Bette Davis
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
Credits
- 2024 · Faye as Self - Actor (archive footage)
- 2024 · Faye as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
- 2021 · Madonna: Madame X as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
- 2019 · Mike Wallace Is Here as (archive footage)
- 2018 · Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood as Self (archive footage)
- 2018 · Always at The Carlyle as Self (archive footage)
- 2017 · Bette Davis: Larger Than Life as Self (archive footage)
- 2017 · Bette and Joan as Self (archive footage)
- 2015 · Listen to Me Marlon as Self (archive footage)
- 2014 · Marlon Brando: An Actor Named Desire as Self - Actress (archive footage)
- 2014 · And the Oscar Goes To... as Self (archive footage)
- 2013 · Classic Movie Bloopers: Uncensored as Self (archive footage)
- 2013 · Talking Pictures as Self (archive footage)
- 2013 · Footsteps on the Ceiling as Margo Channing (archive footage)
- 2009 · The Travels of Kinuyo Tanaka as Self (archive footage)
- 2009 · Queer Icon: The Cult of Bette Davis as Self (archive footage)
- 2009 · 1939: Hollywood's Greatest Year as Self (archive footage)
- 2007 · Why Be Good?: Sexuality & Censorship in Early Cinema as Self (archive footage)
- 2006 · Jezebel: Legend of the South as Self (archive footage)
- 2006 · Stardust: The Bette Davis Story as Self (archive footage)
- 2006 · Bette and Joan: Blind Ambition as Self (archive footage)
- 2005 · The Petrified Forest: Menace in the Desert as Self (archive footage)
- 2005 · The Adventures of Errol Flynn as Queen Elizabeth (archive footage)
- 2003 · Complicated Women as Self (archive footage)
- 2002 · Smothered: The Censorship Struggles of the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour as Self (archive footage)
- 2001 · Goldwyn: The Man and His Movies as Self (archive footage)
- 2000 · Backstory: 'All About Eve' as Self (archive footage)
- 1998 · Parkinson as Self (archive footage)
- 1997 · The Silver Screen: Color Me Lavender as Self (archive footage)
- 1997 · Frank Capra's American Dream as Self (archive footage)
- 1996 · Joan Crawford: Always the Star as Self (archive footage)
- 1996 · Intimate Portrait: Bette Davis as Self (archive footage)
- 1994 · Biography: Bette Davis — If Looks Could Kill as Self (archive footage)
- 1994 · All About Bette as Self
- 1993 · Intimate Portrait as Self (archive footage)
- 1989 · Wicked Stepmother as Miranda Pierpoint
- 1989 · Hairway to the Stars as Self [Archive Footage]
- 1988 · The Making of a Legend: Gone with the Wind as Self (archive footage)
- 1987 · The Whales of August as Libby Strong
- 1987 · Hammer: The Studio That Dripped Blood as (archive footage)
- 1986 · As Summers Die as Hannah Loftin
- 1986 · Directed by William Wyler as Self
- 1986 · Marilyn Monroe: Beyond the Legend as Self (from All About Eve [1950]) (archive footage)
- 1986 · Bette Davis at the Cinémathèque Française as Herself
- 1985 · Murder with Mirrors as Carrie Louise Serrocold
- 1985 · Hollywood's Funniest All-Star Bloopers as Self (archive footage)
- 1984 · Going Hollywood: The '30s as (archive footage)
- 1983 · Right of Way as Miniature Dwyer
- 1983 · Bette Davis: The Benevolent Volcano as Self
- 1983 · Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
- 1982 · Showbiz Goes to War as (archive footage)
- 1982 · Little Gloria... Happy at Last as Alice Gwynne Vanderbilt
- 1982 · Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid as (in "Deception") (archive footage)
- 1982 · Night of 100 Stars as Self
- 1982 · A Piano for Mrs. Cimino as Esther McDonald Cimino
- 1982 · Oops, Those Hollywood Bloopers! as Self (archive footage)
- 1981 · Family Reunion as Elizabeth Winfield
- 1980 · Skyward as Billie Dupree
- 1980 · The Watcher in the Woods as Mrs. Aylwood
- 1980 · White Mama as Estelle Malone
- 1979 · Strangers: The Story of a Mother and Daughter as Lucy Mason
- 1979 · The Horror Show as (archive footage)
- 1978 · The Kennedy Center Honors as Self
- 1978 · Death on the Nile as Marie Van Schuyler
- 1978 · Return from Witch Mountain as Letha Wedge
- 1978 · The Dark Secret of Harvest Home as Widow Fortune
- 1978 · Death on the Nile: Making of Featurette as Marie Van Schuyler (archive footage)
- 1977 · Laugh-In as Self
- 1976 · The Disappearance of Aimee as Minnie Kennedy
- 1976 · Burnt Offerings as Aunt Elizabeth
- 1974 · Hello Mother, Goodbye! as Mother
- 1974 · Hello Mother, Goodbye! as
- 1973 · Scream, Pretty Peggy as Mrs. Elliott
- 1973 · The American Film Institute Salute to ... as Self
- 1973 · The Men Who Made the Movies: King Vidor as Self (archive footage)
- 1972 · Bette Davis as Self
- 1972 · The Judge and Jake Wyler as Judge Meredith
- 1972 · The Scopone Game as 'A vecchia
- 1972 · Madame Sin as Madame Sin
- 1971 · Bunny O'Hare as Bunny O'Hare
- 1971 · V.I.P. Schaukel as Self
- 1970 · Connecting Rooms as Wanda Fleming
- 1968 · The Dick Cavett Show as Self - Guest
- 1968 · The Anniversary as Mrs. Taggart
- 1968 · It Takes a Thief as Bessie Grindel
- 1965 · The Nanny as Nanny
- 1965 · The Decorator as Liz
- 1965 · The Love Goddesses as (archive footage)
- 1964 · Hush... Hush, Sweet Charlotte as Charlotte Hollis
- 1964 · Where Love Has Gone as Mrs. Gerald Hayden
- 1964 · Hollywood and the Stars as (archive footage)
- 1964 · Dead Ringer as Margaret DeLorca / Edith Phillips
- 1964 · The Hollywood Palace as Self
- 1963 · The Empty Canvas as Dino's Mother
- 1962 · The Andy Williams Christmas Show as
- 1962 · What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? as Baby Jane Hudson
- 1962 · The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson as Self
- 1962 · The Virginian as Celia Miller
- 1961 · Pocketful of Miracles as Apple Annie
- 1961 · The Mike Douglas Show as Self - Co-Host
- 1959 · The DuPont Show with June Allyson as Sarah Whitney
- 1959 · The Scapegoat as Countess
- 1959 · John Paul Jones as Empress Catherine the Great
- 1957 · Suspicion as Mrs. Wilfred Ellis
- 1957 · Perry Mason as Constant Doyle
- 1957 · Wagon Train as Ella Lindstrom
- 1956 · The Dinah Shore Chevy Show as Self
- 1956 · Storm Center as Alicia Hull
- 1956 · The Catered Affair as Mrs. Agnes Hurley
- 1956 · Telephone Time as
- 1956 · Tony Awards as Self - Presenter
- 1955 · The 20th Century Fox Hour as Marie Hoke
- 1955 · Alfred Hitchcock Presents as Miss Fox
- 1955 · Gunsmoke as Etta Stone
- 1955 · The Virgin Queen as Queen Elizabeth I
- 1954 · Reflets de Cannes as Self
- 1953 · The Oscars as Self
- 1953 · General Electric Theater as Miss Burrows
- 1953 · General Electric Theater as Christine Marlowe
- 1952 · The Star as Margaret Elliot
- 1952 · The Ford Television Theatre as Dolley Madison
- 1952 · Phone Call from a Stranger as Marie Hoke
- 1951 · Hallmark Hall of Fame as Mrs. Minnie Kennedy, Aimee's mother
- 1951 · Another Man's Poison as Janet Frobisher
- 1951 · Schlitz Playhouse of Stars as Irene Van Buren
- 1951 · Payment on Demand as Joyce Ramsey (nee Jackson)
- 1950 · All About Eve as Margo Channing
- 1950 · What's My Line? as Self - Mystery Guest
- 1949 · Breakdowns of 1949 as Self
- 1949 · Beyond the Forest as Rosa Moline
- 1948 · June Bride as Linda Gilman
- 1948 · Winter Meeting as Susan Grieve
- 1946 · Deception as Christine Radcliffe
- 1946 · A Stolen Life as Kate Bosworth / Patricia Bosworth
- 1945 · The Corn Is Green as Miss Lilly Christabel Moffat
- 1944 · Breakdowns of 1944 as Self
- 1944 · Hollywood Canteen as Self
- 1944 · Mr. Skeffington as Fanny Trellis
- 1943 · A Present with a Future as Mother
- 1943 · Old Acquaintance as Kit Marlowe
- 1943 · The Voice That Thrilled the World as Self (segment 'Dangerous') (archive footage)
- 1943 · Thank Your Lucky Stars as Self
- 1943 · Watch on the Rhine as Sara Müller
- 1943 · Show-Business at War as Self
- 1943 · Stars on Horseback as
- 1942 · Breakdowns of 1942 as Self
- 1942 · Now, Voyager as Charlotte Vale
- 1942 · In This Our Life as Stanley Timberlake Kingsmill
- 1941 · The Man Who Came to Dinner as Maggie Cutler
- 1941 · Breakdowns of 1941 as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
- 1941 · The Little Foxes as Regina Hubbard Giddens
- 1941 · The Bride Came C.O.D. as Joan Winfield
- 1941 · Shining Victory as
- 1941 · The Great Lie as Maggie Patterson Van Allen
- 1940 · The Letter as Leslie Crosbie
- 1940 · Cavalcade of the Academy Awards as Self
- 1940 · All This, and Heaven Too as Henriette Deluzy-Desportes
- 1940 · If I Forget You as Bette Davis
- 1939 · Breakdowns of 1939 as Self
- 1939 · The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex as Queen Elizabeth
- 1939 · The Old Maid as Charlotte Lovell
- 1939 · Juarez as Empress Carlotta von Hapsburg
- 1939 · Dark Victory as Judith Traherne
- 1938 · Breakdowns of 1938 as Self (archive footage)
- 1938 · The Sisters as Louise Elliott Medlin
- 1938 · Jezebel as Julie Marsden
- 1937 · Breakdowns of 1937 as Self
- 1937 · It's Love I'm After as Joyce Arden
- 1937 · That Certain Woman as Mary Donnell/Mme Al Haines
- 1937 · Kid Galahad as Louise 'Fluff' Phillips
- 1937 · A Day at Santa Anita as
- 1937 · Marked Woman as Mary Dwight Strauber
- 1936 · Breakdowns of 1936 as Self
- 1936 · Screen Snapshots (Series 16, No. 1) as Self
- 1936 · Satan Met a Lady as Valerie Purvis
- 1936 · The Golden Arrow as Daisy Appleby
- 1936 · The Petrified Forest as Gabrielle "Gabby" Maple
- 1935 · A Dream Comes True as
- 1935 · Dangerous as Joyce Heath
- 1935 · Special Agent as Julie Gardner
- 1935 · Front Page Woman as Ellen Garfield
- 1935 · The Girl from 10th Avenue as Miriam A. Brady
- 1935 · Bordertown as Mrs. Marie Roark
- 1934 · Housewife as Patricia Berkeley
- 1934 · Of Human Bondage as Mildred Rogers
- 1934 · Fog Over Frisco as Arlene Bradford
- 1934 · Jimmy the Gent as Joan Martin
- 1934 · Fashions of 1934 as Lynn Mason
- 1934 · The Big Shakedown as Norma Nelson
- 1933 · Bureau of Missing Persons as Norma Roberts
- 1933 · Ex-Lady as Helen Bauer
- 1933 · The Working Man as Jenny Hartland alias Jane Grey
- 1933 · The 42nd Street Special as Self (uncredited)
- 1933 · Parachute Jumper as Patricia 'Alabama' Brent
- 1933 · Just Around the Corner as Ginger
- 1932 · 20,000 Years in Sing Sing as Fay Wilson
- 1932 · Three on a Match as Ruth Westcott
- 1932 · The Cabin in the Cotton as Madge Norwood
- 1932 · The Dark Horse as Kay Russell
- 1932 · The Rich Are Always with Us as Malbro
- 1932 · So Big! as Miss Dallas O'Mara
- 1932 · The Man Who Played God as Grace Blair
- 1932 · Hell's House as Peggy Gardner
- 1932 · The Menace as Peggy Lowell
- 1931 · Way Back Home as Mary Lucy Duffy
- 1931 · Waterloo Bridge as Janet Cronin
- 1931 · Seed as Margaret Carter
- 1931 · The Bad Sister as Laura Madison