The AFU and Urban Legend Archive
Celebrities
 bogart gerber baby




A persistent myth, aided in its propagation by "Ripley's Believe It or Not!" and at least one recent national TV quiz show, is that Humphrey Bogart was the model for the picture -- a trademark -- used by Gerber Products Company in connection with its extensive line of baby foods.

He wasn't. As sometimes happens, however, there does appear to be a tenuous basis for the belief. John B. Whitlock, director of public relations for Gerber, tells the tale as follows: 

     It appears that the Humphrey Bogart story arose from the fact that 
     his mother was an accomplished artist and frequently sold drawings and
     illustrations for commercial purposes.  It is entirely possible and, in 
     fact, probable that an early drawing of Humphrey Bogart was used for 
     some baby food advertisement or some baby need illustration early in 
     the 1900's.  Gerber baby foods, however, were not introduced until 
     1928, at which time Humphrey Bogart would have been approximately 29 
     years old.  We are sure, therefore, that the Bogart illustration has 
     never been used for a Gerber baby food ad.

     In 1928, when company officials sought an illustration for a proposed
     national ad to introduce Gerber prepared baby foods, leading artists
     of the day were invited to submit their work for consideration.  Artist
     Dorothy Hope Smith, then living in the Boston area, sent in a small
     charcoal sketch of her neighbor's baby asking if this were about the
     age and size illustration desired.  That charcoal sketch became the now
     famous Gerber baby which is literally known around the world.

     For many years, at the request of the family, the identity of the 
     original model has not been general public information.  However, in
     recent years the model herself, Mrs. Ann Turner Cook of Tampa, Florida,
     has granted several local newspaper interviews in which she is 
     identified as the "Gerber Baby."

(cite provided by snopes)


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