After serving in the Air Force during World War II, Bogart came back to New York and by chance was told there were open positions at NBC in the new medium of television. He showed up and lied about his experience and education and was immediately hired as a stage manager, given earphones, and brought on to the set of Broadway Open House.
He soon was promoted to associate director on the newly created Today and Howdy Doody and began directing live dramas of the 50s and 60s such as The Goodyear Playhouse, Kraft Theater, and Armstrong Circle Theatre. This led to directing the scripted series The Defenders and then the successful 60s comedy Get Smart, which began a long career in sitcoms. Among the many television series Bogart directed are; The Doctors and the Nurses, Hawk, Mama Malone, The Golden Girls (for which he also served as producer), Bagdad Café, and over 90 episodes of All in The Family, as well as several episodes of its spinoff, Archie Bunker’s Place. Bogart also directed several feature films, which include Marlowe (1969), Cancel My Reservation (1972), Class of ’44 (1973), Mr. Ricco (1975) and Oh, God! You Devil (1984). Bogart also directed such movies for television as Ten Little Indians (1959), Ages of Man (1966), The House Without a Christmas Tree (1972), The War Widow (1976), Nutcracker: Money, Madness & Murder (1987), and Broadway Bound (1992).
For his directing efforts, Bogart has been nominated for seven DGA Awards, winning three times, all for episodes of All in The Family (1977, 1978, 1979). He has also been nominated for 17 Primetime Emmys, winning five, for directing The Defenders in 1965, CBS Playhouse in 1968 and 1970, and All in The Family in 1978, also winning as a producer on The Golden Girls in 1986. Bogart served on the DGA’s Eastern Directors Council from 1962-64 and again from 1967-69, as well as on the National Board from 1979-81 and again from 1987-89.