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Bette Davis
Lowell, Massachusetts, USA
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,…
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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.
Filmography
Movies and shows, newest first
- 2023
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2022
This Is Joan Collins
Movie Self (Archive Footage)
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2021
Madonna: Madame X
Movie Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
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2021
Morceaux de Cannes
Movie Self (archive footage)
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2019
Mike Wallace Is Here
Movie (archive footage)
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2018
Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood
Movie Self (archive footage)
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2017
Bette Davis: Larger Than Life
Movie Self (archive footage)
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2017
The Fabulous Allan Carr
Movie Self (archive)
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2017
Bette and Joan
Movie Self (archive footage)
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2015
Leslie Howard: The Man Who Gave a Damn
Movie Self (archive footage)
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2015
Listen to Me Marlon
Movie Self (archive footage)
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2014
Marlon Brando: An Actor Named Desire
Movie Self - Actress (archive footage)
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2013
Classic Movie Bloopers: Uncensored
Movie Self (archive footage)
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2013
Talking Pictures
TV show Self (archive footage)
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2013
Footsteps on the Ceiling
Movie Margo Channing (archive footage)
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2011
Vito
Movie Self (archive)
More credits
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2011
Marilyn at the Movies
Movie Self (archive footage)
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2009
The Travels of Kinuyo Tanaka
Movie Self (archive footage)
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2009
Queer Icon: The Cult of Bette Davis
Movie Self (archive footage)
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2009
1939: Hollywood's Greatest Year
Movie Self (archive footage)
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2007
Why Be Good?: Sexuality & Censorship in Early Cinema
Movie Self (archive footage)
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2006
Bette and Joan: Blind Ambition
Movie Self (archive footage)
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2006
Jezebel: Legend of the South
Movie Self (archive footage)
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2006
Stardust: The Bette Davis Story
Movie Self (archive footage)
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2005
The Petrified Forest: Menace in the Desert
Movie Self (archive footage)
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2005
The Adventures of Errol Flynn
Movie Queen Elizabeth (archive footage)
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2005
How Real is 'The Star'?
Movie Self (archive footage)
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2003
Complicated Women
Movie Self (archive footage)
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2002
Smothered: The Censorship Struggles of the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour
Movie Self (archive footage)
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2001
Goldwyn: The Man and His Movies
Movie Self (archive footage)
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2001
Bride of Trailer Camp
Movie (archive footage)
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2000
Backstory: 'All About Eve'
Movie Self (archive footage)
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1999
All About My Mother
Movie In Memory Of
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1997
The Silver Screen: Color Me Lavender
Movie Self (archive footage)
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1997
Frank Capra's American Dream
Movie Self (archive footage)
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1996
Joan Crawford: Always the Star
Movie Self (archive footage)
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1996
Intimate Portrait: Bette Davis
Movie Self (archive footage)
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1995
The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies
Movie Self (archive footage)
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1995
Legends in Light: The Photography of George Hurrell
Movie Self (archive footage)
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1994
Biography: Bette Davis — If Looks Could Kill
Movie Self (archive footage)
