Bette Davis
Acting
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.
Known for
Acting224
movieThis Is Joan Collins
2022
Self (Archive Footage)
movieMadonna: Madame X
2021
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
movieMike Wallace Is Here
2019
(archive footage)
movieScotty and the Secret History of Hollywood
2018
Self (archive footage)
movieBette Davis: Larger Than Life
2017
Self (archive footage)
movieThe Fabulous Allan Carr
2017
Self (archive)
movieBette and Joan
2017
Self (archive footage)
movieLeslie Howard: The Man Who Gave a Damn
2015
Self (archive footage)
movieListen to Me Marlon
2015
Self (archive footage)
movieMarlon Brando: An Actor Named Desire
2014
Self - Actress (archive footage)
movieClassic Movie Bloopers: Uncensored
2013
Self (archive footage)
tvTalking Pictures
2013
Self (archive footage)
movieFootsteps on the Ceiling
2013
Margo Channing (archive footage)
movieVito
2011
Self (archive)
movieMarilyn at the Movies
2011
Self (archive footage)
movieThe Travels of Kinuyo Tanaka
2009
Self (archive footage)
movieQueer Icon: The Cult of Bette Davis
2009
Self (archive footage)
movie1939: Hollywood's Greatest Year
2009
Self (archive footage)
movieWhy Be Good?: Sexuality & Censorship in Early Cinema
2007
Self (archive footage)
movieBette and Joan: Blind Ambition
2006
Self (archive footage)
movieJezebel: Legend of the South
2006
Self (archive footage)
movieStardust: The Bette Davis Story
2006
Self (archive footage)
movieThe Petrified Forest: Menace in the Desert
2005
Self (archive footage)
movieThe Adventures of Errol Flynn
2005
Queen Elizabeth (archive footage)
movieHow Real is 'The Star'?
2005
Self (archive footage)
movieComplicated Women
2003
Self (archive footage)
movieSmothered: The Censorship Struggles of the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour
2002
Self (archive footage)
movieGoldwyn: The Man and His Movies
2001
Self (archive footage)
Bride of Trailer Camp
2001
(archive footage)
movieBackstory: 'All About Eve'
2000
Self (archive footage)
movieThe Silver Screen: Color Me Lavender
1997
Self (archive footage)
movieFrank Capra's American Dream
1997
Self (archive footage)
movieJoan Crawford: Always the Star
1996
Self (archive footage)
movieIntimate Portrait: Bette Davis
1996
Self (archive footage)
movieThe First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies
1995
Self (archive footage)
Legends in Light: The Photography of George Hurrell
1995
Self (archive footage)
movieBiography: Bette Davis — If Looks Could Kill
1994
Self (archive footage)
tvThe World of Hammer
1994
Self (archive footage)
tvIntimate Portrait
1993
Self (archive footage)
movieWicked Stepmother
1989
Miranda Pierpoint
movieHairway to the Stars
1989
Self [Archive Footage]
movieThe Making of a Legend: Gone with the Wind
1988
Self (archive footage)
movieThe Whales of August
1987
Libby Strong
movieHammer: The Studio That Dripped Blood
1987
(archive footage)
movieAs Summers Die
1986
Hannah Loftin
movieMarilyn Monroe: Beyond the Legend
1986
archive footage
movieMurder with Mirrors
1985
Carrie Louise Serrocold
movieHollywood's Funniest All-Star Bloopers
1985
Self (archive footage)
movieGoing Hollywood: The '30s
1984
(archive footage)
movieRight of Way
1983
Miniature Dwyer
movieHollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage
1983
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
movieShowbiz Goes to War
1982
(archive footage)
tvLittle Gloria... Happy at Last
1982
Alice Gwynne Vanderbilt
tvHotel
1982
Laura Trent
movieDead Men Don't Wear Plaid
1982
(in "Deception") (archive footage)
movieShowbiz Ballyhoo
1982
Self (archive footage)
movieA Piano for Mrs. Cimino
1982
Esther McDonald Cimino
tvLate Night with David Letterman
1982
Self - Guest
movieOops, Those Hollywood Bloopers!
1982
Self (archive footage)
movieFamily Reunion
1981
Elizabeth Winfield
tvFamily Reunion
1981
Elizabeth Winfield
movieSkyward
1980
Billie Dupree
movieThe Watcher in the Woods
1980
Mrs. Aylwood
movieWhite Mama
1980
Estelle Malone
movieThe Horror Show
1979
(archive footage)
movieDeath on the Nile
1978
Marie Van Schuyler
Death on the Nile: Making of Featurette
1978
Marie Van Schuyler
movieReturn from Witch Mountain
1978
Letha Wedge
tvThe Dark Secret of Harvest Home
1978
Widow Fortune
Laugh-In
1977
Guest Performer
movieThe Disappearance of Aimee
1976
Minnie Kennedy
movieBurnt Offerings
1976
Aunt Elizabeth
tvDinah!
1974
Self
movieMiss Moffat
1974
Miss Moffat
movieScream, Pretty Peggy
1973
Mrs. Elliott
movieThe Men Who Made the Movies: King Vidor
1973
Self (archive footage)
movieThe Judge and Jake Wyler
1972
Judge Meredith
movieThe Scopone Game
1972
'A vecchia
movieMadame Sin
1972
Madame Sin
movieBunny O'Hare
1971
Bunny O'Hare
movieConnecting Rooms
1970
Wanda Fleming
tvThe Dick Cavett Show
1968
Self - Guest
movieThe Anniversary
1968
Mrs. Taggart
tvIt Takes a Thief
1968
Bessie Grindel
movieThe Nanny
1965
Nanny
movieHush... Hush, Sweet Charlotte
1964
Charlotte Hollis
movieWhere Love Has Gone
1964
Mrs. Gerald Hayden
movieDead Ringer
1964
Margaret DeLorca / Edith Phillips
movieThe Empty Canvas
1963
Dino's Mother
movieWhat Ever Happened to Baby Jane?
1962
Baby Jane Hudson
tvThe Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
1962
Self / Self (archive footage)
tvThe Virginian
1962
Celia Miller
moviePocketful of Miracles
1961
Apple Annie
tvThe Mike Douglas Show
1961
Self - Co-Host
tvThe DuPont Show with June Allyson
1959
Sarah Whitney
movieThe Scapegoat
1959
Countess
movieJohn Paul Jones
1959
Empress Catherine the Great
tvSuspicion
1957
Mrs. Wilfred Ellis
tvPerry Mason
1957
Constant Doyle
tvWagon Train
1957
Ella Lindstrom / Madame Elizabeth McQueeny
movieStorm Center
1956
Alicia Hull
movieThe Catered Affair
1956
Agnes Hurley
tvTony Awards
1956
Self - Presenter
tvThe 20th Century Fox Hour
1955
Marie Hoke
tvAlfred Hitchcock Presents
1955
Miss Fox
tvGunsmoke
1955
Etta Stone
movieThe Virgin Queen
1955
Queen Elizabeth I
tvThe Oscars
1953
Self
tvGeneral Electric Theater
1953
Miss Burrows / Christine Marlowe
movieThe Star
1952
Margaret Elliot
tvThe Ford Television Theatre
1952
Dolley Madison
moviePhone Call from a Stranger
1952
Marie Hoke
tvHallmark Hall of Fame
1951
Mrs. Minnie Kennedy, Aimee's mother
movieAnother Man's Poison
1951
Janet Frobisher
tvSchlitz Playhouse of Stars
1951
Irene Van Buren
moviePayment on Demand
1951
Joyce Ramsey (nee Jackson)
movieAll About Eve
1950
Margo Channing
movieBeyond the Forest
1949
Rosa Moline
movieJune Bride
1948
Linda Gilman
movieWinter Meeting
1948
Susan Grieve
movieDeception
1946
Christine Radcliffe
movieA Stolen Life
1946
Kate Bosworth / Patricia Bosworth
movieThe Corn Is Green
1945
Miss Lilly Christabel Moffat
movieMr. Skeffington
1944
Fanny Trellis
tvGolden Globe Awards
1944
Self - Presenter
movieOld Acquaintance
1943
Kit Marlowe
movieThe Voice That Thrilled the World
1943
Self (segment 'Dangerous') (archive footage)
movieWatch on the Rhine
1943
Sara Müller
movieNow, Voyager
1942
Charlotte Vale
movieIn This Our Life
1942
Stanley Timberlake Kingsmill
movieThe Man Who Came to Dinner
1941
Maggie Cutler
movieBreakdowns of 1941
1941
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
movieThe Little Foxes
1941
Regina Hubbard Giddens
movieThe Bride Came C.O.D.
1941
Joan Winfield
movieThe Great Lie
1941
Maggie Patterson Van Allen
movieThe Letter
1940
Leslie Crosbie
movieAll This, and Heaven Too
1940
Henriette Deluzy-Desportes
If I Forget You
1940
Bette Davis
movieThe Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex
1939
Queen Elizabeth
movieThe Old Maid
1939
Charlotte Lovell
movieJuarez
1939
Empress Carlotta von Hapsburg
movieDark Victory
1939
Judith Traherne
movieBreakdowns of 1938
1938
Self (archive footage)
movieThe Sisters
1938
Louise Elliott Medlin
movieJezebel
1938
Julie Marsden
movieIt's Love I'm After
1937
Joyce Arden
movieThat Certain Woman
1937
Mary Donnell
movieKid Galahad
1937
Louise 'Fluff' Phillips
movieA Day at Santa Anita
1937
Bette Davis (uncredited)
movieMarked Woman
1937
Mary Dwight Strauber
movieSatan Met a Lady
1936
Valerie Purvis
movieThe Golden Arrow
1936
Daisy Appleby
movieThe Petrified Forest
1936
Gabrielle "Gabby" Maple
movieDangerous
1935
Joyce Heath
movieSpecial Agent
1935
Julie Gardner
movieFront Page Woman
1935
Ellen Garfield
movieThe Girl from 10th Avenue
1935
Miriam A. Brady
movieBordertown
1935
Mrs. Marie Roark
movieHousewife
1934
Patricia Berkeley
movieOf Human Bondage
1934
Mildred Rogers
movieFog Over Frisco
1934
Arlene Bradford
movieJimmy the Gent
1934
Joan Martin
movieFashions of 1934
1934
Lynn Mason
movieThe Big Shakedown
1934
Norma Nelson
movieBureau of Missing Persons
1933
Norma Roberts
movieEx-Lady
1933
Helen Bauer
movieThe Working Man
1933
Jenny Hartland alias Jane Grey
movieThe 42nd Street Special
1933
Self (uncredited)
movieParachute Jumper
1933
Patricia 'Alabama' Brent
movie20,000 Years in Sing Sing
1932
Fay Wilson
movieThree on a Match
1932
Ruth Westcott
movieThe Cabin in the Cotton
1932
Madge Norwood
movieThe Dark Horse
1932
Kay Russell
movieSo Big!
1932
Miss Dallas O'Mara
movieThe Man Who Played God
1932
Grace Blair
movieHell's House
1932
Peggy Gardner
movieThe Menace
1932
Peggy Lowell
movieWay Back Home
1931
Mary Lucy Duffy
movieWaterloo Bridge
1931
Janet Cronin
movieSeed
1931
Margaret Carter
movieThe Bad Sister
1931
Laura Madison
Crew1
movieAll About My Mother
1999
In Memory Of
Production1
movieA Stolen Life
1946
Producer