Bette Davis

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Bette Davis
Davis in Now, Voyager (1942)
Born	Ruth Elizabeth Davis April 5, 1908(1908-04-05) Lowell, Massachusetts, U.S.
Died	October 6, 1989(1989-10-06) (aged 81) Neuilly-sur-Seine, France
Cause of death	Breast cancer
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1929–1989
Spouse	Harmon Nelson (1932–1938) Arthur Farnsworth (1940–1943) William Grant Sherry (1945–1950) Gary Merrill (1950–1960)
Children	Barbara Merrill, born on May 1, 1947 (1947-05-01) (age 64) Michael Merrill Margot Merrill
Relatives	Grandson: J. Ashley Hyman, born on June 19, 1969 (1969-06-19) (age 41)

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.

1 Life and career
- 1.1 Background and early acting career
- 1.2 Transition from stage to film
- 1.3 Legal case
- 1.4 Success with Warner Bros.
- 1.5 War effort and personal tragedy
- 1.6 Professional setbacks
- 1.7 Starting a freelance career
- 1.8 Renewed success
- 1.9 Late career
- 1.10 Illness, conflict and death
2 Comments and criticism
3 Academy Awards milestones
4 Filmography
5 Notes
6 References
7 Further reading
8 External links