Ingrid Bergman: Biography, Movies, Relationships, Cause of Death

Ingrid Bergman’s luminous performances made her a global icon, but her private choices—especially her scandalous affair with Roberto Rossellini—drew as much attention as her three Academy Awards. This article separates documented fact from decades of rumor, examining her relationships, her battle with breast cancer, and the legacy she left behind.

Born: 29 August 1915, Stockholm, Sweden ·
Died: 29 August 1982 (aged 67), London, England ·
Occupation: Actress ·
Years active: 1932–1982 ·
Children: 4, including Isabella Rossellini and Ingrid Rossellini ·
Cause of death: Breast cancer

Here is a quick overview of Ingrid Bergman’s personal details.

What disease did Ingrid Bergman have?

Breast cancer diagnosis and treatment

• In 1974, Bergman discovered she was suffering from breast cancer (The List (entertainment news))
• She continued to work until shortly before her death on her sixty-seventh birthday in 1982 (The New York Times (obituary))

Bergman’s diagnosis came at a time when breast cancer treatment was far less advanced than today. She underwent surgery and treatment while maintaining her acting career, showing her resilience. The New York Times obituary confirmed she died of cancer on 29 August 1982, her 67th birthday.

The implication: Bergman’s battle with breast cancer was private but relentless. She chose to keep working rather than retreat, a decision that defined her final years.

Did Humphrey Bogart love Ingrid Bergman?

On-screen chemistry in Casablanca

• Remembering Humphrey Bogart with the words of Ingrid Bergman (Tutorial at Home (film history blog))
• There is no verified evidence of a romantic affair between them

The chemistry between Bergman and Bogart in Casablanca (1942) is legendary, but the line between fiction and reality is blurry. Bergman herself later said that Bogart was a professional colleague, not a romantic partner. No letters, diaries, or credible accounts confirm an affair.

Friendship versus romance

• Bogart was married to Mayo Methot during Casablanca
• Bergman was married to Petter Lindström at the time
• Both maintained professional boundaries on set

The pattern: Hollywood lore often conflates on-screen passion with off-screen reality. In Bogart and Bergman’s case, the evidence points to mutual respect rather than romance.

What this means: The on-screen chemistry does not equate to off-screen romance; the evidence points to a professional friendship.

What did Gregory Peck say about Ingrid Bergman?

Peck’s professional admiration

• Gregory Peck & Ingrid Bergman taking a break on the set of Spellbound (Factinate (trivia publisher))
• Peck publicly praised her acting ability

Peck and Bergman starred together in Alfred Hitchcock’s Spellbound (1945). Peck later described Bergman as “a wonderful actress” and “a joy to work with.” However, claims of a brief affair—reported years after Bergman’s death—remain unverified and come from low-confidence sources.

Working relationship on Spellbound

• The film required intense emotional scenes
• Both actors were married at the time
• No credible evidence supports a romantic relationship

The catch: A Facebook post from Factinate claimed Peck had an affair with Bergman, but the source is a social media post with no primary documentation. Without letters, diaries, or corroborating interviews, this remains speculation.

Did Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman like each other?

Notorious collaboration

• After Notorious wrapped, Cary Grant held on to the film’s UNICA key (Tutorial at Home (film history blog))
• They maintained a warm friendship

Grant and Bergman’s partnership in Notorious (1946) produced one of Hitchcock’s finest films. Grant reportedly kept a prop key from the movie as a memento, suggesting the film—and Bergman—held personal meaning for him.

Off-screen rapport

• Grant was known for his charm and professionalism
• Bergman described Grant as “a gentleman”
• Their friendship lasted beyond the film

Why this matters: Unlike the ambiguous relationships with Bogart and Peck, Grant and Bergman’s bond is well-documented as a genuine, platonic friendship. Grant’s retention of the UNICA key is a tangible symbol of that connection.

Who was Ingrid Bergman’s great love?

Roberto Rossellini

• Her marriage to Roberto Rossellini created international scandal (Factinate (trivia publisher))
• She left her first husband for the Italian director
• They had two children together

Bergman’s affair with Rossellini began in 1949 when she wrote to him offering to work together. Their relationship became a global scandal because she was still married to Petter Lindström. The U.S. Senate even denounced her on the floor, and she was effectively blacklisted from Hollywood for several years.

Peter Lindstrom

• First husband, a Swedish dentist and neurosurgeon
• Married from 1937 to 1950
• Father of her first child, Pia

Lars Schmidt

• Third husband, a Swedish theatrical producer
• Married from 1958 to 1975
• Provided stability after the Rossellini scandal

The trade-off: Bergman’s great love was likely Rossellini—the man for whom she sacrificed her Hollywood career. But that passion came at a steep price: public condemnation, professional exile, and a custody battle for her first daughter.

What are Ingrid Bergman’s most famous movies?

Five films define Bergman’s legacy, spanning her Hollywood peak and her later career resurgence.

The pattern: Bergman’s most celebrated films were directed by masters—Curtiz, Cukor, Hitchcock, and Lumet—each showcasing a different facet of her talent, from vulnerable victim to sophisticated spy.

Timeline

• 1915: Born in Stockholm, Sweden (Wikipedia (biographical reference))
• 1935: Film debut in Sweden (Wikipedia (biographical reference))
• 1939: Hollywood debut in Intermezzo (Wikipedia (biographical reference))
• 1942: Starred in Casablanca (Wikipedia (biographical reference))
• 1944: Won first Academy Award for Gaslight (Wikipedia (biographical reference))
• 1945: Starred in Spellbound with Gregory Peck (Wikipedia (biographical reference))
• 1946: Starred in Notorious with Cary Grant (Wikipedia (biographical reference))
• 1949: Began affair with Roberto Rossellini (Wikipedia (biographical reference))
• 1950: Married Roberto Rossellini; scandal in Hollywood (Wikipedia (biographical reference))
• 1956: Won second Academy Award for Anastasia (Wikipedia (biographical reference))
• 1974: Diagnosed with breast cancer (The List (entertainment news))
• 1974: Won third Academy Award for Murder on the Orient Express (Wikipedia (biographical reference))
• 1982: Died from breast cancer on her 67th birthday (The New York Times (obituary))

Confirmed facts vs. what remains unclear

Quotes from those who knew her

“I was in love with her. I think everybody was.”

— Gregory Peck, on working with Ingrid Bergman in Spellbound (Factinate (trivia publisher))

“She was a wonderful actress and a wonderful person.”

— Cary Grant, on his friendship with Ingrid Bergman after Notorious (Tutorial at Home (film history blog))

“I have no regrets. I wouldn’t have lived my life the way I did if I was going to worry about what people were going to say.”

— Ingrid Bergman, reflecting on her choices (The New York Times (obituary))

Bergman’s own words capture her defiance. She lived on her own terms, scandal be damned. For the modern reader, the lesson is clear: authenticity often comes at a cost, but it’s the only path to a life without regret.

For more on her cancer battle and Oscars, visit her cancer battle and Oscars for an in-depth look at her personal and professional milestones.

Frequently asked questions

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