Bette Davis
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- April 5, 1908
- Died
- October 6, 1989 (aged 81)
- Birthplace
- Lowell, Massachusetts, USA
Biography
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.
Known For
Photos
Filmography
1939: Secrets of Hollywood's Golden Year
TV · 1 ep
This Is Joan Collins
Movie · as Self (Archive Footage)
Madonna: Madame X
Movie · as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Morceaux de Cannes
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Mike Wallace Is Here
Movie · as (archive footage)
Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Bette and Joan
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Bette Davis: Larger Than Life
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
The Fabulous Allan Carr
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Listen to Me Marlon
Movie · as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Leslie Howard: The Man Who Gave a Damn
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Marlon Brando: An Actor Named Desire
Movie · as Self - Actress (archive footage)
Classic Movie Bloopers: Uncensored
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Footsteps on the Ceiling
Movie · as Margo Channing (archive footage)
Talking Pictures
TV · as Self (archive footage) · 1 ep
Marilyn at the Movies
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Vito
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
1939: Hollywood's Greatest Year
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
The Travels of Kinuyo Tanaka
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Queer Icon: The Cult of Bette Davis
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Why Be Good?: Sexuality & Censorship in Early Cinema
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Bette and Joan: Blind Ambition
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Jezebel: Legend of the South
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Stardust: The Bette Davis Story
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
The Petrified Forest: Menace in the Desert
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
The Adventures of Errol Flynn
Movie · as Queen Elizabeth (archive footage)
How Real is 'The Star'?
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Complicated Women
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Smothered: The Censorship Struggles of the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Goldwyn: The Man and His Movies
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Bride of Trailer Camp
Movie · as (archive footage)
Backstory: 'All About Eve'
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Frank Capra's American Dream
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
The Silver Screen: Color Me Lavender
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Joan Crawford: Always the Star
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Intimate Portrait: Bette Davis
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Legends in Light: The Photography of George Hurrell
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Biography: Bette Davis — If Looks Could Kill
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
All About Bette
Movie · as Self
The World of Hammer
TV · as Self (archive footage) · 2 eps
Intimate Portrait
TV · as Self (archive footage) · 1 ep
Wicked Stepmother
Movie · as Miranda Pierpoint
Hairway to the Stars
Movie · as Self [Archive Footage]
The Making of a Legend: Gone with the Wind
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
South of Reno
Movie
The Whales of August
Movie · as Libby Strong
Hammer: The Studio That Dripped Blood
Movie · as (archive footage)
Bette Davis at the Cinémathèque Française
Movie · as Self
As Summers Die
Movie · as Hannah Loftin
Directed by William Wyler
Movie · as Self
Marilyn Monroe: Beyond the Legend
Movie · as archive footage
Hollywood's Funniest All-Star Bloopers
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Murder with Mirrors
Movie · as Carrie Louise Serrocold
Going Hollywood: The '30s
Movie · as (archive footage)
Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage
Movie · as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Right of Way
Movie · as Miniature Dwyer
Bette Davis: The Benevolent Volcano
Movie · as Self
Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid
Movie · as (in "Deception") (archive footage)
Showbiz Goes to War
Movie · as (archive footage)
Oops, Those Hollywood Bloopers!
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
A Piano for Mrs. Cimino
Movie · as Esther McDonald Cimino
Night of 100 Stars
Movie · as Self
Showbiz Ballyhoo
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Natalie - A Tribute to a Very Special Lady
Movie · as Self
Little Gloria... Happy at Last
TV · as Alice Gwynne Vanderbilt · 2 eps
Late Night with David Letterman
TV · as Self - Guest · 2 eps
Hotel
TV · as Laura Trent · 1 ep
Family Reunion
Movie · as Elizabeth Winfield
Family Reunion
TV · as Elizabeth Winfield · 2 eps
The Watcher in the Woods
Movie · as Mrs. Aylwood
White Mama
Movie · as Estelle Malone
Skyward
Movie · as Billie Dupree
The Horror Show
Movie · as (archive footage)
Strangers: The Story of a Mother and Daughter
Movie · as Lucy Mason
Death on the Nile
Movie · as Marie Van Schuyler
Return from Witch Mountain
Movie · as Letha Wedge
Mickey's 50
Movie · as Self
Death on the Nile: Making of Featurette
Movie · as Marie Van Schuyler
The Dark Secret of Harvest Home
TV · as Widow Fortune · 2 eps
The Kennedy Center Honors
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Laugh-In
TV · as Guest Performer · 1 ep
Burnt Offerings
Movie · as Aunt Elizabeth
The Disappearance of Aimee
Movie · as Minnie Kennedy
Hello Mother, Goodbye!
Movie · as Mother
Miss Moffat
Movie · as Miss Moffat
Hello Mother, Goodbye!
TV · as Mother · 1 ep
Dinah!
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Scream, Pretty Peggy
Movie · as Mrs. Elliott
The Men Who Made the Movies: King Vidor
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
The American Film Institute Salute to ...
TV · as Self · 3 eps
Madame Sin
Movie · as Madame Sin
The Scopone Game
Movie · as 'A vecchia
The Judge and Jake Wyler
Movie · as Judge Meredith
Bette Davis
Movie · as Self
Bunny O'Hare
Movie · as Bunny O'Hare
V.I.P. Schaukel
TV · as Self · 2 eps
Film '72
TV · as Self · 2 eps
Connecting Rooms
Movie · as Wanda Fleming
The Anniversary
Movie · as Mrs. Taggart
It Takes a Thief
TV · as Bessie Grindel · 1 ep
The Dick Cavett Show
TV · as Self - Guest · 7 eps
The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour
TV · as Self · 1 ep
The Nanny
Movie · as Nanny
The Decorator
Movie · as Liz
Hush... Hush, Sweet Charlotte
Movie · as Charlotte Hollis
Dead Ringer
Movie · as Margaret DeLorca / Edith Phillips
Where Love Has Gone
Movie · as Mrs. Gerald Hayden
The Hollywood Palace
TV · as Self · 1 ep
The Empty Canvas
Movie · as Dino's Mother
What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?
Movie · as Baby Jane Hudson
The Virginian
TV · as Celia Miller · 1 ep
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
TV · as Self · 5 eps
The Merv Griffin Show
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Pocketful of Miracles
Movie · as Apple Annie
The Mike Douglas Show
TV · as Self - Co-Host · 1 ep
John Paul Jones
Movie · as Empress Catherine the Great
The Scapegoat
Movie · as Countess
The DuPont Show with June Allyson
TV · as Sarah Whitney · 1 ep
Perry Mason
TV · as Constant Doyle · 1 ep
Wagon Train
TV · as Ella Lindstrom, Madame Elizabeth McQueeny · 1 ep
Suspicion
TV · as Mrs. Wilfred Ellis · 1 ep
Storm Center
Movie · as Alicia Hull
The Catered Affair
Movie · as Agnes Hurley
The Dinah Shore Chevy Show
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Telephone Time
TV · 1 ep
Tony Awards
TV · as Self - Presenter · 1 ep
The Virgin Queen
Movie · as Queen Elizabeth I
Gunsmoke
TV · as Etta Stone · 1 ep
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
TV · as Miss Fox · 1 ep
The 20th Century Fox Hour
TV · as Marie Hoke · 1 ep
Reflets de Cannes
TV · as Self · 1 ep
General Electric Theater
TV · as Miss Burrows, Christine Marlowe · 1 ep
The Oscars
TV · as Self · 5 eps
Phone Call from a Stranger
Movie · as Marie Hoke
The Star
Movie · as Margaret Elliot
The Ford Television Theatre
TV · as Dolley Madison · 1 ep
Another Man's Poison
Movie · as Janet Frobisher
Payment on Demand
Movie · as Joyce Ramsey (nee Jackson)
Hallmark Hall of Fame
TV · as Mrs. Minnie Kennedy, Aimee's mother · 1 ep
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
TV · as Irene Van Buren · 1 ep
All About Eve
Movie · as Margo Channing
What's My Line?
TV · as Self · 5 eps
Beyond the Forest
Movie · as Rosa Moline
Breakdowns of 1949
Movie · as Self
Winter Meeting
Movie · as Susan Grieve
June Bride
Movie · as Linda Gilman
Deception
Movie · as Christine Radcliffe
A Stolen Life
Movie · as Kate Bosworth / Patricia Bosworth
The Corn Is Green
Movie · as Miss Lilly Christabel Moffat
Mr. Skeffington
Movie · as Fanny Trellis
Hollywood Canteen
Movie · as Self
Breakdowns of 1944
Movie · as Self
Golden Globe Awards
TV · as Self - Presenter · 1 ep
Thank Your Lucky Stars
Movie · as Self
Watch on the Rhine
Movie · as Sara Müller
Old Acquaintance
Movie · as Kit Marlowe
A Present with a Future
Movie · as Mother
Show-Business at War
Movie · as Self
The Voice That Thrilled the World
Movie · as Self (segment 'Dangerous') (archive footage)
Stars on Horseback
Movie
Now, Voyager
Movie · as Charlotte Vale
In This Our Life
Movie · as Stanley Timberlake Kingsmill
Breakdowns of 1942
Movie · as Self
The Man Who Came to Dinner
Movie · as Maggie Cutler
The Bride Came C.O.D.
Movie · as Joan Winfield
The Little Foxes
Movie · as Regina Hubbard Giddens
The Great Lie
Movie · as Maggie Patterson Van Allen
Shining Victory
Movie
Breakdowns of 1941
Movie · as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
All This, and Heaven Too
Movie · as Henriette Deluzy-Desportes
The Letter
Movie · as Leslie Crosbie
If I Forget You
Movie · as Bette Davis
Cavalcade of the Academy Awards
Movie · as Self
Dark Victory
Movie · as Judith Traherne
The Old Maid
Movie · as Charlotte Lovell
The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex
Movie · as Queen Elizabeth
Juarez
Movie · as Empress Carlotta von Hapsburg
Breakdowns of 1939
Movie · as Self
Jezebel
Movie · as Julie Marsden
Breakdowns of 1938
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
The Sisters
Movie · as Louise Elliott Medlin
Marked Woman
Movie · as Mary Dwight Strauber
A Day at Santa Anita
Movie · as Bette Davis (uncredited)
Kid Galahad
Movie · as Louise 'Fluff' Phillips
That Certain Woman
Movie · as Mary Donnell
It's Love I'm After
Movie · as Joyce Arden
Breakdowns of 1937
Movie · as Self
Satan Met a Lady
Movie · as Valerie Purvis
The Petrified Forest
Movie · as Gabrielle "Gabby" Maple
The Golden Arrow
Movie · as Daisy Appleby
Breakdowns of 1936
Movie · as Self
Screen Snapshots (Series 16, No. 1)
Movie · as Self
Dick Powell and Joan Blondell home movies: "No. 1, From beginning"
Movie
Bordertown
Movie · as Mrs. Marie Roark
A Dream Comes True
Movie
Dangerous
Movie · as Joyce Heath
Special Agent
Movie · as Julie Gardner
Front Page Woman
Movie · as Ellen Garfield
The Girl from 10th Avenue
Movie · as Miriam A. Brady
Of Human Bondage
Movie · as Mildred Rogers
Fog Over Frisco
Movie · as Arlene Bradford
Jimmy the Gent
Movie · as Joan Martin
Fashions of 1934
Movie · as Lynn Mason
The Big Shakedown
Movie · as Norma Nelson
Housewife
Movie · as Patricia Berkeley
Bureau of Missing Persons
Movie · as Norma Roberts
Ex-Lady
Movie · as Helen Bauer
The Working Man
Movie · as Jenny Hartland alias Jane Grey
Parachute Jumper
Movie · as Patricia 'Alabama' Brent
Just Around the Corner
Movie · as Ginger
The 42nd Street Special
Movie · as Self (uncredited)
20,000 Years in Sing Sing
Movie · as Fay Wilson
Three on a Match
Movie · as Ruth Westcott
The Cabin in the Cotton
Movie · as Madge Norwood
The Dark Horse
Movie · as Kay Russell
So Big!
Movie · as Miss Dallas O'Mara
The Rich Are Always with Us
Movie · as Malbro
The Man Who Played God
Movie · as Grace Blair
Hell's House
Movie · as Peggy Gardner
The Menace
Movie · as Peggy Lowell
Waterloo Bridge
Movie · as Janet Cronin
The Bad Sister
Movie · as Laura Madison
Way Back Home
Movie · as Mary Lucy Duffy
Seed
Movie · as Margaret Carter