Bette Davis
| Bette Davis | |
|---|---|
Studio portrait, 1940s
|
|
| Born |
Ruth Elizabeth Davis April 5, 1908 Lowell, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Died | October 6, 1989 (aged 81) Neuilly-sur-Seine, France |
| Cause of death | Breast cancer |
| Resting place | Forest Lawn—Hollywood Hills Cemetery |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1929–1989 |
| Spouse(s) |
Harmon Nelson (m. 1932; div. 1938) Arthur Farnsworth (m. 1940; his death 1943) William Grant Sherry (m. 1945; div. 1950) Gary Merrill (m. 1950; div. 1960) |
| Children |
Barbara Sherry (b. 1947) Margot Mosher Merrill (b. 6 Jan 1951) Michael Merrill (b. 5 Jan 1952) |
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 and was reputed for her performances in a range of film genres, from contemporary crime melodramas to historical and period films and occasional comedies, although her greatest successes were her roles in romantic dramas.
After appearing in Broadway plays, Davis moved to Hollywood in 1930. However, her early films for Universal Studios (and as a loanout to other 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. Although she lost the well-publicized legal case against the studio, 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 confrontational. She clashed with studio executives and film directors as well as many of her co-stars. Her forthright manner, idiosyncratic speech and ubiquitous cigarette contributed to a public persona, which has often been imitated.
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 ten 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 three times 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 on the American Film Institute's list of the greatest female stars of classic Hollywood cinema.
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