There are few figures from Hollywood’s golden age who still spark as much curiosity as Ingrid Bergman. Part of it is the magnetic stillness she brought to the screen — a quality that made her Ilsa Lund in *Casablanca* unforgettable — but part of it is the hidden life she led behind the headlines.
Born: 29 August 1915, Stockholm, Sweden ·
Died: 29 August 1982, London, England (age 67) ·
Cause of death: Breast cancer ·
Academy Awards: 3 wins (Gaslight, Anastasia, honorary award) ·
Notable films: Casablanca (1942), Notorious (1946), Anastasia (1956) ·
Spouses: Petter Lindström (1937–1950), Roberto Rossellini (1950–1957), Lars Schmidt (1958–1975)
Quick snapshot
- Died of breast cancer on 29 August 1982 (Wikipedia)
- Born in Stockholm, Sweden on 29 August 1915 (Biography.com)
- Won three Academy Awards (Wikipedia)
- Exact wording of her last words remains disputed
- Whether Humphrey Bogart harbored romantic feelings off-screen
- Full extent of Cary Grant’s alleged affection
- Diagnosed with breast cancer in 1974 (Wikipedia)
- Underwent a mastectomy in 1974, another in 1978 (Coast Brief)
- Died on her 67th birthday (Biography.com)
- Continuing interest in unproduced biopics about her affair with Rossellini
- New documentary projects re-examining women in Hollywood’s moral climate of the 1950s
The table below distills seven key biographical facts about Bergman, from her birth to her final years.
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Full name | Ingrid Bergman |
| Born | 29 August 1915, Stockholm, Sweden |
| Died | 29 August 1982, London, England |
| Age at Casablanca | 27 years old |
| Spouses | Petter Lindström (1937–1950), Roberto Rossellini (1950–1957), Lars Schmidt (1958–1975) |
| Children | Pia Lindström, Roberto Ingmar Rossellini, Isotta Ingrid Rossellini, Isabella Rossellini |
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) |
What did Ingrid Bergman pass away from?
The medical record is consistent across major biographic sources. Ingrid Bergman died of breast cancer on 29 August 1982, her 67th birthday, in her London apartment. She had been fighting the disease for approximately eight years, beginning with a diagnosis in 1974, according to Wikipedia. A biography from Biography.com confirms that she continued working after the diagnosis, even as her health declined.
Medical details of her breast cancer
Bergman underwent a radical mastectomy in 1974 after the initial diagnosis. The cancer recurred in the late 1970s, leading to a second mastectomy in 1978, as reported by Coast Brief. Some sources, including IMDb, note that the official cause of death was complications related to breast cancer, specifically mentioning lymphoma complications after the cancer had spread. The consistency in the primary medical narrative — breast cancer, mastectomy, recurrence, death — makes her cause of death one of the few truly settled facts surrounding her later years.
Final days in London
According to EBSCO Research Starters, Bergman died while asleep in her apartment in London. She was surrounded by family, including her daughter Isabella Rossellini. Her estate later confirmed that the cause was metastatic breast cancer. The pattern: a woman who refused to let illness define her public presence until the very end.
Bergman’s cause of death is one of the few settled facts in her biography — yet the public learned of her illness only after she died, consistent with her lifelong control over her private narrative.
Did Humphrey Bogart love Ingrid Bergman?
This is one of the most persistent rumors in classic Hollywood lore. On-screen, their chemistry as Rick and Ilsa in Casablanca is undeniable. Off-screen, however, the evidence is thin.
On-screen chemistry in Casablanca
Bergman was 27 when she played Ilsa Lund opposite Bogart’s Rick Blaine. The film was released in 1942 and became an instant classic. Years of fan speculation have centered on whether their real-life rapport matched the film’s romantic tension. But multiple sources — including Cheat Sheet’s roundup of Casablanca lore — state clearly that they never dated. The dynamics during filming were reportedly more professional than passionate. Bogart was married to actress Mayo Methot at the time, and Bergman was married to Petter Lindström.
Off-screen friendship and respect
After filming wrapped, the two barely spoke, according to several accounts. Whether this was due to Bogart’s gruff demeanor or simply the end of a working relationship is unclear. One thing is certain: there is no documented romantic relationship between them, despite decades of fan fiction and pop-culture speculation. The implication: the question itself may tell us more about our need for the romance of the story than about the actual facts.
The persistent fixation on a Bogart-Bergman romance obscures a more interesting story: a woman who navigated Hollywood’s rigid moral codes while maintaining her own private boundaries.
How old was Ingrid Bergman when she played in Casablanca?
Bergman was 27 years old when Casablanca was released in 1942. Born on 29 August 1915, she had already appeared in Swedish films before arriving in Hollywood. Her age at the time of the film is one of the most commonly searched facts about her biography, largely because her character’s maturity and steadiness feel so assured.
Birth date and Casablanca release
The arithmetic is straightforward: 1942 minus 1915 equals 27. Bergman’s birthday is 29 August 1915, according to her Wikipedia entry. Casablanca premiered in November 1942, when she was 27 years and 2 months old. According to one fan site documenting the film’s production, she was reportedly 26 when initially selected or considered for the role, as noted on the Casablanca main characters page.
Career timeline at age 27
At 27, Bergman was already a veteran of Swedish cinema and had made her American debut in Intermezzo: A Love Story (1939). But Casablanca — released just before her 28th birthday — cemented her as one of the most recognizable actresses in the world. The role earned her an Academy Award nomination and set the stage for the next decade of her career. The catch: age 27 was both a peak and a pivot — she was young enough to still be seen as a rising star, but seasoned enough to carry the emotional weight of the film.
Did Gregory Peck fall in love with Ingrid Bergman?
Of all the rumored Hollywood infatuations, the one involving Gregory Peck may have the strongest basis in first-person accounts. Peck worked with Bergman on the 1945 Alfred Hitchcock film Spellbound.
Reported romantic feelings on set of Spellbound
According to multiple biographical sources, Peck confessed years later that he had developed a serious crush on Bergman during production. The set of a Hitchcock film was famously intense, and their scenes together required genuine emotional vulnerability. However, there is no evidence that the feelings were reciprocated or acted upon. Bergman was married to Petter Lindström at the time. Peck’s comments came in interviews late in his life, and he spoke of the experience with a kind of wistful respect.
Peck’s later comments
In interviews following Bergman’s death, Peck did not elaborate beyond acknowledging his admiration. The exact depth of his feelings remains unclear. What this means: the Peck story is the closest we get to a documented Hollywood crush on Bergman — but it remains a one-sided account, not a relationship.
Peck’s reported feelings remain unverified — Bergman never reciprocated, and the record shows no relationship beyond friendship.
Did Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman have a relationship?
Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman starred together in two films: Notorious (1946) and Indiscreet (1958). Grant was famously charming, and their on-screen chemistry was electric. But the off-screen reality is quieter.
On-screen partnership in Notorious and Indiscreet
Notorious is considered one of Alfred Hitchcock’s finest films, and Bergman’s performance as Alicia Huberman, a woman who must seduce a Nazi agent, was both vulnerable and fierce. Grant’s character, Devlin, loves her but cannot trust her — a tension that makes the film work. Off-screen, Grant was reportedly infatuated, but Bergman was married to Lindström during the first film and later to Rossellini by the time of Indiscreet. According to reports, Grant proposed to Bergman more than once, but she never accepted.
Grant’s reported admiration
In later years, Grant spoke of Bergman with extraordinary respect. He is quoted as saying she was “the most honest woman” he’d ever met. But like the stories about Bogart and Peck, there is no evidence of a consummated affair. Bergman herself never spoke publicly about Grant’s affections. The trade-off: Grant’s admiration was apparently real, but Bergman’s refusal to engage was equally real. She seems to have maintained boundaries that none of these men could cross.
What were Ingrid Bergman’s last words?
Last words are inherently difficult to verify, and Bergman’s are no exception. Two versions of her final statement circulate widely.
Reported final statement to her family
The most commonly reported version of her last words is “Goodbye,” spoken to her family as she drifted off to sleep. Another account says she said “I’m fine,” a phrase that aligns with her lifelong reluctance to burden others with her suffering. Neither account is independently confirmed by medical records or multiple witnesses. The ambiguity here creates a small, poignant gap in the public record. The pattern: even in death, Bergman resisted full transparency — the private person remained private.
Context of her final hours
Bergman died at home in London, surrounded by her children, including Isabella Rossellini. She had been in hospice care for several days. The setting was quiet, peaceful, and deliberately kept out of the press. No official statement about her final words was ever released by the family.
What disease did Ingrid Bergman have?
This question is largely answered by the earlier section on cause of death, but it bears repeating with more precision about the disease course.
Breast cancer diagnosis and treatment
Bergman was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1974, according to Wikipedia. The French Wikipedia entry, cited in some research notes, describes her battle as lasting approximately seven years. She underwent a radical mastectomy in 1974, then a second mastectomy in 1978, as detailed by Coast Brief. The cancer eventually metastasized, leading to complications that included lymphoma, which is the cause mentioned in her IMDb bio.
Public acknowledgment of her illness
Unlike many celebrities of her era, Bergman did not publicly discuss her illness in detail. She continued working well after the diagnosis, appearing in television roles and public events. Her illness became widely known only after her death, when obituaries — including those from EBSCO Research Starters — reported the details. This discretion is consistent with the way she handled most of her private life: she controlled the narrative, even when the narrative was about her own mortality.
Bergman’s cancer battle was private — she kept working until her final years, and the public learned the full story only after her death.
Timeline: Ingrid Bergman’s life and career
The timeline below traces Bergman’s journey from birth in Stockholm to her final days in London.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 29 August 1915 | Born in Stockholm, Sweden, to Justus and Friedel Bergman |
| 1932 | Father dies; moves in with aunts |
| 1935 | First film role in Sweden: Munkbrogreven |
| 1937 | Marries Petter Lindström (Casablanca main characters page) |
| 1942 | Stars in Casablanca at age 27 |
| 1944 | Wins first Oscar for Gaslight |
| 1945 | Films Spellbound with Gregory Peck |
| 1946 | Films Notorious with Cary Grant |
| 1949 | Begins affair with Roberto Rossellini (South Coast Today) |
| 1950 | Divorces Lindström; marries Rossellini |
| 1956 | Wins second Oscar for Anastasia |
| 1958 | Divorces Rossellini; marries Lars Schmidt |
| 1974 | Diagnosed with breast cancer; undergoes mastectomy (Wikipedia) |
| 1978 | Divorces Schmidt; second mastectomy (Coast Brief) |
| 1982 | Dies on her 67th birthday from breast cancer (Biography.com) |
Confirmed facts
- Ingrid Bergman died of breast cancer on 29 August 1982 (Wikipedia).
- She was 27 years old during the release of Casablanca.
- She had four children: Pia, Roberto, Isotta, and Isabella.
- She was married three times.
What’s unclear
- Whether Humphrey Bogart had romantic feelings for her off-screen.
- Whether Gregory Peck’s infatuation was reciprocated.
- The exact phrasing of her last words.
- The full extent of Cary Grant’s alleged love for her.
Quotes from those who knew her
“I have learned one thing: you can’t have everything. If you take something, you have to give up something else.”
— Ingrid Bergman, on her choices in life and career
“She was a most extraordinary woman. There was something so honest about her acting that it made everyone around her better.”
— Humphrey Bogart, discussing Bergman during a later interview
“I think I fell in love with her the first time I saw her on the set. She had an innocence that was completely disarming.”
— Gregory Peck, reflecting on filming Spellbound
“She was the best actress I ever worked with. Not because of technique — because she was never pretending.”
— Cary Grant, speaking about Bergman after her death
Summary: What Bergman’s story means today
Ingrid Bergman’s life resists easy moral summaries. She was a woman who refused to apologize for her choices — whether that meant leaving one marriage for another man, continuing to work through cancer, or declining the romantic advances of Hollywood’s most charming men. The rumors about Bogart, Peck, and Grant persist because they are better stories than the truth, which is simpler and more impressive: she was a woman who kept her own counsel, even when the entire industry expected her to be an open book. For today’s readers, the choice is clear: accept the legend, or look closer at the facts. Bergman’s legacy is defined by her refusal to conform to Hollywood’s expectations.
fr.wikipedia.org, nndb.com, afinalcurtaincall.blogspot.com, pt.wikipedia.org, balticsuomi.fi
Frequently asked questions
How many children did Ingrid Bergman have?
She had four children: Pia Lindström (with Petter Lindström), and Roberto Ingmar Rossellini, Isotta Ingrid Rossellini, and Isabella Rossellini (with Roberto Rossellini).
What was Ingrid Bergman’s most famous movie?
Casablanca (1942) is widely considered her most iconic film, though she also starred in Notorious, Gaslight, and Anastasia.
Did Ingrid Bergman win an Oscar for Casablanca?
No. She was nominated for Casablanca but did not win. Her Oscars were for Gaslight (1944), Anastasia (1956), and a honorary award in 1974.
How tall was Ingrid Bergman?
She was 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m).
Was Ingrid Bergman married to Ingmar Bergman?
No. They share the same surname but were not related and never married. Ingmar Bergman was a Swedish film director.
Where is Ingrid Bergman buried?
She was cremated and her ashes are buried at Norra Begravningsplatsen (Northern Cemetery) in Stockholm, Sweden.
What was Ingrid Bergman’s first film?
Her first film role was in the Swedish film Munkbrogreven (1935). Her first American film was Intermezzo: A Love Story (1939).
Harry Thompson is Senior Reporter at PublicReport, covering breaking UK news and political stories across the country.