Bette Davis

Bette Davis

Date of Birth:

Apr 05, 1908

Place of Birth:

Lowell, Massachusetts, USA

Ruth Elizabeth "Bette" Davis (April 5, 1908 – October 6, 1989) was an American actress of film, television and theater. Noted for her willingness to play unsympathetic characters, she was highly regarded for her performances in a range of film genres; from contemporary crime melodramas to historical and period films and occasional comedies, though her greatest successes were her roles in romantic dramas.

After appearing in Broadway plays, Davis moved to Hollywood in 1930, but her early films for Universal Studios were unsuccessful. She joined Warner Bros. in 1932 and established her career with several critically acclaimed performances. In 1937, she attempted to free herself from her contract and although she lost a well-publicized legal case, it marked the beginning of the most successful period of her career. Until the late 1940s, she was one of American cinema's most celebrated leading ladies, known for her forceful and intense style. Davis gained a reputation as a perfectionist who could be highly combative, and confrontations with studio executives, film directors and costars were often reported. Her forthright manner, clipped vocal style and ubiquitous cigarette contributed to a public persona which has often been imitated and satirized.

Davis was the co-founder of the Hollywood Canteen, and was the first female president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. She won the Academy Award for Best Actress twice, was the first person to accrue 10 Academy Award nominations for acting, and was the first woman to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Film Institute. Her career went through several periods of eclipse, and she admitted that her success had often been at the expense of her personal relationships. Married four times, she was once widowed and thrice divorced, and raised her children as a single parent. Her final years were marred by a long period of ill health, but she continued acting until shortly before her death from breast cancer, with more than 100 films, television and theater roles to her credit. In 1999, Davis was placed second, after Katharine Hepburn, on the American Film Institute's list of the greatest female stars of all time.

filmography:

White Mama White Mama

1980

Strangers: The Story of a Mother and Daughter Strangers: The Story of a Mother and Daughter

1979

Skyward Skyward

1980

Going Hollywood: The '30s Going Hollywood: The '30s

1984

Connecting Rooms Connecting Rooms

1970

Seed Seed

1931

Marilyn Monroe: Beyond the Legend Marilyn Monroe: Beyond the Legend

1986

The Disappearance of Aimee The Disappearance of Aimee

1976

Just Around the Corner Just Around the Corner

1933

A Piano for Mrs. Cimino A Piano for Mrs. Cimino

1982

The Decorator The Decorator

1965

Classic Movie Bloopers: Uncensored Classic Movie Bloopers: Uncensored

2013

As Summers Die As Summers Die

1986

Stardust: The Bette Davis Story Stardust: The Bette Davis Story

2006

The Andy Williams Christmas Show The Andy Williams Christmas Show

1962

A Present with a Future A Present with a Future

1943

Jezebel: Legend of the South Jezebel: Legend of the South

2006

Bette Davis at the Cinémathèque Française Bette Davis at the Cinémathèque Française

1986

Biography: Bette Davis — If Looks Could Kill Biography: Bette Davis — If Looks Could Kill

1994

Bette and Joan: Blind Ambition Bette and Joan: Blind Ambition

2006

The Menace The Menace

1932

The Golden Arrow The Golden Arrow

1936

The Scapegoat The Scapegoat

1959

The Man Who Played God The Man Who Played God

1932

Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood

2018

The Bad Sister The Bad Sister

1931

Hairway to the Stars Hairway to the Stars

1989

The Adventures of Errol Flynn The Adventures of Errol Flynn

2005

The Catered Affair The Catered Affair

1956

June Bride June Bride

1948

The Sisters The Sisters

1938

Front Page Woman Front Page Woman

1935

Hell's House Hell's House

1932

Right of Way Right of Way

1983

Housewife Housewife

1934

Madonna: Madame X Madonna: Madame X

2021

The Girl from 10th Avenue The Girl from 10th Avenue

1935

Scream, Pretty Peggy Scream, Pretty Peggy

1973

Oops, Those Hollywood Bloopers! Oops, Those Hollywood Bloopers!

1982

Parachute Jumper Parachute Jumper

1933

Backstory: 'All About Eve' Backstory: 'All About Eve'

2000

Way Back Home Way Back Home

1931

Joan Crawford: Always the Star Joan Crawford: Always the Star

1996

Mike Wallace Is Here Mike Wallace Is Here

2019

The Voice That Thrilled the World The Voice That Thrilled the World

1943

Stars on Horseback Stars on Horseback

1943

Frank Capra's American Dream Frank Capra's American Dream

1997

And the Oscar Goes To... And the Oscar Goes To...

2014

The Love Goddesses The Love Goddesses

1965

Why Be Good?: Sexuality & Censorship in Early Cinema Why Be Good?: Sexuality & Censorship in Early Cinema

2007

Hello Mother, Goodbye! Hello Mother, Goodbye!

1974

1939: Hollywood's Greatest Year 1939: Hollywood's Greatest Year

2009

Bette Davis: The Benevolent Volcano Bette Davis: The Benevolent Volcano

1983

The Silver Screen: Color Me Lavender The Silver Screen: Color Me Lavender

1997

Directed by William Wyler Directed by William Wyler

1986

Footsteps on the Ceiling Footsteps on the Ceiling

2013

The 42nd Street Special The 42nd Street Special

1933

Night of 100 Stars Night of 100 Stars

1982

Bette Davis Bette Davis

1972

Queer Icon: The Cult of Bette Davis Queer Icon: The Cult of Bette Davis

2009

Intimate Portrait: Bette Davis Intimate Portrait: Bette Davis

1996

Marlon Brando: An Actor Named Desire Marlon Brando: An Actor Named Desire

2014

The Travels of Kinuyo Tanaka The Travels of Kinuyo Tanaka

2009

Breakdowns of 1942 Breakdowns of 1942

1942

Bette Davis: Larger Than Life Bette Davis: Larger Than Life

2017

Screen Snapshots (Series 16, No. 1) Screen Snapshots (Series 16, No. 1)

1936

All About Bette All About Bette

1994

Faye Faye

2024

The Men Who Made the Movies: King Vidor The Men Who Made the Movies: King Vidor

1973

Faye Faye

2024

Breakdowns of 1936 Breakdowns of 1936

1936

Goldwyn: The Man and His Movies Goldwyn: The Man and His Movies

2001

Always at The Carlyle Always at The Carlyle

2018

Family Reunion Family Reunion

1981

The Judge and Jake Wyler The Judge and Jake Wyler

1972

Listen to Me Marlon Listen to Me Marlon

2015

Breakdowns of 1937 Breakdowns of 1937

1937

Cavalcade of the Academy Awards Cavalcade of the Academy Awards

1940

Complicated Women Complicated Women

2003

Smothered: The Censorship Struggles of the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour Smothered: The Censorship Struggles of the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour

2002

The Making of a Legend: Gone with the Wind The Making of a Legend: Gone with the Wind

1988

If I Forget You If I Forget You

1940

Show-Business at War Show-Business at War

1943

Breakdowns of 1939 Breakdowns of 1939

1939

Breakdowns of 1944 Breakdowns of 1944

1944

Breakdowns of 1949 Breakdowns of 1949

1949

The Rich Are Always with Us The Rich Are Always with Us

1932

It's Love I'm After It's Love I'm After

1937

Mr. Skeffington Mr. Skeffington

1944

The Cabin in the Cotton The Cabin in the Cotton

1932

The Virgin Queen The Virgin Queen

1955

Winter Meeting Winter Meeting

1948

Three on a Match Three on a Match

1932

Return from Witch Mountain Return from Witch Mountain

1978

Beyond the Forest Beyond the Forest

1949

The Bride Came C.O.D. The Bride Came C.O.D.

1941

20,000 Years in Sing Sing 20,000 Years in Sing Sing

1932

A Stolen Life A Stolen Life

1946

The Corn Is Green The Corn Is Green

1945

Of Human Bondage Of Human Bondage

1934

The Old Maid The Old Maid

1939

Hollywood and the Stars Hollywood and the Stars

1964

Storm Center Storm Center

1956

The Great Lie The Great Lie

1941

All This, and Heaven Too All This, and Heaven Too

1940

Thank Your Lucky Stars Thank Your Lucky Stars

1943

In This Our Life In This Our Life

1942

The Little Foxes The Little Foxes

1941

Wicked Stepmother Wicked Stepmother

1989

Satan Met a Lady Satan Met a Lady

1936

Jezebel Jezebel

1938

Death on the Nile Death on the Nile

1978

The Watcher in the Woods The Watcher in the Woods

1980

Murder with Mirrors Murder with Mirrors

1985

Hush... Hush, Sweet Charlotte Hush... Hush, Sweet Charlotte

1964

The Petrified Forest: Menace in the Desert The Petrified Forest: Menace in the Desert

2005

All About Eve All About Eve

1950

Hollywood's Funniest All-Star Bloopers Hollywood's Funniest All-Star Bloopers

1985

What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?

1962

Death on the Nile: Making of Featurette Death on the Nile: Making of Featurette

1978

Dead Ringer Dead Ringer

1964

Now, Voyager Now, Voyager

1942

The Horror Show The Horror Show

1979

Dark Victory Dark Victory

1939

Burnt Offerings Burnt Offerings

1976

Bordertown Bordertown

1935

The Man Who Came to Dinner The Man Who Came to Dinner

1941

Deception Deception

1946

Marked Woman Marked Woman

1937

Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid

1982

Hollywood Canteen Hollywood Canteen

1944

Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage

1983

The Scopone Game The Scopone Game

1972

Phone Call from a Stranger Phone Call from a Stranger

1952

Hammer: The Studio That Dripped Blood Hammer: The Studio That Dripped Blood

1987

Bette and Joan Bette and Joan

2017

Madame Sin Madame Sin

1972

Payment on Demand Payment on Demand

1951

Fashions of 1934 Fashions of 1934

1934

Old Acquaintance Old Acquaintance

1943

John Paul Jones John Paul Jones

1959

The Empty Canvas The Empty Canvas

1963

The Star The Star

1952

The Big Shakedown The Big Shakedown

1934

That Certain Woman That Certain Woman

1937

Bunny O'Hare Bunny O'Hare

1971

So Big! So Big!

1932

The Working Man The Working Man

1933

The Dark Horse The Dark Horse

1932

The Anniversary The Anniversary

1968

Waterloo Bridge Waterloo Bridge

1931

Juarez Juarez

1939

Another Man's Poison Another Man's Poison

1951

Where Love Has Gone Where Love Has Gone

1964

The Petrified Forest The Petrified Forest

1936

The Nanny The Nanny

1965

The Letter The Letter

1940

Watch on the Rhine Watch on the Rhine

1943

The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex

1939

A Dream Comes True A Dream Comes True

1935

Breakdowns of 1938 Breakdowns of 1938

1938

Shining Victory Shining Victory

1941

A Day at Santa Anita A Day at Santa Anita

1937

The Whales of August The Whales of August

1987

Fog Over Frisco Fog Over Frisco

1934

Bureau of Missing Persons Bureau of Missing Persons

1933

Ex-Lady Ex-Lady

1933

Kid Galahad Kid Galahad

1937

Special Agent Special Agent

1935

Dangerous Dangerous

1935

Breakdowns of 1941 Breakdowns of 1941

1941

Showbiz Goes to War Showbiz Goes to War

1982

Jimmy the Gent Jimmy the Gent

1934

Pocketful of Miracles Pocketful of Miracles

1961

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