Bette Midler

Bette Midler (/bɛt ˈmɪdlər/ bet MID-lər; born December 1, 1945) is an American actress, comedian, singer, and author, known for her bold, bawdy stage presence and powerful vocals. Throughout her illustrious five-decade career, Midler has accumulated numerous accolades, including four Golden Globe Awards, three Grammy Awards, three Primetime Emmy Awards, two Tony Awards, and a coveted Kennedy Center Honor, alongside nominations for two Academy Awards and a British Academy Film Award. Born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii, Midler began her career performing in off-Broadway plays, then rose to prominence as a singer in the gay bathhouses of NYC during the 1970s. To date, she has released 14 studio albums as a solo artist, selling over 30 million records worldwide, and has chartered multiple hits, including "The Rose", "Wind Beneath My Wings", "Do You Want to Dance", "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy", and "From a Distance". Midler made her film debut in The Rose (1979), which earned her a Golden Globe for Best Actress and an Academy Award nomination. She has since starred in a slew of box office hits such as Down and Out in Beverly Hills, Ruthless People, Beaches, Hocus Pocus, and The First Wives Club.

More recently in 2008, Midler enjoyed a successful stint in Las Vegas with her residency, Bette Midler: The Showgirl Must Go On, and in 2017, she won the Tony for Best Actress in a Musical for her performance in the Broadway revival of Hello, Dolly!. Midler is also an author, having released multiple books over the years, including The Saga of Baby Divine and A View from a Broad. Additionally, she is involved in various charitable efforts, notably founding the New York Restoration Project, an organization aimed at improving the city's neglected parks in 1995.