Celebrate Lauren Bacall’s 98th Birthday by Reliving Her Campy Viral Coffee Commercials

Samantha Bergeson
·2 min read
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To have coffee or to not have coffee, that is the question answered by discontinued decaffeinated instant coffee brand High Point Coffee, who tapped Lauren Bacall as a spokesperson in the 1980s.

The resurfaced commercials put screen legend and “To Have and Have Not” actress Bacall in a new light: Hilariously slinging instant coffee as the easiest way to look refreshed on set. Bacall, who would have turned 98 on September 16, starred in iconic films like “How to Marry a Millionaire,” “Dark Passage,” and “The Big Sleep” before dying in August 2014.

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The “Designing Woman” alum starred in “Misery,” “Dogville,” and “Ernest & Celestine” among her final roles. Bacall was married to Humphrey Bogart until his death in 1957; the couple met during the filming of “To Have and Have Not,” and co-starred in a series of films together.

Bacall lent her trademark voice and signature sultry charisma to the High Point Coffee campaign in the 1980s. The bingeable ads give off a vibe of Orson Welles’ Paul Masson wine commercials meets “The Golden Girls,” with Bacall purring into the camera why she adores High Point.

“I’m enjoying life today more than I ever have, and I’m living it to the fullest, maybe because I finally learned to pick my pleasures, like coffee,” Bacall says in one commercial. “I picked High Point and I’ll tell you why: it’s flavor! Flavor that’s full of life. I like that.”

The “Mirror Has Two Faces” star adds, “Did you know that High Point is decaffeinated? I’ll tell you a secret: Caffeine sometimes makes me tense. And tension can show on your face. In my profession, you have to look your best. Look, I set high standards for myself, I set high standards for my coffee. That’s why High Point is number one with me!”

Another ad shows Bacall walking off set, commenting on the amount of coffee cups strewn about. “I look forward to my sixth cup as much as my first one,” Bacall says. “I don’t need caffeine. I’m active enough, thank you.”

Watch Bacall muse on the merits of “deep and rich” flavor of coffee below to celebrate the late icon’s birthday.

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