Lauren Bacall Family Tree: The Story Behind Bogie's Bacall

Betty Joan Perske, known as Lauren Bacall (1924–2014), born 16 September 1924 in The Bronx, NY, USA, and died 12 August 2014 in New York City, was Hollywood's most-sultry leading lady — To Have and Have Not (1944), The Big Sleep (1946), Dark Passage (1947), Key Largo (1948) — all with husband Humphrey Bogart; How to Marry a Millionaire (1953); Honorary Academy Award (2009); Kennedy Center Honors (1997).

The Family's Roots: A Jewish New York Family

Parents divorced when Bacall was 5; Betty took her mother's maiden-name Bacal.

Her Parents

Father: William Perske (1889–1982) — Polish-Jewish immigrant salesman.

Mother: Natalie "Nettie" Weinstein-Bacal (1902–1978) — Romanian-Jewish immigrant.

Her Cousin

Shimon Peres (1923–2016) — Israeli Prime Minister & Nobel Peace Prize winner; Bacall's first cousin.

Her Husbands

Humphrey Bogart (m. 21 May 1945, until his death 14 January 1957) — actor (25 years older).

Jason Robards Jr. (m. 4 July 1961, div. 10 September 1969) — actor.

Her Children (with Bogart)

Stephen Humphrey Bogart, b. 6 January 1949 — TV producer.

Leslie Howard Bogart, b. 23 August 1952 — yoga instructor.

Her Son (with Robards)

Sam Robards, b. 16 December 1961 — actor.

The Bacall Family Tree at a Glance

Father: William Perske (1889–1982).

Mother: Natalie Weinstein-Bacal (1902–1978).

Cousin: Shimon Peres (1923–2016) — Israeli PM & Nobel Peace Prize.

Husbands: Humphrey Bogart (1945-57, died); Jason Robards Jr. (1961-69).

Children: Stephen (b. 6 January 1949); Leslie Howard (b. 23 August 1952); Sam Robards (b. 16 December 1961).

Lauren Bacall:

  • Born 16 September 1924, Bronx, NY
  • Julia Richman High School; American Academy of Dramatic Arts
  • Modeling → Harper's Bazaar cover March 1943 → Warner Bros. contract
  • To Have and Have Not (1944) at 19 — Bogart met her, married her
  • Honorary Academy Award: 2009
  • Died: 12 August 2014, NYC — stroke at 89

What the Bacall Family Story Teaches Us

Divorced Jewish-immigrant parents. Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres was her first cousin. Two marriages — first to Bogart (25 years older, died in 1957). Three children by two husbands. A career that never won a competitive Oscar despite 70 years on screen.

For every family — large or small, famous or otherwise — the Bacall story carries the same lesson. Some family trees connect Hollywood royalty to Israeli statesmanship.

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