Back to People Library About Saved people

Writing about this person? Request a free fact check →

Betty Davis

Studio Publicity · Public domain(via Wikimedia Commons)

Betty Davis

Report an error

Bette Davis (English: Bette Davis, April 5, 1908 - October 6, 1989), formerly known as Ruth Elizabeth Davis (English: Ruth Elizabeth Davis), was an American film, television and theater actress who twice won the Academy Award for Best Actress. Shortly after her Broadway debut, Davis moved to Hollywood in 1930, but her early films for Universal were unsuccessful. In 1932, she became a contract actress for Warner Bros. Pictures and made a number of acclaimed films. In 1937, she left the company to pursue independent development. Although she lost the famous lawsuit, it was also the beginning of the most successful phase of her acting career. By the late 1940s, she was already one of the top actresses in the American film industry. Her performance is full of passion and she strives for perfection in everything. In-depth discussions and even disputes with producers, directors and other actors in order to be able to concretely develop the characters are often reported. Her straightforward personality, crisp voice, and image of holding a cigarette are often imitated and ridiculed; "Bette Davis Eyes" was the top song on the American pop music charts in the 1980s. It tells the story of Bette Davis's extraordinary acting skills with sometimes coquettish and sometimes fierce eyes. It is widely welcomed by Americans and has become one of the famous representatives of 20th century pop culture. Davis is the first woman to hold the position of president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. She is the first actor to be nominated for 10 Oscars for Best Actress and the first actress to receive the AFI Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Film Institute. Her acting career has seen many ups and downs, with more than 100 film, television and theater roles. She was married four times in her life, widowed once, divorced three times, and raised her children independently as a single mother. She was plagued by illness in her later years, but she continued to perform until shortly before her death from a recurrence of breast cancer.

Category
Film & TV
Nationality
United States
Born
1908-04-05
Died
1989-10-06
Wikidata
Q71206
Occupations autobiographercharacter actorstage actormovie actortelevision actoractormusician
Aliases Bette DavisRuth DavisRuth Elizabeth Davisbetty davis

Biographies and related books

Interviews and talks Search links

These links open searches on third-party platforms, where you can find interviews, talks and documentaries.

Book search Search links

Sources

Updated: . Profiles and summaries are compiled from public sources. Consult the original sources for detailed facts. Editorial process and corrections

Wikidata profile: Q71206 Wikipedia article: Betty Davis betty davis Wikidata · wikidata