30 de junho de 2025

Bette Davis Biography: Hollywood Icon & Film Star’s Life Story

Dive into the captivating life of Bette Davis, a legendary Hollywood icon. Explore the biography and filmography of this unforgettable screen legend.

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Ruth Elizabeth Davis was born in New England on April 5, 1904. Her illustrious career began on Broadway in 1928. Ruth initially dreamed of being a dancer but also harbored a strong desire for financial success. With her mother’s support, she decided to pursue acting. After years of relentless effort and training, she made her film debut in Bad Sister (1931). Subsequently, she moved to Warner Bros., where she would star in a string of major hits, earning two Academy Awards: for Dangerous (1935) and Jezebel (1938). Her other notable performances during this period include Of Human Bondage (1934) and Marked Woman (1937), among others.

Known for her exceptionally temperamental nature, her public clashes with studio head Jack Warner over salaries and scripts became legendary. She departed Warner Bros. in 1949, and the following year, she delivered one of her most iconic performances in All About Eve (1950). Throughout the 1960s, she appeared in several lower-budget films, most famously What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962), where she famously co-starred with her real-life and on-screen rival, Joan Crawford. Davis served as president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 1941 and received an impressive 10 Academy Award nominations for Best Actress. In 1977, she was honored with the American Film Institute Life Achievement Award, a testament to her enduring impact on cinema.

The legendary actress was married four times: to Harmon Nelson, Arthur Farnsworth, William Grant Sherry, and Gary Merrill. She had one biological daughter, Barbara Davis Hyman, and also adopted Michael and Margot.

Bette Davis passed away in 1989, at the age of 81, following several cerebral strokes, leaving behind an indelible mark on classic Hollywood and cinematic history.

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