Humphrey Bogart started out as a stage manager, in the 1920s. Occasionally, along with the job of stage manager, he would understudy lead roles. He knew nothing about acting. He described the first night he had to go on, and hearing other actors talking to him, and sensing the audience out there – and he said he had never been so afraid in his life.<\/p>\n
He started getting parts on his own, however. Usually second to the leading man. He wasn’t a tough guy yet. He played young urbane lovesick kids, and apparently (this may just be a legend) said, as an improvisation one night, “Tennis, anyone?” That pretty much sums up the kinds of parts he played.<\/p>\n
Usually he was never mentioned in the reviews.<\/p>\n
One review, however, for the play Swifty<\/i> did mention him, the first time his name was ever in the newspaper.<\/p>\n “The young man who embodies the aforesaid sprig is what is usually and mercifully described as inadequate.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Bogart kept that clipped-out review for the rest of his days.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Humphrey Bogart started out as a stage manager, in the 1920s. Occasionally, along with the job of stage manager, he would understudy lead roles. He knew nothing about acting. He described the first night he had to go on, and … Continue reading