1981 for Woman of the Year. A second wave of film acting earned her an Academy Award nomination for her role opposite Barbra Streisand in The Mirror Has Two Faces.

Goodbye Betty...you were a true star. We hope your star is still ascending and your sleep is peaceful.