“You know how to whistle, don’t you, Steve? You just put your lips together and… blow.” From the moment you watched a young and sultry Lauren Bacall wistfully utter those words to the rugged Humphrey Bogart you knew that their love affair would last far beyond the end title and that “Bogie and Baby” would become synonymous with true love.

The young Lauren Bacall, then still known by her first name Betty, was a statuesque beauty, with an alluring innocence and a sweet sultry voice. But in 1943 her career had yet to springboard into the success which it would become. It was director Howard Hawke’s wife who noticed the gorgeous young woman, staring out from the glossed cover. It was one look at the cover of the latest issue of Harper’s Bizarre which led to her first featured role alongside one of Hollywood’s most recognizable actors, Humphrey Bogart.

Humphrey Bogart, at the age of 44, had by that time already reached a phenomenal success. He was cast to play opposite Lauren in 1944’s, To Have and Have Not, which Lauren was not too enthused by. Not immediately drawn to the rough and grizzled Humphrey Bogart Ms. Bacall was hesitant and none to impressed. But Humphrey must have already known, “I just saw your test,” he said. “We’ll have a lot of fun together.” At the tender age of 19 Lauren had little experience with film and even less with romance gradually, working side by side in their first film the two fell hopelessly in love with one another.

There was however one hurdle they would have to overcome. At the time Bogart was trapped in a loveless and an infamously hostile relationship with his notoriously alcoholic wife, actress Mayo Methot. The loyalty to his, albeit estranged, wife left Bogart suffering tremendous guilt and that same loyalty tore at Humphrey’s desire to dedicate his life to his new love.

Fortunately, Bogart escaped the torture of his previous marriage and began his new life with Lauren on May 21, 1946. The two were married on a picturesque farm in Pleasant Valley, in Richmond County Ohio. The two were inseparable and intoxicated with love for one another. There are no words to describe the kind of chemistry the two exhibited in real life. While they fell in love before our eyes over the course of multiple films including, 1946’s The Big Sleep and 1948’s Key Largo, the onscreen action couldn’t hold a shadow to their real life adoration for one another.

For more on the silver screen couple This Is Glamorous or Humphrey Bogart.com