Friday, August 15, 2014

Champions of Creativity

    Lauren Bacall

One of the last giants of Hollywood's Golden Age passed away on Tuesday.
Lauren Bacall was a legendary actress, a fashion icon, and an award-winning author.

Photo Credit: Public Domain

Betty Joan Perske was born on September 16, 1924 in New York City, the only child of Jewish immigrant parents.

She met Humphrey Bogart in 1944 on the set of her first movie, "To Have and Have Not" at the age of nineteen. The next year Ms. Bacall and Mr. Bogart were married. For many years they were the toast of tinseltown and were known simply as "Bogie and Bacall."

Her career in motion pictures was one of great achievement; she was one of the elite movie stars of her time. Ms. Bacall was ranked #20 of the 25 actresses on the AFI's 100 years...100 Stars list, and in 2009 she was awarded an Honorary Academy Award.

Lauren Bacall's first memoir, "By Myself" was published in 1978 for which she won a National Book Award. Another memoir, "Now"  was published in 1994, and her final book, "By Myself and Then Some" was published in 2005. Of writing, the extraordinary woman once remarked, "Writing a book is the most complete experience I've ever had."

Lauren Bacall also once said, "I prefer to prevail." Indeed she shall, in the marvelous motion pictures and memoirs she left behind.