How Are Bogie’s Heirs Managing?

There are Humphrey Bogart T-shirts. Bogart hats. Bogart plates.

Stephen Bogart, 48, who controls the rights to his father’s image along with his sister, Leslie, 44, has this to say to anyone who accuses heirs of commercially exploiting the memory of a deceased celebrity:

“The hell with them. It’s their family and their name. If that’s what they want to do, it’s not a big deal. It’s like selling the Oscar. One family needs the money for medical reasons and you have big Hollywood stars saying, ‘Oh, come on.’ ”

Not that anyone has complained to Bogie’s heirs about their licensing deals, which bring in less than half a million dollars a year, Stephen says. At most, some people have asked whether he’d blessed a Diet Coke commercial featuring a Bogart film clip and a dancing Paula Abdul. “Sure,” he tells them. “I thought it was fun and I enjoyed it.”

“Our view,” says the siblings’ business representative, Beth Vahle, “is that it’s done very tastefully. When you have the most popular legends of the 20th century, and [commercials] are done in good taste, the consumer awareness is immediate.”

The Bogart children approve about 75% of requests, including projects that were altered to suit their specifications, says Vahle, vice president of the Indianapolis-based CMG Worldwide, which considers the Bogart estate one of its biggest clients.

They nix advertisements promoting alcohol (unless they include a disclaimer about drinking and driving) or his trademark cigarettes, because Bogart died of lung disease. Even ads for other products using the star’s image must have any cigarettes cropped out.

As for documentaries, the family does not require payment for film clips, in accordance with CMG’s interpretation of California law governing images of deceased celebrities. The family does get paid when it participates in them, however, as Stephen did when he hosted an Iambic Productions film, “Bogart: The Untold Story,” which aired on the TNT cable network and kicked off Bogie month on Turner Classic Movies in January.

A specialist in marketing old Hollywood who has dealt with the Bogarts applauds the siblings for their savvy in handling Bogart’s image: “They’ve been real smart about it,” she says. “Bogie’s out there just as much now as he was then. And don’t kid yourself, that guy is also trying to sell his books.”

Stephen, who was 8 when his father died, is a longtime TV news producer who has authored a memoir, “Bogart: In Search of My Father” (Dutton, 1995), and a murder-mystery, “Play It Again” (Forge, 1995).

Clearly, the heirs are pleased with their handiwork, particularly after the recent unveiling of the U.S. Postal Service’s homage to their father. (They will be paid only for spinoff products using the postal image.)

Says Stephen: “Hell, he’s on a stamp. That ain’t bad.”