The Petrified Forest - Focus: Humphrey Bogart

Leslie Howard, Humphrey Bogart, Bette Davis, Dick Foran and Genevieve Tobin in The Petrified Forest. Produced by Hal B. Wallis and Warner Brothers. Directed by Archie Mayo. Released February 6, 1936.

Howard had starred as Alan Squier, a doomed intellectual, in the 1935 Broadway production of The Petrified Forest and Warner Brothers wanted him to reprise that role in the film.

[Leslie Howard as Alan Squier in the stage play]

Jack Warner had intended to cast Edward G. Robinson in the role of Duke Mantee even though the part had been played by Humphrey Bogart on Broadway, thanks to Robert E. Sherwood who wrote the stage play and Arthur Hopkins, producer. When Howard learned of this he informed Warner Brothers that he would not play the part of Alan Squier unless Bogart played Mantee. According to author Eric Lax, Howard also held the trump card -- he controlled the film rights to The Petrified Forest.

Edward G. Robinson was ambivalent about the part anyway as he had already played gangsters in several films and didn't want to be typecast. Bogart was 37 at the time. He felt that he was finished with Broadway and his film career was at an end. He wanted to play the leading man but was only being cast in character parts and supporting roles. Leslie Howard persisted and Bogart was given the role. He was guaranteed three weeks' work and a ticket for the train to Hollywood. But he told friends that if he didn't make it this time he was through.

[Humphrey Bogart as Duke Mantee]

After watching a few of the dailies, Hal Wallis realized that Bogart was terrific in the part.

But Wallis noticed that Archie Mayo had been filming Bogart positioned in front of moose antlers which were hung on the wall behind him making it appear as though Bogie had sprouted horns. Mayo found it amusing; Wallis did not. When Hal Wallis saw this he fired off a memo to Henry Blanke, assistant director, ordering Archie Mayo to knock it off and reshoot those scenes. As evidenced by the below screen still, Mayo ignored the order. The Petrified Forest turned out to be Bogart's breakout film role.

[Leslie Howard, Humphrey Bogart and

Dick Foran in The Petrified Forest]

Humphrey Bogart never forgot Leslie Howard's loyalty, even naming his second child after Howard.

Official Trailer

Subscribe to Leslie Howard by Email