Deborah Chan
Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall's wedding and honeymoon took place at Malabar Farm in Lucas, Ohio, on 21 May 1945. The farm was the country home of Pulitzer Prize-winning author and close friend of Bogart, Louis Bromfield. The couple first met in 1943 when they co-starred in 'To Have and To Have Not'. At the time, Bogart was married to actress Mayo Methot, but he and Bacall, 25 years his junior, soon began a relationship.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of honeymoon | 21 May 1945 |
| Location | Malabar Farm, Lucas, Ohio |
| Owner of Malabar Farm | Louis Bromfield |
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What You'll Learn
Malabar Farm, Lucas, Ohio
Malabar Farm in Lucas, Ohio, was the honeymoon destination of Hollywood stars Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall. The couple married at the farm on 21 May 1945, between the double staircase in the Big House. The farm was the country home of Pulitzer Prize-winning author and one of Bogart's confidants, Louis Bromfield.
The 600-acre plot of land was named after the Malabar coast in India, which Bromfield visited while travelling in Europe. Bromfield was a native of Mansfield, Ohio, and Malabar Farm was his dream. He built a 32-room country home where he could gather his family and friends, and they could share the pleasure of life on the farm. Bromfield was also one of America's first proponents of sustainable agriculture and conservation, and he restored the farmlands and preserved the beauty of the woodlands.
Today, visitors can see the house and farm as they were in Bromfield's time. The outbuildings and pastures still house chickens, goats, and cattle, and the hills are filled with corn, wheat, oats and hay. The farm is now a state park, with camping, picnicking, fishing, and scenic walks. There is also a restaurant and a petting farm.
The farm has been used as a filming location, including for parts of The Shawshank Redemption.
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The farmhouse
On May 21, 1945, Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall were married in a ceremony at Malabar Farm, a 600-acre plot of land in Lucas, Ohio. The farm belonged to Bogart's friend, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author Louis Bromfield, who also hosted the wedding. Malabar Farm was both a mecca for agricultural pioneers and a rural retreat for Hollywood celebrities in the 1940s and 1950s.
The choice of venue for the wedding and honeymoon was an unusual one for the Hollywood stars. The farmhouse was a far cry from the typical glamorous locations of celebrity weddings. However, the decision to marry and honeymoon at Malabar Farm was a practical one, as the couple sought a quiet ceremony away from the public eye. Despite their wishes, newspapers across the country closely followed the event, and the press was confused by Bogart's choice to travel to an Ohio farm.
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The wedding reception
The farmhouse was described by Bacall as "shining", with every table waxed and the brass polished. The newlyweds were photographed sharing a kiss on the cheek, and Bacall was also photographed tossing her bouquet to an eager crowd.
The wedding was attended by Bromfield, who was photographed with the newlyweds and their guests, and his secretary, George Hawkins, who had earlier suggested the idea of getting married at the Big House.
The wedding was closely followed by newspapers across the country, with one announcing, "Today's the Day! The plot—matrimony. The cast of characters—languorous Lauren Bacall and merchant of menace Humphrey Bogart."
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The ceremony
On May 21, 1945, Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall were married on Malabar Farm, a 600-acre plot of land in Lucas, Ohio, owned by a close friend of Bogart's, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author Louis Bromfield. The ceremony was performed by Municipal Judge H.H. Shettler, who read a service that he said "contained a little of everything". Before taking the vows, Bogart drank a martini and muttered, "Oh, baby," to his bride.
The wedding came as a breath of fresh air during a tense, hopeful moment in American history. Just two weeks earlier, the Allies had achieved victory in Europe, and the nation was gearing up for a final confrontation with Japan. Despite the couple's desire for a quiet ceremony, newspapers across the country closely followed the event, with one announcing, "Today's the Day! The plot—matrimony. The cast of characters—languorous Lauren Bacall and merchant of menace Humphrey Bogart."
The farmhouse was described by Bacall as "shining", with every table waxed and the brass polished, creating a beautiful setting for the wedding. The couple's wedding reception was also held at Bromfield's home, where Bacall fed wedding cake to her new husband, and they shared a kiss on the cheek.
The marriage was the first for Bacall and the fourth for Bogart. They would go on to have two children together and remain married until Bogart's death in 1957.
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The honeymoon
Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall's honeymoon took place at Malabar Farm, Lucas, Ohio, on 21 May 1945. The 600-acre plot of land was owned by one of Bogart's confidants, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author, Louis Bromfield. Malabar Farm was both a mecca for agricultural pioneers and a rural retreat for Hollywood celebrities. It was also the location of the wedding ceremony, which took place in the hallway of Bromfield's 20-room farmhouse.
The couple first met on the set of the 1944 film 'To Have and Have Not'. At the time, Bogart was married to his third wife, actress Mayo Methot. Despite the initial lack of attraction, the relationship between Bogart and Bacall progressed quickly. By February 1945, Bogart had called off his marriage and was preparing to wed Bacall, which he did just a few months later.
The wedding was one of the greatest celebrity weddings of all time. The host, Bromfield, was at the height of his popularity. A Pulitzer Prize-winning author and bon vivant, he had spent the interwar years living it up outside Paris, entertaining starving artists and aristocrats in a magnificent riverside garden that he built himself. His bestselling novels, many of which were adapted by Hollywood, made him rich and famous, yet his greatest passion was the soil.
The newlyweds were the subject of intense media interest, with newspapers across the country closely following the event. The day before the wedding, Bromfield took his secretary, George Hawkins, fishing to calm him down. The weather on the day of the wedding was bright and clear, and Bacall remembered the farmhouse as "shining", with every table waxed and the brass polished.
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Frequently asked questions
The couple honeymooned at Malabar Farm, Lucas, Ohio, the country home of Pulitzer Prize-winning author and Bogart's friend, Louis Bromfield.
Louis Bromfield was a close friend of Bogart's and a Pulitzer Prize-winning author. He hosted the wedding at his 600-acre plot of land.
Yes, they did. They got married at Malabar Farm in Lucas, Ohio, and then honeymooned there.
Bogart and Bacall got married on 21 May 1945.
Yes, Bogart and Bacall had two children together: a son, Stephen, born in 1949, and a daughter, Leslie, born in 1952.
