Lauren Bacall, whose stellar career spanned over 70 years on stage and in film,
died today at age 89. One of the last of the Hollywood Golden Age actors, Bacall starred in such films as
To Have and Have Not, Key Largo, The Big Sleep and
Dark Passage (all with husband Humphrey Bogart). Known for her sultry looks and husky voice, Bacall created one of the most memorable moments in film history with her line in
To Have and Have Not, saying to a befuddled (yet aroused) Humphrey Bogart as she exited a room, "
You don’t have to say anything, Steve, just whistle. You know how to whistle, don’t you, Steve?” … You just put your lips together and blow.”
The award-winning actress was also
a socially-conscious progressive who spoke out against the abuses of the McCarthy era and supported liberal causes throughout her life. (A bit of trivia: she's first cousin to Israeli statesman Shimon Peres.) She was one of a kind, a personality who truly was a cultural icon.
Rest in peace.
