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Show I guess we all know the story of how a lanky B JAMES BRADY LAUREN BACALL Humphrey Bogartin To Have and Have Not. (The two marri ROADWAY WILL BornSept. 16, 1924,in New York. Married to Humphrey celebrate the 100th birthdayofthe stunningly versatile Noél Coward with a production of his Waiting in the Wings on Dec. 16. The play—never Include To Have and Have Not, staged before in this country— features terrific ensemble cast including RosemaryHarris, 4; The Big Dana Ivey and the two-time Tony Award-winner Lauren Bacall. Ms.Bacall, whose palscall her Betty (real name: Betty Joan Perske), is a New Yorker. When wetalked, however, she wasin Californiato attend a museum , 1956; Designing Woman, 1957; Harper, 1966; ‘Murder on the Orient Express, 1974; The Shootist, 1976; The Fan, 198%; The Mirror Has Two Faces, 1996. opening for her “darling pal, copies for me Jennifer Jones Simon,” and to visit family. “Dec. 16 is not only Noél’s 100th birthdaybut also the day my youngest son, Sam [by Jason Robards}, will be 38," she told me. Oh yes,she also has live TV in L.A., and Noél had neverdirected TV before. He'd packed the audience with every twochildren by Humphrey Bog- big namein town, including art and five grandchildren, Hedda [Hopper] and Louella It was late morning when I (Parsons,the twin-terror gossip Includes Franklin Street, 1942; Goodbye Charlie, called, and Lauren was having columnists], Merle Oberon, eggs. “Scrambled,” shesaid Judy Garland. He and Bogie “But I have them various ways. You can’t becomepredictable. Keeppeople guessing.” includes Too Life of Doris Duke, 1999. “Boy! Evenhe can be nervous!" “He wasa true Renaissance playing that man—author, composer, actor, part (of the playwright, cabaret performer. dreamer Bette played in He playedhis part as a joke Davis the 1936 film]. when he had to, but notin his Iwas very James,” life. He cameto see mein Ap- 00d, the said. | asked plause with the Lunts [the First Which means? “He always Laurenactually worked with made youfeel good. The cliché Couple of American theater] and fortunately did not tell me they is ‘a breath of fresh air.’ Noel was 29,000 breaths of fresh air.” were outthere. Then they came backstage afterward to see me, “Later on,” she continued, and I nearly died. Once on open- 87; Waiting in Cowardand Claudette Colbert the Wings, 1999. in a 1956 TV version of his Rich: The had been old, old friends. Noé! was a big life-enhancer.” to show my kids. J also gave them my copy ot Petrified ber seeing Noé!’s hand tremble Forest, the 1955 as he held the mike. I thought, TV version comedyBlithe Spirit. How did that go? “It wasa thrill to be “when Noélplayed Vegas for working with him in a won- thefirst time, Bogie and I went derful play,” she said. “It was tohis opening night. I remem. PHOTO BY EDDIE ADAMS, HAIR, JUDY CROWN; MAKEUP. WAYNE MASSARELLI ing night, Noél sent me a wire: if her role in Waiting in the to win prizes. Never did.” |