> At a Glance
> – Stephen Bogart, 77, now curates his father’s estate and festival
> – Leslie Bogart, 73, left Hollywood to teach yoga and work as a nurse
> – Both siblings were raised in the shadow of their parents’ legendary romance
> – Why it matters: Their contrasting paths reveal how children of icons forge identity beyond fame
The romance of Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall produced two children who grew up amid flashbulbs yet took wildly different roads as adults. While their parents’ love story remains celluloid legend, Stephen and Leslie Bogart have spent decades defining themselves beyond the family name.
Stephen’s Journey: From Reluctant Son to Legacy Keeper
Stephen Humphrey Bogart was eight when his father died in 1957. The sudden loss-and the paparazzi frenzy that followed-made him hide his lineage for years. He told classmates:
> “If I was related, I’d be living in his mansion, right?”
After college, Stephen wrote In Search of My Father to understand the man he barely knew. Today he oversees:
- Annual Humphrey Bogart Film Festival
- Bogart Spirits liquor brand
- Social media, licensing, and a production company
Stephen has three children from two previous marriages and now lives with wife Carla Soviero.
Leslie’s Choice: Quiet Life Beyond the Spotlight
Born August 23, 1952, Leslie Howard Bogart was named after Leslie Howard, the actor who fought for Humphrey to land his breakthrough role in The Petrified Forest. She occasionally joined her mother on red carpets-appearing at the 1997 Oscars, Kennedy Center Honors, and 2010 postage-stamp premiere-but ultimately stepped away from Hollywood.
Leslie worked as:
- Yoga instructor in Boston
- Registered nurse
- Wife to yoga master Erich Schiffmann, married 1990
Bacall’s Reflection on Motherhood
Lauren Bacall paused her acting career at Bogart’s request, convinced that “a career and marriage don’t mix.” She later called those early parenting years her happiest:
> “If I’d had just my career, I would have missed out on Bogie, on children, on the very substance of life.”
After Humphrey’s death, she focused solely on Stephen and Leslie, moving them to England while she filmed to shield them from relentless press.
Key Takeaways
- Stephen curates the Bogart estate and keeps the film legacy alive
- Leslie chose a private, wellness-centered career far from studios
- Both siblings credit their mother with providing stability after Humphrey’s early death
- The brothers’ and sister’s divergent paths show how Hollywood dynasties branch into unexpected directions
Seven decades on, the Bogart children prove that even the most storied surnames can be redefined on one’s own terms.
