Trivia

The day before he died was spent with his friend Lauren Bacall. Apparently they had a wonderful time together.

He was a close friend of Rex Harrison, whom he named as the actor who had influenced him most in a 1963 interview with the BBC. In 1958 Bogarde provided a video message praising Harrison when the musical "My Fair Lady" transferred from Broadway to London.

In "Dirk Bogarde: The Authorized Biography" (2004), John Coldstream offers four major reasons for Bogarde's failure to become a Hollywood star in 1960. Firstly, the vehicle for his potential breakthrough, Song Without End (1960), was a flop. Secondly, his talents at that time were not seen as being much different from those of, in particular, Montgomery Clift, John Cassavetes and Anthony Perkins - nor could he possibly compete as a light comedy lead in the manner of Cary Grant and Rock Hudson. Thirdly, he had had enough of making formulaic films and was determined to prove himself as a serious actor. But fourthly, and perhaps most importantly, his refusal to enter into an arranged marriage to a starlet in the style of Rock Hudson's marriage to Phyllis Gates, did not go down well among producers in Hollywood.

He was the only cast member of A Bridge Too Far (1977) to have actually served at the battles depicted in the film.

According to his friend Charlotte Rampling, Bogarde was approached in 1990 by Madonna to appear in her video for "Justify My Love", citing The Night Porter (1974) as an inspiration. Bogarde turned the offer down.

Suffered a stroke after undergoing heart surgery in September 1996 and spent the last three years of his life in a wheelchair.

Going to the wrong room for a British Broadcasting Corporation audition, the young Bogarde accidentally got a part in a stage play that proved so successful he was hailed as a star overnight.

Beginning in 1977, Bogarde was also a prolific writer with seven volumes of autobiography and seven novels all becoming best-sellers.

Longtime companion of actor manager Anthony Forwood.

For a time in the 1950s, Bogarde was promoted as "The British Rock Hudson".

He had a remarkably good singing voice.

A British soldier during World War II, he claimed to have been present when the Allies rescued the prisoners from the Nazi death camp at Belsen. However there is some doubt as to whether Bogarde was really there or whether he pretended to have been present in later years.

Turned down Jeremy Irons's role in The Mission (1986).

Was considered for Louis Jourdan's role in Gigi (1958).

Considered retiring after The Night Porter (1974), which had left him emotionally drained.

Following the death of his partner Anthony Forwood in 1988, he moved into an apartment at 2 Cadogan Gardens in London, where he remained until his death.

His favourite of his films was King & Country (1964), which reflected his strong anti-war views. Bogarde was very disappointed by the film's commercial failure.

Was considered for the role of Thomas More in A Man for All Seasons (1966).

Befriended Rock Hudson while filming Campbell's Kingdom (1957), and Hudson was working in A Farewell to Arms (1957).

When starring in Doctor in the House, he frequently sought the advice and guidance of the film's camera operator, H.A.R. Thomson regarding his performance, rather than director Ralph Thomas. Bogarde said he learned more about acting for the screen/camera from this, than any other film he had worked on.

An intensely private man by nature, the actor seldom granted interviews and never courted publicity.

Turned down an offer of $150,000 from MGM to star with Natalie Wood in Penelope (1966), in order to make Accident (1967) with his friend, director Joseph Losey.

He was made a Fellow of the British Film Institute in recognition of his outstanding contribution to film culture.

Chosen by Empire magazine as one of the 100 Sexiest Stars in film history (#78). (1995)

He was created a Knight Bachelor in the 1992 Queen's New Year Honours List, and was officially knighted on February 13, 1992.

He made his stage debut in 1939, but his acting career was interrupted for seven years by World War II until he was demobilized in September 1946.

Director Joseph Losey originally offered the part of Lev Trotskiy in his film The Assassination of Trotsky (1972) to Bogarde. Losey admitted that the script was terrible, but told Bogarde that it would be revised. Bogarde turned the role down, embittering Losey, who felt that Bogarde didn't trust him. Richard Burton, who had worked with Losey on Boom! (1968), did trust Losey enough to take the part, even though he was shown the same script. Bogarde was wise to turn down the part as the finished film was a critical and box office failure, and along with the earlier Losey-Burton collaboration Boom! (1968) made the list of the "Fifty Worst Films of All Time", by Harry Medved and Randy Lowell.

Eventually grew tired of his "matinee idol" image and welcomed the chance to play more of a range of characters.

Dirk Bogarde made the decision to stop making any more films in Britain by the late 1960s, owing to the gradual decline of the British film industry.

During the late 1940s Bogarde was living at No 44 Chester Row, Belgravia, London with a rescued cat called Cliff. While he was there Bogarde received his first contract from J. Arthur Rank, which set him on the way to stardom.

He replaced Jack Hawkins who was the original lead in Simba (1955).

He never learned to drive a car.

He was awarded a Chevalier De L'Ordre Des Lettres from the French Government in 1982.

Sir David Lean considered making Doctor Zhivago (1965) with Bogarde, but decided on Omar Sharif instead.

When producer and director Joseph Losey was hospitalized for two weeks during the filming of 'The Servant', Dirk continued filming assisted by minute, daily instructions over the phone from Losey's hospital bed. When Losey returned to the set, he did not re-shoot any of the script, much to the relief of cast and crew.

He was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Literature on Junly 4, 1985 by St. Andrews University in Scotland.

Scottish director Bill Douglas approached Bogarde to play a small part in his feature Comrades (1986) but Bogarde declined, sending Douglas a postcard saying, "I don't do small parts".

Turned down the role of the British padre in The Longest Day (1962).

The ancestral town of paternal grandfather Aimé Van Den Bogaerde was Izegem in West Flanders, Belgium, where the illustrious family owned the castle Wolvenhof and produced several mayors. However Aimé left Belgium to pursue a Bohemian lifestyle and travel the world, and would tell his grandson Dirk that he was in fact Dutch.

Resisted attempts to make him Hollywood's new "Spanish" star, and to be married off to some starlet. Turned down The Egyptian (1954) after Marlon Brando had decided not to appear in the film.

He moved to Europe in the late 1960s, when he saw his career path lay in the sort of films being produced in Italy, France and Germany, rather than England or America. He lived in France some 20 years, thus fulfilling a childhood ambition.

President of the jury at the Cannes Film Festival. (1984)

Won a British Academy Award (BAFTA) for his performance in The Servant (1963).

Quit smoking following a minor stroke in November 1987.

His height was measured at five feet eight and a half inches when he was drafted into the British army in September 1939.

Turned down Glenn Ford's role in The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (1962), which was a critical and financial disaster.

Great uncle of singer Birdy.

Usually kept to himself during the making of a film, with only a few people for company on occasion.

Member of the jury at the Cannes Film Festival. (1985)

Turned down a co-starring role for $150,000 alongside Rock Hudson and George Peppard in Tobruk (1967).