Description:

Humphrey Bogart
[Los Angeles, CA], n.d. but ca. September 2, 1942
Humphrey Bogart Chess-By-Mail Moves, Including Check by Queen! Tour-Caused Delay Likely Linked to "Across the Pacific" Release
ALS
A 1p autograph letter signed by American Hollywood actor Humphrey Bogart (1899-1957), as "Bogart" at lower right verso. N.d., n.p. but the postcard is postmarked September 2, 1942, Los Angeles, California. Bogart's correspondent's address is typed recto. Expected wear including even toning with isolated edge darkening. Minor mounting traces visible along the left edge recto, and several philatelic markings located verso. Else near fine. 5.5" x 3.25." Also included is a glossy black and white 8" x 10" photographic reprint of a chess-playing scene from "Casablanca" (1942). Isolated mounting traces verso and some gentle wrinkles, else near fine.

In addition to being one of the most popular actors in 1940s Hollywood, Bogart was also an accomplished near-master strength chess player. Active in the California State Chess Association, Bogart played competitive chess games with other Hollywood actors, such as Lauren Bacall, Sydney Greenstreet, and Charles Boyer, and also played correspondence chess games with American servicemen and recuperating veterans. One of Bogart's regular correspondence chess partners was Irving Kovner of Brooklyn, New York, the brother of an employee at Warner Brothers, Bogart's principal movie studio.

Bogart wrote to Kovner in full:

"Dear Irving

Sorry for delay kid I've been touring

10 -- Q - knt 5 (check
11 P-B3…..PxP

Regards
Bogart."

Bogart uses descriptive notation to indicate his next moves: Queen to Knight 5; Pawn to Bishop 3; Pawn takes Pawn.

Bogart and Kovner began an epic chess game by mail earlier that year, in January 1942, which would last for months. In fact, Bogart replicated some of the game while filming scenes from "Casablanca." Rick Blaine's chessboard was set up with real sequences from his continuing game with Kovner. The filming of "Casablanca" had concluded in early August 1942 - about a month earlier - so Bogart's moves as described above were not incorporated into any movie footage. Yet this sequence has a probable connection with another Bogart movie, the Warner Brothers spy drama "Across the Pacific" (1942). Bogart explains that delays have been caused by touring. This was almost certainly a reference to publicity campaigns in advance of the release of "Across the Pacific," which came out in U.S. theatres just two days later, on September 4, 1942.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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  • Dimensions: photograph measures 8" x 10"
  • Medium: ALS

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