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Bette Davis
Ruth Elizabeth "Bette" Davis (April 5, 1908 – October 6, 1989) was an American actress of film, television, and theater. Regarded as one of the greatest actresses in Hollywood history, she was noted for her willingness to play unsympathetic, sardonic characters. Davis was known for her performances in a range of film genres, from contemporary crime melodramas to historical films and occasional comedies, although her greatest successes were her roles in romantic dramas. She won the Academy Award for Best Actress twice, was the first person to accrue ten Academy Award nominations for acting, and was the first woman to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Film Institute. Davis moved to Hollywood in 1930, but her early films for Universal Studios were unsuccessful. She joined Warner Bros. in 1932, and had her critical breakthrough playing a vulgar waitress in Of Human Bondage (1934). She won the Academy Award for her performance in Dangerous (1935) and Jezebel (1938).
In the late 1940s her career began to decline, and she moved to the stage and television. Davis experienced a career resurgence in the 1960s, with roles such as the aging Broadway star in All About Eve (1950), and the psychotic former child star Jane Hudson in What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962). Despite her setbacks, Barnaby Conrad wrote in Bette Davis: An Intimate Memoir (1992), 'during her last years ... she remained prouder of her profession than many of her colleagues with less reason for pride—still a star, and acting every inch of it.' She continued to act in movies and on television until shortly before her death from breast cancer at the age of 81.
Her behavior in private did not always match the dignity and sophistication of her public persona. She gained a reputation as a perfectionist who could be highly combative, and confrontations with studio executives, film directors, and co-stars were often reported. Her forthright manner, clipped vocal style, and ubiquitous cigarette contributed to a public persona, which has often been imitated and satirized.
Biography, Career & Filmography
Learn more about Bette Davis, including a detailed biography, career timeline, personal life insights, and complete filmography. Discover how Bette Davis rose to fame, their major roles, industry impact, and personal milestones in the world of film.
Given Name: Ruth Elizabeth Davis
Born: Lowell, Massachusetts, U.S.
Citizenship: American
Birthday: April 5, 1908
Occupations: Actress
Years Active: 1929–1989
Children: 3
Spouses: Harmon Oscar Nelson, Arthur Farnsworth, William Grant Sherry, Gary Merrill
External Links and Streaming Options
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Awards and Nominations Received by Bette Davis
Explore the awards, honors, and nominations Bette Davis has earned across their acting career. From prestigious wins to critical acclaim, see how their talent has been recognized by the film industry and major award bodies.
Movies Featuring Bette Davis
Burnt Offerings
Special Agent
Mike Wallace Is Here
What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?
Death on the Nile
Now, Voyager
All About Eve
Return from Witch Mountain
The Watcher in the Woods
The Man Who Came to Dinner
Winter Meeting
Dead Ringer
The Star
Footsteps on the Ceiling
And the Oscar Goes To…
Marlon Brando: An Actor Named Desire
Goldwyn: The Man and His Movies
Complicated Women
The Adventures of Errol Flynn
The Petrified Forest: Menace in the Desert
Stardust: The Bette Davis Story
Smothered: The Censorship Struggles of the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour
Bette and Joan: Blind Ambition
Why Be Good?: Sexuality & Censorship in Early Cinema
White Mama
Skyward
Oops, Those Hollywood Bloopers!
A Piano for Mrs. Cimino
Night of 100 Stars
Little Gloria… Happy at Last
Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage
Right of Way
Bette Davis: The Benevolent Volcano
Going Hollywood: The ’30s
Hammer: The Studio That Dripped Blood
Wicked Stepmother
Family Reunion
Hollywood’s Funniest All-Star Bloopers
Directed by William Wyler
The Whales of August
Showbiz Goes to War
Murder with Mirrors
As Summers Die
The Making of a Legend: Gone with the Wind
Madonna: Madame X
Marilyn Monroe: Beyond the Legend
AFI Life Achievement Award: 50th Anniversary Special
Murder with Mirrors
Shining Victory
Thank Your Lucky Stars
Deception
Fog Over Frisco
Parachute Jumper
Hell’s House
So Big!
Connecting Rooms
The Judge and Jake Wyler
The Corn Is Green
Hollywood and the Stars
100 Years of Horror: Girl Ghouls
Jimmy the Gent
The Little Foxes
Old Acquaintance
The Letter
Seed
All About Bette
The 42nd Street Special
The Cabin in the Cotton
A Stolen Life
Strangers: The Story of a Mother and Daughter
Phone Call from a Stranger
The Bad Sister
Storm Center
Another Man’s Poison
Breakdowns of 1941
The Man Who Played God
Bureau of Missing Persons
The Bride Came C.O.D.
The Catered Affair
Ex-Lady
The Rich Are Always with Us
Of Human Bondage
Hush… Hush, Sweet Charlotte
Housewife
A Present with a Future
Breakdowns of 1937
The Disappearance of Aimee
The Old Maid
Show-Business at War
Way Back Home
The Silver Screen: Color Me Lavender
A Dream Comes True
Breakdowns of 1942
Front Page Woman
That Certain Woman
The Anniversary
The Menace
Dark Victory
In This Our Life
Fashions of 1934
Marked Woman
The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex
Pocketful of Miracles
Mickey’s 50
Breakdowns of 1944
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Screen Snapshots (Series 16, No. 1)
The Girl from 10th Avenue
20,000 Years in Sing Sing
Stars on Horseback
Madame Sin
Joan Crawford: Always the Star
The Dark Secret of Harvest Home
1939: Hollywood’s Greatest Year
Just Around the Corner
The Petrified Forest
Three on a Match
The Golden Arrow
Where Love Has Gone
The Empty Canvas
Death on the Nile: Making of Featurette
A Day at Santa Anita
The Scopone Game
Breakdowns of 1936
Kid Galahad
Breakdowns of 1949
Juarez
Waterloo Bridge
Breakdowns of 1939
The Sisters
John Paul Jones
The Great Lie
All This, and Heaven Too
The Andy Williams Christmas Show
It’s Love I’m After
The Travels of Kinuyo Tanaka
Beyond the Forest
Bordertown
The Working Man
Hollywood Canteen
Frank Capra’s American Dream
Stranded
The Horror Show
The Nanny
The Men Who Made the Movies: King Vidor
June Bride
Dangerous
Cavalcade of the Academy Awards
Breakdowns of 1938
Satan Met a Lady
The Voice That Thrilled the World
Mr. Skeffington
Payment on Demand
Career Timeline
Track the complete movie timeline of Bette Davis, including all film releases, career breakthroughs, and notable roles. Follow their journey from early performances to recent blockbusters and upcoming projects.
2014
And the Oscar Goes To…
Self (archive footage)
Marlon Brando: An Actor Named Desire
Self - Actress (archive footage)
2009
1939: Hollywood’s Greatest Year
Self (archive footage)
The Travels of Kinuyo Tanaka
Self (archive footage)
2006
Stardust: The Bette Davis Story
Self (archive footage)
Bette and Joan: Blind Ambition
Self (archive footage)
2005
The Adventures of Errol Flynn
Queen Elizabeth (archive footage)
The Petrified Forest: Menace in the Desert
Self (archive footage)
2002
Smothered: The Censorship Struggles of the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour
Self (archive footage)
1997
The Silver Screen: Color Me Lavender
Self (archive footage)
Frank Capra’s American Dream
Self (archive footage)
1986
Directed by William Wyler
Self
As Summers Die
Hannah Loftin
Marilyn Monroe: Beyond the Legend
Self (from All About Eve [1950]) (archive footage)
1985
Hollywood’s Funniest All-Star Bloopers
Self (archive footage)
Murder with Mirrors
Carrie Louise Serrocold
Murder with Mirrors
Carrie Louise Serrocold
1983
Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Right of Way
Miniature Dwyer
Bette Davis: The Benevolent Volcano
Self
1982
Oops, Those Hollywood Bloopers!
Self (archive footage)
A Piano for Mrs. Cimino
Esther McDonald Cimino
Night of 100 Stars
Self
Showbiz Goes to War
(archive footage)
1978
Death on the Nile
Return from Witch Mountain
Mickey’s 50
Self
Death on the Nile: Making of Featurette
Marie Van Schuyler (archive footage)
1964
Dead Ringer
Hollywood and the Stars
(archive footage)
Hush… Hush, Sweet Charlotte
Charlotte Hollis
Where Love Has Gone
Mrs. Gerald Hayden
1943
Thank Your Lucky Stars
Self
Old Acquaintance
Kit Marlowe
A Present with a Future
Mother
Show-Business at War
Self
Stars on Horseback
The Voice That Thrilled the World
Self (segment 'Dangerous') (archive footage)
1942
Now, Voyager
The Man Who Came to Dinner
Breakdowns of 1942
Self
In This Our Life
Stanley Timberlake Kingsmill
1941
Shining Victory
The Little Foxes
Regina Hubbard Giddens
Breakdowns of 1941
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
The Bride Came C.O.D.
Joan Winfield
The Great Lie
Maggie Patterson Van Allen
1940
The Letter
Leslie Crosbie
All This, and Heaven Too
Henriette Deluzy-Desportes
Cavalcade of the Academy Awards
Self
1939
The Old Maid
Charlotte Lovell
Dark Victory
Judith Traherne
The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex
Queen Elizabeth
Juarez
Empress Carlotta von Hapsburg
Breakdowns of 1939
Self
1937
Breakdowns of 1937
Self
That Certain Woman
Mary Donnell/Mme Al Haines
Marked Woman
Mary Dwight Strauber
A Day at Santa Anita
Bette Davis (uncredited)
Kid Galahad
Louise 'Fluff' Phillips
It’s Love I’m After
Joyce Arden
1936
Screen Snapshots (Series 16, No. 1)
Self
The Petrified Forest
Gabrielle "Gabby" Maple
The Golden Arrow
Daisy Appleby
Breakdowns of 1936
Self
Satan Met a Lady
Valerie Purvis
1935
Special Agent
A Dream Comes True
Front Page Woman
Ellen Garfield
The Girl from 10th Avenue
Miriam A. Brady
Bordertown
Mrs. Marie Roark
Dangerous
Joyce Heath
1934
Fog Over Frisco
Arlene Bradford
Jimmy the Gent
Joan Martin
Of Human Bondage
Mildred Rogers
Housewife
Patricia Berkeley
Fashions of 1934
Lynn Mason
1933
Parachute Jumper
Patricia 'Alabama' Brent
The 42nd Street Special
Self (uncredited)
Bureau of Missing Persons
Norma Roberts
Ex-Lady
Helen Bauer
Just Around the Corner
Ginger
The Working Man
Jenny Hartland alias Jane Grey
1932
Hell’s House
Peggy Gardner
So Big!
Miss Dallas O'Mara
The Cabin in the Cotton
Madge Norwood
The Man Who Played God
Grace Blair
The Rich Are Always with Us
Malbro
The Menace
Peggy Lowell
20,000 Years in Sing Sing
Fay Wilson
Three on a Match
Ruth Westcott
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