Swedish actress Ingrid Bergman (1915-1982) was known for her luminous beauty and enigmatic talent. Though she appeared on both stage and television, Bergman's film work--Casablanca (1942) and Notorious (1946)--cemented her international reputation.

Bergman was born on August 29, 1915, in Stockholm, Sweden. She was the daughter and only child of Justus Samuel Bergman, a Swede, and his wife, Friedel Adler Bergman, a native of Hamburg, Germany. Bergman's mother died when she was a toddler, and her father, who ran a photography shop, was responsible for raising the young child. Bergman had an active fantasy life as a child, creating many imaginary friends. Justus Bergman encouraged his daughter's artistic interests, taking her to the theater at a young age. These excursions inspired Bergman to pursue an acting career. Bergman's father died when she was about 12 years old. After living for a short time with a maiden aunt, she moved in with...