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.
Movie | Faye | Self (archive footage) (uncredited) | 2024-05-15 |
Movie | Madonna: Madame X | Self (archive footage) (uncredited) | 2021-09-23 |
Movie | Mike Wallace Is Here | (archive footage) | 2019-07-26 |
Movie | Always at The Carlyle | Self (archive footage) | 2018-05-11 |
Movie | Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood | Self (archive footage) | 2018-07-27 |
Movie | Bette Davis: Larger Than Life | Self (archive footage) | 2017-12-18 |
Movie | Leslie Howard: The Man Who Gave a Damn | Herself (archive footage) | 2015-08-18 |
Movie | Listen to Me Marlon | Self (archive footage) | 2015-07-29 |
Movie | And the Oscar Goes To... | Self (archive footage) | 2014-02-01 |
Movie | Marlon Brando: An Actor Named Desire | Self - Actress (archive footage) | 2014-09-20 |
Series | Talking Pictures | Herself (archive footage) | 2013-01-05 |
Movie | Classic Movie Bloopers: Uncensored | Self (archive footage) | 2013-01-29 |
Movie | The Travels of Kinuyo Tanaka | Self (archive footage) | 2009-10-17 |
Movie | 1939: Hollywood's Greatest Year | Self (archive footage) | 2009-07-02 |
Movie | Why Be Good?: Sexuality & Censorship in Early Cinema | Self (archive footage) | 2007-05-23 |
Movie | Bette and Joan: Blind Ambition | Self (archive footage) | 2006-01-01 |
Movie | Stardust: The Bette Davis Story | Self (archive footage) | 2006-05-03 |
Movie | Jezebel: Legend of the South | Self (archive footage) | 2006-05-30 |
Movie | The Adventures of Errol Flynn | Queen Elizabeth (archive footage) | 2005-04-05 |
Movie | The Petrified Forest: Menace in the Desert | Self (archive footage) | 2005-06-18 |
Movie | Complicated Women | Self (archive footage) | 2003-05-06 |
Movie | Smothered: The Censorship Struggles of the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour | Self (archive footage) | 2002-12-04 |
Movie | Goldwyn: The Man and His Movies | Self (archive footage) | 2001-10-07 |
Movie | Backstory: 'All About Eve' | Self (archive footage) | 2000-09-09 |
Movie | Frank Capra's American Dream | Self (archive footage) | 1997-01-01 |
Movie | The Silver Screen: Color Me Lavender | Self (archive footage) | 1997-11-01 |
Movie | Joan Crawford: Always the Star | Self (archive footage) | 1996-09-30 |
Movie | All About Bette | Self | 1994-07-17 |
Movie | Wicked Stepmother | Miranda Pierpoint | 1989-02-03 |
Movie | The Making of a Legend: Gone with the Wind | Self (archive footage) | 1988-10-01 |
Movie | Hammer: The Studio That Dripped Blood | (archive footage) | 1987-06-26 |
Movie | The Whales of August | Libby Strong | 1987-10-14 |
Movie | Marilyn Monroe: Beyond the Legend | Self (from All About Eve [1950]) (archive footage) | 1986-04-19 |
Movie | As Summers Die | Hannah Loftin | 1986-05-18 |
Movie | Directed by William Wyler | Self | 1986-05-01 |
Movie | Murder with Mirrors | Carrie Louise Serrocold | 1985-02-20 |
Movie | Going Hollywood: The '30s | (archive footage) | 1984-01-01 |
Movie | Terror in the Aisles | Baby Jane Hudson (Archive Footage) | 1984-10-26 |
Movie | Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage | Self (archive footage) (uncredited) | 1983-02-25 |
Movie | Right of Way | Miniature Dwyer | 1983-11-21 |
Movie | Bette Davis: The Benevolent Volcano | Self | 1983-11-02 |
Movie | A Piano for Mrs. Cimino | Esther McDonald Cimino | 1982-02-03 |
Movie | Night of 100 Stars | Self | 1982-03-08 |
Movie | Oops, Those Hollywood Bloopers! | Self (archive footage) | 1982-01-01 |
Movie | Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid | (in "Deception") (archive footage) | 1982-05-21 |
Series | Little Gloria... Happy at Last | Alice Gwynne Vanderbilt | 1982-10-24 |
Movie | Family Reunion | Elizabeth Winfield | 1981-10-11 |
Movie | White Mama | Estelle Malone | 1980-03-05 |
Movie | The Watcher in the Woods | Mrs. Aylwood | 1980-04-17 |
Movie | Skyward | Billie Dupree | 1980-11-20 |
Movie | The Horror Show | (archive footage) | 1979-02-06 |
Movie | Strangers: The Story of a Mother and Daughter | Lucy Mason | 1979-05-13 |
Movie | Death on the Nile: Making of Featurette | Marie Van Schuyler (archive footage) | 1978-01-01 |
Movie | Return from Witch Mountain | Letha Wedge | 1978-03-10 |
Series | The Dark Secret of Harvest Home | Widow Fortune | 1978-01-23 |
Movie | Death on the Nile | Marie Van Schuyler | 1978-09-29 |
Series | The Kennedy Center Honors | Unknown | 1978-12-28 |
Movie | Burnt Offerings | Aunt Elizabeth | 1976-10-18 |
Movie | The Disappearance of Aimee | Minnie Kennedy | 1976-11-17 |
Series | Hello Mother, Goodbye! | Mother | 1974-05-15 |
Series | The American Film Institute Salute to ... | Unknown | 1973-04-02 |
Movie | Scream, Pretty Peggy | Mrs. Elliott | 1973-11-24 |
Movie | The Judge and Jake Wyler | Judge Meredith | 1972-12-02 |
Movie | Madame Sin | Madame Sin | 1972-01-15 |
Movie | The Scopone Game | 'A vecchia | 1972-08-28 |
Series | V.I.P. Schaukel | Unknown | 1971-05-09 |
Movie | Bunny O'Hare | Bunny O'Hare | 1971-10-18 |
Movie | Connecting Rooms | Wanda Fleming | 1970-05-01 |
Movie | The Anniversary | Mrs. Taggart | 1968-02-07 |
Movie | The Decorator | Liz | 1965-06-09 |
Movie | The Love Goddesses | (archive footage) | 1965-03-03 |
Movie | The Nanny | Nanny | 1965-10-07 |
Movie | Hollywood My Home Town | 1965-12-31 | |
Movie | Dead Ringer | Margaret DeLorca / Edith Phillips | 1964-02-19 |
Series | The Hollywood Palace | Unknown | 1964-01-04 |
Movie | Where Love Has Gone | Mrs. Gerald Hayden | 1964-11-02 |
Movie | Hush... Hush, Sweet Charlotte | Charlotte Hollis | 1964-12-15 |
Movie | The Empty Canvas | Dino's Mother | 1963-12-04 |
Series | The Virginian | Unknown | 1962-09-19 |
Movie | What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? | Baby Jane Hudson | 1962-10-31 |
Movie | Pocketful of Miracles | Apple Annie | 1961-12-18 |
Movie | John Paul Jones | Empress Catherine the Great | 1959-06-16 |
Series | The DuPont Show with June Allyson | Unknown | 1959-09-21 |
Movie | The Scapegoat | Countess | 1959-08-06 |
Series | Perry Mason | Unknown | 1957-09-21 |
Series | Suspicion | Mrs. Wilfred Ellis | 1957-09-30 |
Series | Telephone Time | Unknown | 1956-04-08 |
Movie | The Catered Affair | Mrs. Agnes Hurley | 1956-06-14 |
Movie | Storm Center | Alicia Hull | 1956-07-31 |
Series | The Dinah Shore Chevy Show | Unknown | 1956-10-05 |
Series | Gunsmoke | Unknown | 1955-09-10 |
Movie | The Virgin Queen | Queen Elizabeth I | 1955-07-22 |
Series | Alfred Hitchcock Presents | Unknown | 1955-10-02 |
Series | The 20th Century Fox Hour | Unknown | 1955-10-05 |
Series | General Electric Theater | Unknown | 1953-02-01 |
Series | The Oscars | Unknown | 1953-03-19 |
Movie | Phone Call from a Stranger | Marie Hoke | 1952-02-01 |
Movie | The Star | Margaret Elliot | 1952-12-11 |
Movie | Payment on Demand | Joyce Ramsey (nee Jackson) | 1951-02-03 |
Series | Schlitz Playhouse of Stars | Unknown | 1951-10-05 |
Movie | Another Man's Poison | Janet Frobisher | 1951-11-20 |
Series | Hallmark Hall of Fame | Unknown | 1951-12-24 |
Movie | All About Eve | Margo Channing | 1950-11-09 |
Movie | Beyond the Forest | Rosa Moline | 1949-10-21 |
Movie | Breakdowns of 1949 | Self | 1949-12-31 |
Movie | Winter Meeting | Susan Grieve | 1948-04-07 |
Series | Ford Theatre | Dolly Madison | 1948-10-17 |
Movie | June Bride | Linda Gilman | 1948-10-29 |
Movie | A Stolen Life | Kate Bosworth / Patricia Bosworth | 1946-05-01 |
Movie | Deception | Christine Radcliffe | 1946-10-26 |
Movie | The Corn Is Green | Miss Lilly Christabel Moffat | 1945-03-29 |
Movie | Breakdowns of 1944 | Self | 1944-12-31 |
Movie | Mr. Skeffington | Fanny Trellis | 1944-05-25 |
Movie | Hollywood Canteen | Self | 1944-12-15 |
Movie | Show-Business at War | Self | 1943-05-21 |
Movie | Watch on the Rhine | Sara Müller | 1943-08-27 |
Movie | Stars on Horseback | 1943-04-23 | |
Movie | A Present with a Future | Mother | 1943-12-01 |
Movie | Thank Your Lucky Stars | Self | 1943-09-25 |
Movie | Old Acquaintance | Kit Marlowe | 1943-11-27 |
Movie | The Voice That Thrilled the World | Self (segment 'Dangerous') (archive footage) | 1943-10-16 |
Movie | In This Our Life | Stanley Timberlake Kingsmill | 1942-05-08 |
Movie | Now, Voyager | Charlotte Vale | 1942-10-22 |
Movie | Breakdowns of 1942 | Self | 1942-12-31 |
Movie | Shining Victory | 1941-05-30 | |
Movie | The Great Lie | Maggie Patterson Van Allen | 1941-04-05 |
Movie | The Bride Came C.O.D. | Joan Winfield | 1941-07-12 |
Movie | The Little Foxes | Regina Hubbard Giddens | 1941-08-29 |
Movie | Breakdowns of 1941 | Self (archive footage) (uncredited) | 1941-11-14 |
Movie | The Man Who Came to Dinner | Maggie Cutler | 1941-12-24 |
Movie | All This, and Heaven Too | Henriette Deluzy-Desportes | 1940-07-05 |
Movie | If I Forget You | Bette Davis | 1940-05-01 |
Movie | Cavalcade of the Academy Awards | Self | 1940-07-31 |
Movie | The Letter | Leslie Crosbie | 1940-11-21 |
Movie | Juarez | Empress Carlotta von Hapsburg | 1939-06-10 |
Movie | The Old Maid | Charlotte Lovell | 1939-08-16 |
Movie | Dark Victory | Judith Traherne | 1939-04-20 |
Movie | The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex | Queen Elizabeth | 1939-11-11 |
Movie | Breakdowns of 1939 | Self | 1939-12-31 |
Movie | Jezebel | Julie Marsden | 1938-03-26 |
Movie | The Sisters | Louise Elliott Medlin | 1938-10-14 |
Movie | Breakdowns of 1938 | Self (archive footage) | 1938-12-31 |
Movie | A Day at Santa Anita | 1937-05-22 | |
Movie | Marked Woman | Mary Dwight Strauber | 1937-04-10 |
Movie | Kid Galahad | Louise 'Fluff' Phillips | 1937-05-29 |
Movie | It's Love I'm After | Joyce Arden | 1937-10-08 |
Movie | Breakdowns of 1937 | Self | 1937-12-31 |
Movie | That Certain Woman | Mary Donnell/Mme Al Haines | 1937-08-30 |
Movie | The Petrified Forest | Gabrielle "Gabby" Maple | 1936-02-08 |
Movie | The Golden Arrow | Daisy Appleby | 1936-05-23 |
Movie | Screen Snapshots (Series 16, No. 1) | Self | 1936-09-11 |
Movie | Satan Met a Lady | Valerie Purvis | 1936-07-22 |
Movie | Breakdowns of 1936 | Self | 1936-12-30 |
Movie | The Girl from 10th Avenue | Miriam A. Brady | 1935-06-01 |
Movie | Bordertown | Mrs. Marie Roark | 1935-01-23 |
Movie | Front Page Woman | Ellen Garfield | 1935-07-11 |
Movie | Special Agent | Julie Gardner | 1935-09-14 |
Movie | A Dream Comes True | 1935-12-31 | |
Movie | Dangerous | Joyce Heath | 1935-12-25 |
Movie | Fashions of 1934 | Lynn Mason | 1934-02-14 |
Movie | The Big Shakedown | Norma Nelson | 1934-01-06 |
Movie | Jimmy the Gent | Joan Martin | 1934-03-09 |
Movie | Of Human Bondage | Mildred Rogers | 1934-07-20 |
Movie | Fog Over Frisco | Arlene Bradford | 1934-06-02 |
Movie | Housewife | Patricia Berkeley | 1934-08-11 |
Movie | Just Around the Corner | Ginger | 1933-01-17 |
Movie | Parachute Jumper | Patricia 'Alabama' Brent | 1933-01-28 |
Movie | The 42nd Street Special | Self (uncredited) | 1933-02-20 |
Movie | Ex-Lady | Helen Bauer | 1933-05-15 |
Movie | The Working Man | Jenny Hartland alias Jane Grey | 1933-04-20 |
Movie | Bureau of Missing Persons | Norma Roberts | 1933-09-16 |
Movie | The Man Who Played God | Grace Blair | 1932-02-09 |
Movie | The Menace | Peggy Lowell | 1932-01-29 |
Movie | So Big! | Miss Dallas O'Mara | 1932-04-30 |
Movie | Hell's House | Peggy Gardner | 1932-01-30 |
Movie | The Cabin in the Cotton | Madge Norwood | 1932-09-26 |
Movie | The Rich Are Always with Us | Malbro | 1932-05-19 |
Movie | Three on a Match | Ruth Westcott | 1932-10-29 |
Movie | 20,000 Years in Sing Sing | Fay Wilson | 1932-12-24 |
Movie | The Dark Horse | Kay Russell | 1932-06-16 |
Movie | The Bad Sister | Laura Madison | 1931-03-29 |
Movie | Seed | Margaret Carter | 1931-05-14 |
Movie | Waterloo Bridge | Janet Cronin | 1931-09-01 |
Movie | Way Back Home | Mary Lucy Duffy | 1931-11-13 |