Meeting Lauren Bacall...

Almost three years ago now, I was assigned by a magazine to profile Lauren Bacall. But the only time she had available in order to meet our deadline was 10:30 a.m. LONDON TIME! That meant 2:30 a.m. L.A. time for me. I called at the appointed hour and the hotel operator said there was no answer. I asked him to try again. Still no answer. I call back 10 minutes later, he rings, she answers.
Her first words to me: "You're late!"
Yikes! I blamed the operator and we settled into this great conversation about a 60-plus year career of up and downs in movies and her great Broadway triumphs. So great was their love, It's impossible to talk to Bacall without Humphrey Bogart coming up even though he's been gone for 50 years now. I knew all about their love story because when I was maybe 12 or 13, I bought a paperback copy of her autobiography "My Myself" and read every page. I read it again and again because it told of an epic life filled with movie stars and presidents and all kinds of adventure and drama. I think this gay kid from the OC most admired the determination of Bacall who may be a Hollywood legend, but had to endure plenty of personal and professional setbacks.
Anyway, at the end of our middle-of-the-night interview, Bacall said to me: "Next time I am in Los Angeles, we must meet face to face."
It took three years but that meeting finally took place last night at the Women In Hollywood Tribute in Beverly Hills. To read my piece on Bacall, please click on over to my Hollywood Joe blog and enjoy!