Charles Boyer studied philosophy before he went to the theater where he gave his debut in 1920.
Although he had at first no intentions to pursue a career at the movies, he used his chance in Hollywood after several filming stations all over Europe.
In the beginning of his career his beautiful voice was hidden by the silent movies but in Hollywood he became famous for his whispered declarations of love (like in movies with Greta Garbo, Marlene Dietrich, or Ingrid Bergman).
The struggle between Boyer, who wanted top billing for “Gaslight” (1944), and David O. Selznick, who strongly pushed for Bergman to receive top billing, has been well-documented.
In addition to Bergman’s own ambivalence to the issue, director George Cukor’s suggestion of “sandwich billing” helped to solve the problem.
The “sandwich billing” practice of listing a well-known female star in between two popular male stars was a popular promotional technique for studios in the 1940s.
Cukor explained to Selznick that he had used the “sandwich billing” method for Katharine Hepburn in “The Philadelphia Story” (1940) to great success.
This argument eased Selznick’s concerns of loaning Bergman to MGM and still allowed Boyer to receive top billing.
The first time Bergman met Boyer was the day they shot the scene where they meet at a train station and kiss passionately.
Boyer was the same height as Bergman, and in order for him to seem taller, he had to stand on a box, which she kept inadvertently kicking as she ran into the scene.
Boyer also wore shoes and boots with 2-inch heels throughout the movie.
“Mostly I’ve played other roles, but even when I’ve played other parts people see me differently.
In America, when you have an accent, in the mind of the people they associate you with kissing hands and being gallant.
I think that has harmed me, just as it has harmed me to be followed and plagued by a line I never said.”
Boyer’s often repeated, and parodied, line “Come with me to the Casbah” was in the trailers for the film “Algiers” (1938), but was never actually said in the film. However, Chuck Jones used Boyer’s French voice and mannerisms when he created famed cartoon skunk Pépé Le Pew. (IMDb)
Happy Birthday, Charles Boyer!