Betty was inspired to become an actress after seeing Rudolph Valentino in The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse and Mary Pickford in Little Lord Fauntleroy, and changed the spelling of her name to “Bette” after Honoré de Balzac's La Cousine Bette.
Davis was known for her forceful and intense style of acting. She could be combative and confrontational with studio executives and film directors, as well as with her co-stars. Her forthright manner, idiosyncratic speech, and ubiquitous cigarette contributed to a public persona that has been often imitated.
Bette Davis and Joan Crawford started feuding after Bette became involved in a love triangle with Joan's then-fiancé, Franchot Tone. While filming Dangerous, co-stars Bette and Franchot became romantically interested in one another.
To fulfill a dream, to be allowed to sweat over lonely labor, to be given a chance to create, is the meat and potatoes of life. The money is the gravy.
Susan Sarandon is a Producer and stars as renowned actress Bette Davis in the FX anthology series FEUD: Bette and Joan, from Executive Producer Ryan Murphy.
"Bette Davis Eyes" is a song written and composed by Donna Weiss and Jackie DeShannon in 1974. It was recorded by DeShannon that year but made popular by American singer Kim Carnes in 1981 when it spent nine non-consecutive weeks at the top of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.
“I think it's more like Chubby Checker.” The audience laughed—though they had occasionally heard Davis sing in movies (like 1943's Thank Your Lucky Stars), the cigarette-puffing leading lady was far better known for her croak than her croon.
Not quite: "Bet" is the correct pronunciation for Bette, as it is a French name—but Bette Davis pronounced her name "Betty" regardless, so "Betty" is the correct pronunciation for her.
Errol Flynn and Bette Davis disliked each other, and when Elizabeth slaps Essex in front of the entire court, Davis hauled off and unexpectedly belted Flynn for real during a dress rehearsal, a blow that brought stars to his eyes.
Last night's episode of Feud chronicled the dramatic events of the 1963 Oscars, where Davis lost the Best Actress prize in a stunning upset, and was forced to watch Crawford accept the award on Anne Bancroft's behalf.
Bette Davis, the actress known for playing strong, independent women, had deep blue eyes. Her signature eyes made her famous. However, during the era of black and white cinematography, those blue eyes often tended to be photograph in black and white and appeared brown or hazel.
Davis's net worth at the time of her death was $2 Million after adjusting for taxes and inflation. According to her last will and testament, Bette's estate was worth $1 Million. The bulk of the estate was left to her adopted son, Michael Merrill. The other beneficiary was her close friend and assistant Kathryn Sermack.
Bette Davis, longtime rival of Crawford, denounced the book, stating, "I was not Miss Crawford's biggest fan, but, wisecracks to the contrary, I did and still do respect her talent. What she did not deserve was that detestable book written by her daughter. I've forgotten her name. Horrible."
The tune details her from the top down, heralding her powerful, near-irresistible, allure. She's not just captivating in her looks, she's got the chutzpah to back it up. She's bold, confident, and definitely skilled in the art of seduction.
While in her freshmen year of high school, Bette abandoned plans to become a dancer in favor of an acting career. After performing in school productions, summer stock and with semi-professional groups, she went to New York for an interview with Eva Le Gallienne.
Davis starred in her final film Wicked Stepmother, although she felt that the script was poor. The film had production problems, with Davis often quarreling with Larry Cohen, and she withdrew from the film shortly after production began. After fifty-eight years of acting, she made her final appearance.
Davis began to audition for theater parts in New York, and in 1929 she made her stage début at Greenwich Village's Provincetown Playhouse in The Earth Between. Later that year, at the age of 21, she made her first Broadway appearance in the comedy Broken Dishes.
Bette wanted her character to be extremely white with her eyes and mouth outlined dramatically and a little beauty mark on her cheek. As Davis said, “I wanted to look outrageous, like Mary Pickford in decay.”
Betty was inspired to become an actress after seeing Rudolph Valentino in The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse and Mary Pickford in Little Lord Fauntleroy, and changed the spelling of her name to “Bette” after Honoré de Balzac's La Cousine Bette.
