Bette Davis - Filmfansite

Career / Biography

Bette Davis was an American actress who had a prolific acting career over a 50 year period in which she appeared in over 80 films and had 10 Oscar nominations and 2 wins. She started her career on the stage but then moved to Hollywood . However she did not have the typical Hollywood look for a female lead at the time. Her first film role was in The Bad Sister. Having appeared in several dramatic role her major break through came with her performance in On Human Bondage, which is regarded as one of her best dramatic performances. It was for Dangerous that she won her first Oscar. She was now one of the biggest stars in Hollywood, one of the highest paid and started to challenge Warner Brothers of the type of parts she was offered which resulted in a court case over her contract. After the Petrified Forrest she followed this up with Jezebal for which she won her second Oscar thanks to the direction of William Wyler with whom she had an affair. With The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex she wanted to play Elizabeth as realistically as possible so shaved her eye brows and and had make up that was not glamorous. She this role was one of the most she enjoyed. She wanted to be the part rather than her. The Letter was a much darker role for her. Now Voyagerwsa one of her commercial successes where she changes from ugly duckling to beautiful woman opposite Claude Raines and showed her as a romantic leading lady. In the 1930's and 1940's she was considered a difficult actress to work with but with a good part she gave excellent peerformances. In All About Eve she gave one of her most cpmplete and honest performances as the aging actress facing life and her art. In many ways this was the high point of her career. In the 1960's her career cahnged as she found powerful roles as strong mature women. This was particulary so in What Ever Happened To Baby Jane where she played opposite her major rival Joan Crawford and they did not get together. The on screen rivalry played out in real life. After this she played the aging charactor female roles. She was influencial in fighting for the actor against the studio system and having a long career. She was married four times, with her fourth being to Gary Merrill.

Films

Watcher In The Woods (1980)
Death On The Nile (1978)
Burnt Offerings (1976)
The Anniversary (1968)
Hush...Hush Sweet Charlotte (1964)
What Ever Happened To Baby Jane (1962)
Dangerous (1955)
Star (1952)
Phone Call From A Stranger (1952)
Another Man's Poison (1951)
All About Eve (1950)
Mr Skeffington (1944)
Now Voyager (1942)
Little Foxes (1941)
The Letter (1940)
Dark Victory (1939)
The Private Lives Of Elizabeth and Essex (1939)
Jezebel (1938)
It's Love I'm After (1937)
The Petrified Forest (1936)
Dangerous (1935)
Front Page Woman (1935)
Housewife (1934)
Fog Over Frisco (1934)
Of Human Baondage (1934)
The Big Shakedown (1934)
The Rich Are Always With Us (1932)
Hell's House (1932)
The Dark Horse (1932)
The Cabin In The Cotton (1932)
So Big (1932)
Three on a Match (1932)
20000 Years In Sing Sing (1932)
The Bad Sister (1931)

Oscars

Won - Best Actress - Jezebel (1938)
Won - Best Actress - Dangerous (1935)
Nomination - Best Actress - What Ever Happened To Baby Jane (1962)
Nomination - Best Actress - Star (1952)
Nomination - Best Actress - All About Eve (1950)
Nomination - Best Actress - Mr Skeffington (1944)
Nomination - Best Actress - Now Voyager (1942)
Nomination - Best Actress - Little Foxes (1941)
Nomination - Best Actress - The Letter (1940)
Nomination - Best Actress - Dark Victory (1939)
Nomination - Best Actress - Of Human Bondage (1934) - This was not a formal nomination

Quote

I always take a fantastic view of things. You shouldn’t expect a portrait to look like a photo.
Good things come in small packages.
You have to be a little bit crazy to do something that counts.
We’re all going to die sooner or later. It’s just that some of us will do it in front of a camera.
You're not just a movie star. You're an institution.
In this business, until you’re known as a monster, you’re not a star.
If you want to be a star, you have to act like one.
If everybody likes you, you’re pretty dull.
There was more good acting at Hollywood parties than ever appeared on the screen.
Hollywood always wanted me to be pretty, but I fought for realism.
I will not retire while I’ve still got my legs and my makeup box.