Famous Actors from New York City

Actress Lauren Bacall was born Betty Joan Perske in New York City on September 16, 1924. She is still alive at present and is still active as model and actress. She was the only child of Natalie and William Perske. Her parents were Jewish immigrants and divorced when she was five years old. Her mother then took her to California where she became a movie star and took her mother’s maiden name of Bacall.

She studied the craft of acting for 13 years while she worked as a fashion model. In 1944, she had a breakthrough in the screen test “To Have & Have Not.” Her performance was outstanding and very well recognized.

In 1945, she got married to actor Humphrey Bogart and had two children. She was 20 years old and Bogart was 45. Bogart eventually died from cancer in 1957, leaving Bacall alone. She then married actor Jason Robard with whom she had one child and remained married just for a short period of eight years; apparently he was an alcoholic.

In the 1950s she earned a reputation for being very difficult, yet she was very successful. In 1997, she was nominated for the best supporting actress Academy Award for her role in “The Mirror Has Two Faces.” In 1999 she was voted to be recognized as one of the most important female actresses in history by the American Film Institute. In 2006, she was awarded the First Medal of Katherine Hepburn which recognizes woman who have made astonishing contributions to the world.

Currently she is beginning a jewelry business with the world-renowned Weinman Brothers.