Born in 1899 to a prominent New York family, Humphrey Bogart emerged from a minor theatrical career in the 1920s to become one of Hollywood's most distinctive leading men of the 40s and 50s, principally through his often-revived appearances in "The Maltese Falcon" (1941), "Casablanca" (1942) and his Oscar-winning "The African Queen" (1951).
Though initially typecast as one of Warner Bros. tough guy/gangsters in the 30s, during and after WWII the "Bogie" persona grew into more fully developed anti-hero and reluctant hero personifications. Although he continually played men with criminal pasts,