# Do you think Humphrey Bogart is attractive? If so, how and why? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 21, 2020, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-humphrey-bogart-is-attractive-if-so-how-and-why/854217 "2020-05-21T02:07:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Deeg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/deeg/32/2955_2.png) [@Deeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deeg)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2020, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-humphrey-bogart-is-attractive-if-so-how-and-why/854217/1 "2020-05-21T02:07:09Z")
I just finished reading The Maltese Falcon and watched a bit of the movie. I gather that Bogart was considered handsome in his day but I just don’t see it. But then plenty of people think Mick Jagger is (or was) hot so what do I know? If you think Bogart is attractive, in what way? ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2020, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-humphrey-bogart-is-attractive-if-so-how-and-why/854217/2 "2020-05-21T03:32:24Z")
Today he is just skin and bones. 😉 His attractiveness derives from his attitude and charisma. He isnt ugly but he isnt traditionally handsome either. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2020, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-humphrey-bogart-is-attractive-if-so-how-and-why/854217/3 "2020-05-21T04:31:31Z")
> [@madsircool](#): > > …His attractiveness derives from his attitude and charisma. He isnt ugly but he isnt traditionally handsome either. Nailed it. A damn fine actor, too. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2020, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-humphrey-bogart-is-attractive-if-so-how-and-why/854217/4 "2020-05-21T04:37:30Z")
He’s ugly. No two ways about it. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2020, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-humphrey-bogart-is-attractive-if-so-how-and-why/854217/5 "2020-05-21T04:47:28Z")
> [@Deeg](#): > > I gather that Bogart was considered handsome in his day but I just don’t see it. But then plenty of people think Mick Jagger is (or was) hot so what do I know? If you think Bogart is attractive, in what way? You don’t have to be handsome to be attractive. Bogart was not conventionally handsome but he was very attractive. He starred alongside some of the most glamorous leading ladies of the era, and it was considered entirely plausible that they would fall for him. Then of course you have the real-life example of Lauren Bacall, who was immediately attracted to Bogart and married him, staying married for the rest of his life. Liam Neeson is a current actor who is not at all handsome, but nonetheless is regarded as very attractive. ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2020, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-humphrey-bogart-is-attractive-if-so-how-and-why/854217/6 "2020-05-21T05:31:56Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > You don’t have to be handsome to be attractive. Bogart was not conventionally handsome but he was very attractive. He starred alongside some of the most glamorous leading ladies of the era, and it was considered entirely plausible that they would fall for him. Then of course you have the real-life example of Lauren Bacall, who was immediately attracted to Bogart and married him, staying married for the rest of his life. > > Liam Neeson is a current actor who is not at all handsome, but nonetheless is regarded as very attractive. I thought i would refute this with a pic from [The Bounty](http://movieactors.com/photos-stars/liam-neeson-thebounty-1.jpg)…given my memories is that everyone (including Hopkins) is so dreamy in this film BUT…you called it. Liams got a weird nose. Nothing else to add to this other than Liam is a tall chap, and Bogie was notoriously short. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2020, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-humphrey-bogart-is-attractive-if-so-how-and-why/854217/7 "2020-05-21T05:40:15Z")
Bogey was short and ugly and still married one of the most beautiful women of his time. He must have had something going for him. ---
**Author:** ![kitap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b9e5f3/32.png) [@kitap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kitap)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2020, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-humphrey-bogart-is-attractive-if-so-how-and-why/854217/8 "2020-05-21T06:31:30Z")
He was not attractive but he had charisma. You can still feel it when watching one of his movies. ---
**Author:** ![gkster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gkster/32/14107_2.png) [@gkster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gkster)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2020, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-humphrey-bogart-is-attractive-if-so-how-and-why/854217/9 "2020-05-21T07:16:56Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > Bogey was short and ugly and still married one of the most beautiful women of his time. He must have had something going for him. He had 3 beautiful wives before Lauren Bacall: Helen Menken [![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8c/HelenMenkenStageDoorCanteen.jpg) ](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8c/HelenMenkenStageDoorCanteen.jpg) Mary Philips [https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/49/Mary\_Philips\_photo.jpg/220px-Mary\_Philips\_photo.jpg](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/49/Mary_Philips_photo.jpg/220px-Mary_Philips_photo.jpg) Mayo Methot [https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fupload.wikimedia.org%2Fwikipedia%2Fcommons%2F7%2F7b%2FMayo\_Methot\_-\_Marked\_Woman.jpg&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Fcommons.wikimedia.org%2Fwiki%2FImage%3AMayo\_Methot\_-\_Marked\_Woman.jpg&docid=5U9x2wPMHXmLIM&tbnid=cX6cDfj-\_J7oEM%3A&vet=1&w=368&h=542&itg=1&bih=583&biw=1242&ved=2ahUKEwjL7bbassTpAhUuhXIEHaE5DdIQxiAoB3oECAEQLA&iact=c&ictx=1](https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fupload.wikimedia.org%2Fwikipedia%2Fcommons%2F7%2F7b%2FMayo_Methot_-_Marked_Woman.jpg&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Fcommons.wikimedia.org%2Fwiki%2FImage%3AMayo_Methot_-_Marked_Woman.jpg&docid=5U9x2wPMHXmLIM&tbnid=cX6cDfj-_J7oEM%3A&vet=1&w=368&h=542&itg=1&bih=583&biw=1242&ved=2ahUKEwjL7bbassTpAhUuhXIEHaE5DdIQxiAoB3oECAEQLA&iact=c&ictx=1) ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2020, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-humphrey-bogart-is-attractive-if-so-how-and-why/854217/10 "2020-05-21T11:15:59Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Nailed it. A damn fine actor, too. Funny - I think he’s a very wooden actor. In fact, I never believed him as any of the characters he played - I felt like he was always Bogart reading lines. Guess I’m missing something. I also thought he was rather ordinary looking. ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2020, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-humphrey-bogart-is-attractive-if-so-how-and-why/854217/11 "2020-05-21T13:03:41Z")
> [@FairyChatMom](#): > > Funny - I think he’s a very wooden actor. In fact, I never believed him as any of the characters he played - I felt like he was always Bogart reading lines. Guess I’m missing something. > > I also thought he was rather ordinary looking. You thought that in Caine Mutiny? ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2020, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-humphrey-bogart-is-attractive-if-so-how-and-why/854217/12 "2020-05-21T13:21:00Z")
> [@FairyChatMom](#): > > Funny - I think he’s a very wooden actor. In fact, I never believed him as any of the characters he played - I felt like he was always Bogart reading lines. Guess I’m missing something. > > I also thought he was rather ordinary looking. He had a somewhat dead pat delivery, but he usually played tough guys. It think actors began to have to be pretty in the 1970s. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2020, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-humphrey-bogart-is-attractive-if-so-how-and-why/854217/13 "2020-05-21T14:37:43Z")
> [@Dale\_Sams](#): > > You thought that in Caine Mutiny? Or in African Queen or Treasure of the Sierra Madre? ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2020, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-humphrey-bogart-is-attractive-if-so-how-and-why/854217/14 "2020-05-21T15:06:00Z")
Like Mick Jagger, mentioned in the OP, Bogart is iconic. Bogart as the manager of your local Denny’s might not be good looking, but Bogart is Bogart. At that level, I think you kind of transcend traditional good looks. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2020, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-humphrey-bogart-is-attractive-if-so-how-and-why/854217/15 "2020-05-21T15:14:08Z")
> [@madmonk28](#): > > Like Mick Jagger, mentioned in the OP, Bogart is iconic. Bogart as the manager of your local Denny’s might not be good looking, but Bogart is Bogart. At that level, I think you kind of transcend traditional good looks. Yeah, unless you’re like 100 years old or grew up without ever watching TV or going to a movie, Bogart has always looked like Bogart. I suspect he was cast in his earliest films for looking tough not handsome. When it became apparent he had some acting chops he was able to make the extremely rare transition to romantic lead during a time (WWII) when toughness was particularly attractive To the public. ---
**Author:** ![MrAtoz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MrAtoz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrAtoz)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2020, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-humphrey-bogart-is-attractive-if-so-how-and-why/854217/16 "2020-05-21T15:24:18Z")
Yeah, I don’t know that Bogart was generally considered handsome. Despite already having a successful acting career behind him, _Casablanca_ was really his first role as a romantic lead. If he’d been thought of as the “leading man type,” he would have done more traditional romantic drama roles before that. As **Elmer J. Fudd** suggests, it may have helped that _Casablanca_ was released during the war, at a time when people liked their leading men to have a bit of a rough edge to them. ---
**Author:** ![Crane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crane/32/3495_2.png) [@Crane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crane)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2020, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-humphrey-bogart-is-attractive-if-so-how-and-why/854217/17 "2020-05-21T16:16:57Z")
Bogart looked like someone you might actually know. He was believable. Could any of the roles mentioned above have been filled by John Wayne, Rock Hudson or Clark gable? ---
**Author:** ![Kelby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a587f6/32.png) [@Kelby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kelby)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2020, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-humphrey-bogart-is-attractive-if-so-how-and-why/854217/18 "2020-05-21T16:25:56Z")
Physically attractive, no. But he had a very compelling style and presence. ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2020, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-humphrey-bogart-is-attractive-if-so-how-and-why/854217/19 "2020-05-21T16:57:58Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Or in African Queen or Treasure of the Sierra Madre? Well, the script of African Queen had to be rewritten for Bogart because he was unable to perform the Cockney accent that was originally intended. Not saying that reproducing accents is required to be a good actor, but no, to me his acting in it wasn’t anything special. It was just Bogart being Bogart again. Take a random scene from African Queen, from The Maltese Falcon, and from Casablanca and I don’t see a big difference in his characterization. I mean, it’s a great character, but it’s always the basically same character. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2020, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-humphrey-bogart-is-attractive-if-so-how-and-why/854217/20 "2020-05-21T17:05:01Z")
As a man, he wasn’t Tyrone Power or Errol Flynn. As an actor, he wasn’t Spencer Tracy. But he was damn good, and always, always a pleasure to watch. I can’t think of a dud performance by him in a movie, at least not after High Sierra. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-think-humphrey-bogart-is-attractive-if-so-how-and-why/854217.md?page=2)