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Acting
Bette Davis
Also known as: Ruth Elizabeth Davis
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.
Personal Info
Known For
Acting
Birthday
April 5, 1908
Day of Death
October 6, 1989
Age at Death
81 years old
Place of Birth
Lowell, Massachusetts, USA
Popularity Score
1.9
Filmography
This Is Joan Collins
Self (Archive Footage)
2022Movie
Madonna: Madame X
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
2021Movie
Morceaux de Cannes
Self (archive footage)
2021Movie
Mike Wallace Is Here
(archive footage)
2019Movie
Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood
Self (archive footage)
2018Movie
Bette and Joan
Self (archive footage)
2017Movie
Bette Davis: Larger Than Life
Self (archive footage)
2017Movie
The Fabulous Allan Carr
Self (archive)
2017Movie
Listen to Me Marlon
Self (archive footage)
2015Movie
Leslie Howard: The Man Who Gave a Damn
Self (archive footage)
2015Movie
Marlon Brando: An Actor Named Desire
Self - Actress (archive footage)
2014Movie
Classic Movie Bloopers: Uncensored
Self (archive footage)
2013Movie
Footsteps on the Ceiling
Margo Channing (archive footage)
2013Movie
Talking Pictures
Self (archive footage)
2013TV
Marilyn at the Movies
Self (archive footage)
2011Movie
Vito
Self (archive)
2011Movie
1939: Hollywood's Greatest Year
Self (archive footage)
2009Movie
The Travels of Kinuyo Tanaka
Self (archive footage)
2009Movie
Queer Icon: The Cult of Bette Davis
Self (archive footage)
2009Movie
Why Be Good?: Sexuality & Censorship in Early Cinema
Self (archive footage)
2007Movie
Bette and Joan: Blind Ambition
Self (archive footage)
2006Movie
Jezebel: Legend of the South
Self (archive footage)
2006Movie
Stardust: The Bette Davis Story
Self (archive footage)
2006Movie
The Petrified Forest: Menace in the Desert
Self (archive footage)
2005Movie
The Adventures of Errol Flynn
Queen Elizabeth (archive footage)
2005Movie
How Real is 'The Star'?
Self (archive footage)
2005Movie
Complicated Women
Self (archive footage)
2003Movie
Smothered: The Censorship Struggles of the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour
Self (archive footage)
2002Movie
Goldwyn: The Man and His Movies
Self (archive footage)
2001Movie
Bride of Trailer Camp
(archive footage)
2001Movie
Backstory: 'All About Eve'
Self (archive footage)
2000Movie
All About My Mother
In Memory Of
1999Movie
Frank Capra's American Dream
Self (archive footage)
1997Movie
The Silver Screen: Color Me Lavender
Self (archive footage)
1997Movie
Joan Crawford: Always the Star
Self (archive footage)
1996Movie
Intimate Portrait: Bette Davis
Self (archive footage)
1996Movie
Legends in Light: The Photography of George Hurrell
Self (archive footage)
1995Movie
The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies
Self (archive footage)
1995Movie
Biography: Bette Davis — If Looks Could Kill
Self (archive footage)
1994Movie
All About Bette
Self
1994Movie
The World of Hammer
Self (archive footage)
1994TV
Intimate Portrait
Self (archive footage)
1993TV
Wicked Stepmother
Miranda Pierpoint
1989Movie
Hairway to the Stars
Self [Archive Footage]
1989Movie
The Making of a Legend: Gone with the Wind
Self (archive footage)
1988Movie
South of Reno
1988Movie
The Whales of August
Libby Strong
1987Movie
Hammer: The Studio That Dripped Blood
(archive footage)
1987Movie
Bette Davis at the Cinémathèque Française
Self
1986Movie
As Summers Die
Hannah Loftin
1986Movie
Directed by William Wyler
Self
1986Movie
Marilyn Monroe: Beyond the Legend
archive footage
1986Movie
Hollywood's Funniest All-Star Bloopers
Self (archive footage)
1985Movie
Murder with Mirrors
Carrie Louise Serrocold
1985Movie
Going Hollywood: The '30s
(archive footage)
1984Movie
Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
1983Movie
Right of Way
Miniature Dwyer
1983Movie
Bette Davis: The Benevolent Volcano
Self
1983Movie
Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid
(in "Deception") (archive footage)
1982Movie
Showbiz Goes to War
(archive footage)
1982Movie
Oops, Those Hollywood Bloopers!
Self (archive footage)
1982Movie
A Piano for Mrs. Cimino
Esther McDonald Cimino
1982Movie
Night of 100 Stars
Self
1982Movie
Showbiz Ballyhoo
Self (archive footage)
1982Movie
Natalie - A Tribute to a Very Special Lady
1982Movie
Little Gloria... Happy at Last
Alice Gwynne Vanderbilt
1982TV
Late Night with David Letterman
Self - Guest
1982TV
Hotel
Laura Trent
1982TV
Family Reunion
Elizabeth Winfield
1981Movie
Family Reunion
Elizabeth Winfield
1981TV
The Watcher in the Woods
Mrs. Aylwood
1980Movie
White Mama
Estelle Malone
1980Movie
Skyward
Billie Dupree
1980Movie
The Horror Show
(archive footage)
1979Movie
Strangers: The Story of a Mother and Daughter
Lucy Mason
1979Movie
Death on the Nile
Marie Van Schuyler
1978Movie
Return from Witch Mountain
Letha Wedge
1978Movie
Mickey's 50
Self
1978Movie
Death on the Nile: Making of Featurette
Marie Van Schuyler
1978Movie
The Dark Secret of Harvest Home
Widow Fortune
1978TV
The Kennedy Center Honors
Self
1978TV
Laugh-In
Guest Performer
1977TV
Burnt Offerings
Aunt Elizabeth
1976Movie
The Disappearance of Aimee
Minnie Kennedy
1976Movie
Hello Mother, Goodbye!
Mother
1974Movie
Miss Moffat
Miss Moffat
1974Movie
Hello Mother, Goodbye!
Mother
1974TV
Dinah!
Self
1974TV
Scream, Pretty Peggy
Mrs. Elliott
1973Movie
The Men Who Made the Movies: King Vidor
Self (archive footage)
1973Movie
The American Film Institute Salute to ...
Self
1973TV
Madame Sin
Madame Sin
1972Movie
The Scopone Game
'A vecchia
1972Movie
The Judge and Jake Wyler
Judge Meredith
1972Movie
Bette Davis
Self
1972Movie
Bunny O'Hare
Bunny O'Hare
1971Movie
V.I.P. Schaukel
Self
1971TV
Film '72
Self
1971TV
Connecting Rooms
Wanda Fleming
1970Movie
The Anniversary
Mrs. Taggart
1968Movie
It Takes a Thief
Bessie Grindel
1968TV
The Dick Cavett Show
Self - Guest
1968TV
The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour
Self
1967TV
The Nanny
Nanny
1965Movie
The Decorator
Liz
1965Movie
Hush... Hush, Sweet Charlotte
Charlotte Hollis
1964Movie
Dead Ringer
Margaret DeLorca / Edith Phillips
1964Movie
Where Love Has Gone
Mrs. Gerald Hayden
1964Movie
The Hollywood Palace
Self
1964TV
The Empty Canvas
Dino's Mother
1963Movie
What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?
Baby Jane Hudson
1962Movie
The Virginian
Celia Miller
1962TV
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Self
1962TV
The Merv Griffin Show
Self
1962TV
Pocketful of Miracles
Apple Annie
1961Movie
The Mike Douglas Show
Self - Co-Host
1961TV
John Paul Jones
Empress Catherine the Great
1959Movie
The Scapegoat
Countess
1959Movie
The DuPont Show with June Allyson
Sarah Whitney
1959TV
Perry Mason
Constant Doyle
1957TV
Wagon Train
Ella Lindstrom
1957TV
Suspicion
Mrs. Wilfred Ellis
1957TV
Storm Center
Alicia Hull
1956Movie
The Catered Affair
Agnes Hurley
1956Movie
The Dinah Shore Chevy Show
Self
1956TV
Telephone Time
1956TV
Tony Awards
Self - Presenter
1956TV
The Virgin Queen
Queen Elizabeth I
1955Movie
Gunsmoke
Etta Stone
1955TV
Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Miss Fox
1955TV
The 20th Century Fox Hour
Marie Hoke
1955TV
Reflets de Cannes
Self
1954TV
General Electric Theater
Miss Burrows
1953TV
The Oscars
Self
1953TV
Phone Call from a Stranger
Marie Hoke
1952Movie
The Star
Margaret Elliot
1952Movie
The Ford Television Theatre
Dolley Madison
1952TV
Another Man's Poison
Janet Frobisher
1951Movie
Payment on Demand
Joyce Ramsey (nee Jackson)
1951Movie
Hallmark Hall of Fame
Mrs. Minnie Kennedy, Aimee's mother
1951TV
Schlitz Playhouse of Stars
Irene Van Buren
1951TV
All About Eve
Margo Channing
1950Movie
What's My Line?
Self
1950TV
Beyond the Forest
Rosa Moline
1949Movie
Breakdowns of 1949
Self
1949Movie
Winter Meeting
Susan Grieve
1948Movie
June Bride
Linda Gilman
1948Movie
Deception
Christine Radcliffe
1946Movie
A Stolen Life
Kate Bosworth / Patricia Bosworth
1946Movie
A Stolen Life
Producer
1946Movie
The Corn Is Green
Miss Lilly Christabel Moffat
1945Movie
Mr. Skeffington
Fanny Trellis
1944Movie
Hollywood Canteen
Self
1944Movie
Breakdowns of 1944
Self
1944Movie
Golden Globe Awards
Self - Presenter
1944TV
Thank Your Lucky Stars
Self
1943Movie
Watch on the Rhine
Sara Müller
1943Movie
Old Acquaintance
Kit Marlowe
1943Movie
A Present with a Future
Mother
1943Movie
Show-Business at War
Self
1943Movie
Stars on Horseback
1943Movie
The Voice That Thrilled the World
Self (segment 'Dangerous') (archive footage)
1943Movie
Now, Voyager
Charlotte Vale
1942Movie
In This Our Life
Stanley Timberlake Kingsmill
1942Movie
Breakdowns of 1942
Self
1942Movie
The Man Who Came to Dinner
Maggie Cutler
1941Movie
The Bride Came C.O.D.
Joan Winfield
1941Movie
The Little Foxes
Regina Hubbard Giddens
1941Movie
The Great Lie
Maggie Patterson Van Allen
1941Movie
Shining Victory
1941Movie
Breakdowns of 1941
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
1941Movie
All This, and Heaven Too
Henriette Deluzy-Desportes
1940Movie
The Letter
Leslie Crosbie
1940Movie
Cavalcade of the Academy Awards
Self
1940Movie
If I Forget You
Bette Davis
1940Movie
Dark Victory
Judith Traherne
1939Movie
The Old Maid
Charlotte Lovell
1939Movie
The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex
Queen Elizabeth
1939Movie
Juarez
Empress Carlotta von Hapsburg
1939Movie
Breakdowns of 1939
Self
1939Movie
Jezebel
Julie Marsden
1938Movie
Breakdowns of 1938
Self (archive footage)
1938Movie
The Sisters
Louise Elliott Medlin
1938Movie
Marked Woman
Mary Dwight Strauber
1937Movie
A Day at Santa Anita
Bette Davis (uncredited)
1937Movie
Kid Galahad
Louise 'Fluff' Phillips
1937Movie
That Certain Woman
Mary Donnell
1937Movie
It's Love I'm After
Joyce Arden
1937Movie
Breakdowns of 1937
Self
1937Movie
Satan Met a Lady
Valerie Purvis
1936Movie
The Petrified Forest
Gabrielle "Gabby" Maple
1936Movie
The Golden Arrow
Daisy Appleby
1936Movie
Breakdowns of 1936
Self
1936Movie
Screen Snapshots (Series 16, No. 1)
Self
1936Movie
Dick Powell and Joan Blondell home movies: "No. 1, From beginning"
1936Movie
Bordertown
Mrs. Marie Roark
1935Movie
A Dream Comes True
1935Movie
Dangerous
Joyce Heath
1935Movie
Special Agent
Julie Gardner
1935Movie
Front Page Woman
Ellen Garfield
1935Movie
The Girl from 10th Avenue
Miriam A. Brady
1935Movie
Of Human Bondage
Mildred Rogers
1934Movie
Fog Over Frisco
Arlene Bradford
1934Movie
Jimmy the Gent
Joan Martin
1934Movie
Fashions of 1934
Lynn Mason
1934Movie
The Big Shakedown
Norma Nelson
1934Movie
Housewife
Patricia Berkeley
1934Movie
Bureau of Missing Persons
Norma Roberts
1933Movie
Ex-Lady
Helen Bauer
1933Movie
The Working Man
Jenny Hartland alias Jane Grey
1933Movie
Parachute Jumper
Patricia 'Alabama' Brent
1933Movie
Just Around the Corner
Ginger
1933Movie
The 42nd Street Special
Self (uncredited)
1933Movie
20,000 Years in Sing Sing
Fay Wilson
1932Movie
Three on a Match
Ruth Westcott
1932Movie
The Cabin in the Cotton
Madge Norwood
1932Movie
The Dark Horse
Kay Russell
1932Movie
So Big!
Miss Dallas O'Mara
1932Movie
The Rich Are Always with Us
Malbro
1932Movie
The Man Who Played God
Grace Blair
1932Movie
Hell's House
Peggy Gardner
1932Movie
The Menace
Peggy Lowell
1932Movie
Waterloo Bridge
Janet Cronin
1931Movie
The Bad Sister
Laura Madison
1931Movie
Way Back Home
Mary Lucy Duffy
1931Movie
Seed
Margaret Carter
1931Movie