American actress Bette Davis: biography, filmography and interesting facts

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:45

Hollywood star Bette Davis was born on April 5, 1908. The childhood of the actress was difficult, when the girl was a few years old, her father left the family. The mother raised the future actress and her sister Barbara on her own. The family lived in poverty, and there was always not enough money, but, despite the difficulties, they were very friendly and tried to support each other in almost everything. The future actress loved her sister very much, after many years the actress will name her daughter in her honor - Barbara. After a while, Bette will dedicate the book to her beloved mother, who has remained her lifelong friend.

First steps into art

Bette Davis was very difficult at the beginning of her career. From early childhood, the girl dreamed of a big stage and resolutely went to her goal. At drama school, she was told that she had no talent, but such a statement did not stop Davis - she continued to knock on closed doors. She had to get a job as an usher. At the same time, Bette began to sometimes receive small roles. After a while, Davis was invited to the troupe of a small theater in New York. After the success of The Wild Duck, actress BetteDavis believed in herself and dared to conquer Hollywood.

At first, Hollywood rejected the actress, assuring that she had no future in the cinema, but after a while the director, who made such an unpleasant statement, had to publicly apologize to the star.

The debut of a talented and beautiful actress took place in 1931. After only a year, she played her first significant role. Due to her bright appearance and nasty character, the actress, as a rule, was offered the role of femme fatale and temptress. A significant breakthrough in his career occurred three years after the debut picture. At a time when the world of cinema was just beginning to develop, it was very difficult for actors - they needed to be able to do something that no one had ever done. Such a burden fell on the shoulders of the young actress Bette Davis - it was hard to imagine a more difficult psychological role than she got.

Oscars

Actress Bette Davis, whose films were very popular, was nominated 11 times for the Oscar, and received the coveted statuette twice. The actress received her first prestigious award for her role as a drunkard in the film Dangerous. Strengthened at the star level, Davis began to demand from her film studio, with which she had a contract, more independence in choosing roles. To emphasize the seriousness of her intentions, the actress left Los Angeles and went to London.

After a while, Davis Bette returned, but her act did not go unnoticed - her heroines turned into independent and powerfulwomen who can stand up for themselves, and do not hide behind a man. One of these roles Bette played in the film "Jezebel", for which she received her second Oscar.

Thanks to the films "Burden of Human Passion", "Conquer the Darkness", "Letter", "Chanterelles", "Go Traveler", "Mr. Skeffington", "All About Eve", "Star" and "What Happened with Baby Jane? actress Bette Davis was nominated for an Oscar.

Top of a career

In the forties of the last century, the actress was at the peak of her popularity. The film studio considered her opinion and listened to her comments. Black and white cinema was replaced by color, and Bette took an active part in the development of cinema, which further consolidated her star status. At 41, she was elected President of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Ten years later, when the actress was in her forties, Davis Bette found it difficult to compete with young and talented Hollywood actresses. Criticism began to highlight her inappropriate shrunk postures and inappropriate gestures in some films.

Personal life of B. Davis

The first actress married in 1932. Her husband was a jazz musician and childhood friend Harmon Oscar Nelson. The marriage lasted seven years. The chosen one could not stand the popularity of Bette. He was known only for being her husband, and like any creative person, the musician wanted fame and recognition.

The second marriage to businessman Arthur gave Davis many tragic moments. Under mysterious circumstances, her husband died. TwoBette married for the third time to the artist William Sherry. After some time, they had a daughter, Barbara. At the time of the birth of her daughter, the actress was 39 years old. After some time, the husband leaves the actress, and marry the daughter's nanny.

On the wave of success after the triumphant picture "All About Eve", Davis suddenly marries her co-star in the film - Gary Merrill, who is much younger than her. But this fact does not bother the actress at all. Gary adopted daughter Bette, and later the couple will adopt two more children.

Daughter of actress

Daughter Bette Davis - Barbara, was born when her mother was almost forty years old. The actress named her daughter after her sister, with whom they had a very warm and close relationship. Barbara has appeared on screen several times: the first time as a baby, and the second time she played a small role in the film What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? Her mother and actress Joan Cloughford also played in this picture, with whom Davis was at enmity.

Barbara wrote two books in which she didn't speak well of her own mother. By the time the second book was released, the actress's he alth had deteriorated sharply. The first work became a bestseller, the second was not very successful.

Joan Crawford and Bette Davis

Hollywood made up legends about the feud between Joan and Bette. The two legendary actresses could not share neither fame, nor men, nor a film set. Through the vicissitudes of fate, they had to work together in the picture"What happened to Baby Jane?". At the moments when there was supposed to be a staged conflict on the set, there was one continuous naturalism with the brightest outbursts of anger. In the movie, they played two aging movie stars. Davis was nominated for an Oscar for participating in the film, and after that the conflict intensified even more.

When Joan died, Bette's attitude towards her rival didn't change at all. Knowing not to speak ill of the dead, she said, “Joan Clawford is dead. Good.”

Disease B. Davis

In the early 60s, Bette tried to return to Broadway, but her he alth deteriorated rapidly. Davis was constantly unwell, but she played with the last of her strength in films. In 1983, the actress was diagnosed with breast cancer. After the removal of oncological formations, Bette suffered 4 strokes. They caused paralysis. Davis had a long recovery from illness. But, despite the disgusting state of he alth, Bette continued to work in the cinema. After partially getting rid of paralysis, the actress was again diagnosed with cancer, which took away the last remnants of her he alth from her. Some time later, Davis dies at the age of 81.

Bette Davis Filmography (Excerpts)

During her career, the actress has performed more than a hundred film roles. Her talent led her to the best masters of the era who created masterpieces of American and world cinema.

The debut work of the actress was in the film "Bad Sister", which was released in 1931. The plot of the film tells the story of two sisters. One of them is capriciousa beauty who absolutely got away with everything, and the second is a quiet woman who was constantly responsible for any errors. The capricious girl in the film was performed by Davis.

The role in the film "The Burden of Human Passions" brought incredible success to the actress. Her game was a real revelation and elevated her to a new level of acting. For the role of a waitress in this film, Bette Davis was nominated for the prestigious Oscar for the first time.

The films "Dangerous" (1935) and "Jezebel" (1939) gave the actress two Oscar statuettes.

The legendary film "All About Eve", in which Bette played the role of an aging Broadway actress, became the best motion picture in the career of a brilliant actress. The film won six Oscars, including Best Picture. The masterpiece took 16th place in the category "One hundred best films", and is considered a classic in world cinema. In addition to the legendary Davis, another world-famous woman starred in the film. The picture became almost the debut work of the inimitable Marilyn Monroe.

"What happened to Baby Jane?" - an incredible psychological thriller with Bette Davis and Joan Cloughford. The real feud of the legendary Hollywood actresses was transferred to the film. Vivid conflicts and female causticity gave the picture amazing colors of naturalism. Despite the brilliant game, Joan was not nominated for an Oscar, and Bette was nominated again. This fact had an unpleasant effect on the already difficult relationship of the actresses.

Bette played her last role in the movie "The Whales of August". The plot of the film develops around two sisters who are in old age. The heroine Bette is the sarcastic Libby, who is widowed and blind. She finds it difficult to take care of herself, so her cheerful sister Sarah takes care of her. The film illustrates a day in the life of women.