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Bette Davis

Bette Davis

Acting

April 5, 1908 – October 6, 1989 (died at 81)
Lowell, Massachusetts, USA
Female
181 Movies
43 TV Shows

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.

All About Eve
All About Eve

All About Eve

1950 8.1

as Margo Channing

Age 42 (now 81)
What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?
What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?

What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?

1962 7.9

as Baby Jane Hudson

Age 54 (now 81)
Hush... Hush, Sweet Charlotte
Hush... Hush, Sweet Charlotte

Hush... Hush, Sweet Charlotte

1964 7.3

as Charlotte Hollis

Age 56 (now 81)
The Letter
The Letter

The Letter

1940 7.3

as Leslie Crosbie

Age 32 (now 81)
Now, Voyager
Now, Voyager

Now, Voyager

1942 7.4

as Charlotte Vale

Age 34 (now 81)
Jezebel
Jezebel

Jezebel

1938 7.0

as Julie Marsden

Age 29 (now 81)
The Little Foxes
The Little Foxes

The Little Foxes

1941 7.5

as Regina Hubbard Giddens

Age 33 (now 81)
Death on the Nile
Death on the Nile

Death on the Nile

1978 7.1

as Marie Van Schuyler

Age 70 (now 81)
Return from Witch Mountain
Return from Witch Mountain

Return from Witch Mountain

1978 5.9

as Letha Wedge

Age 69 (now 81)
Dark Victory
Dark Victory

Dark Victory

1939 6.9

as Judith Traherne

Age 31 (now 81)
The Petrified Forest
The Petrified Forest

The Petrified Forest

1936 7.1

as Gabrielle "Gabby" Maple

Age 27 (now 81)
Pocketful of Miracles
Pocketful of Miracles

Pocketful of Miracles

1961 7.3

as Apple Annie

Age 53 (now 81)
Of Human Bondage
Of Human Bondage

Of Human Bondage

1934 6.5

as Mildred Rogers

Age 26 (now 81)
The Watcher in the Woods
The Watcher in the Woods

The Watcher in the Woods

1980 5.9

as Mrs. Aylwood

Age 72 (now 81)
The Nanny
The Nanny

The Nanny

1965 7.0

as Nanny

Age 57 (now 81)
Dead Ringer
Dead Ringer

Dead Ringer

1964 6.9

as Margaret DeLorca / Edith Phillips

Age 55 (now 81)