Bette Davis
Biography
Bette Davis was an American actress of film, television, and theater. Born on April 5, 1908, in Lowell, Massachusetts, USA, she was known for her willingness to play unsympathetic characters. Davis appeared in Broadway plays before moving to Hollywood in 1930, where she initially had unsuccessful films with Universal Studios. She later joined Warner Bros. in 1932 and established her career with several critically acclaimed performances. Davis's career spanned multiple film genres, including contemporary crime melodramas, historical and period films, and occasional comedies, with her greatest successes in romantic dramas.
Career overview
Bette Davis was an American actress who appeared in a range of film genres, including contemporary crime melodramas, historical and period films, and occasional comedies. Her greatest successes were in romantic dramas. She began her career on Broadway before moving to Hollywood in 1930.
Davis's early films for Universal Studios were unsuccessful, but she joined Warner Bros. in 1932 and established her career with several critically acclaimed performances. She was noted for her willingness to play unsympathetic characters. Her performances were highly regarded, and she is remembered for her work in a variety of film genres.
Davis's career spanned many years, during which she appeared in numerous films and other productions. She is known for her acting work, with a total of 225 known credits.
Ask the Vault
Ask anything about Bette Davis.
Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full filmography
- This Is Joan Collins (2022) as Self (Archive Footage)
- Madonna: Madame X (2021) as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
- Morceaux de Cannes (2021)
- Mike Wallace Is Here (2019) as (archive footage)
- Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood (2018) as Self (archive footage)
- The Fabulous Allan Carr (2017) as Self (archive)
- Bette and Joan (2017) as Self (archive footage)
- Bette Davis: Larger Than Life (2017) as Self (archive footage)
- Listen to Me Marlon (2015) as Self (archive footage)
- Leslie Howard: The Man Who Gave a Damn (2015) as Self (archive footage)
- Marlon Brando: An Actor Named Desire (2014) as Self - Actress (archive footage)
- Talking Pictures (2013) as Self (archive footage)
- Footsteps on the Ceiling (2013) as Margo Channing (archive footage)
- Classic Movie Bloopers: Uncensored (2013) as Self (archive footage)
- Vito (2011) as Self (archive)
- Marilyn at the Movies (2011) as Self (archive footage)
- The Travels of Kinuyo Tanaka (2009) as Self (archive footage)
- 1939: Hollywood's Greatest Year (2009) as Self (archive footage)
- Queer Icon: The Cult of Bette Davis (2009) as Self (archive footage)
- Why Be Good?: Sexuality & Censorship in Early Cinema (2007) as Self (archive footage)
- Stardust: The Bette Davis Story (2006) as Self (archive footage)
- Bette and Joan: Blind Ambition (2006) as Self (archive footage)
- Jezebel: Legend of the South (2006) as Self (archive footage)
- The Petrified Forest: Menace in the Desert (2005) as Self (archive footage)
- The Adventures of Errol Flynn (2005) as Queen Elizabeth (archive footage)
- How Real is 'The Star'? (2005) as Self (archive footage)
- Complicated Women (2003) as Self (archive footage)
- Smothered: The Censorship Struggles of the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour (2002) as Self (archive footage)
- Goldwyn: The Man and His Movies (2001) as Self (archive footage)
- Bride of Trailer Camp (2001) as (archive footage)
- Backstory: 'All About Eve' (2000) as Self (archive footage)
- All About My Mother (1999) In Memory Of
- The Silver Screen: Color Me Lavender (1997) as Self (archive footage)
- Frank Capra's American Dream (1997) as Self (archive footage)
- Intimate Portrait: Bette Davis (1996) as Self (archive footage)
- Joan Crawford: Always the Star (1996) as Self (archive footage)
- The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies (1995) as Self (archive footage)
- Legends in Light: The Photography of George Hurrell (1995) as Self (archive footage)
- The World of Hammer (1994) as Self (archive footage)
- All About Bette (1994) as Self
- Biography: Bette Davis — If Looks Could Kill (1994) as Self (archive footage)
- Intimate Portrait (1993) as Self (archive footage)
- Wicked Stepmother (1989) as Miranda Pierpoint
- Hairway to the Stars (1989) as Self [Archive Footage]
- The Making of a Legend: Gone with the Wind (1988) as Self (archive footage)
- The Whales of August (1987) as Libby Strong
- Hammer: The Studio That Dripped Blood (1987) as (archive footage)
- Directed by William Wyler (1986) as Self
- As Summers Die (1986) as Hannah Loftin
- Marilyn Monroe: Beyond the Legend (1986) as archive footage
- Bette Davis at the Cinémathèque Française (1986) as Self
- Murder with Mirrors (1985) as Carrie Louise Serrocold
- Hollywood's Funniest All-Star Bloopers (1985) as Self (archive footage)
- Going Hollywood: The '30s (1984) as (archive footage)
- Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage (1983) as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
- Right of Way (1983) as Miniature Dwyer
- Bette Davis: The Benevolent Volcano (1983) as Self
- Late Night with David Letterman (1982) as Self - Guest
- Hotel (1982) as Laura Trent
- Showbiz Goes to War (1982) as (archive footage)
- Natalie - A Tribute to a Very Special Lady (1982)
- Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid (1982) as (in "Deception") (archive footage)
- Night of 100 Stars (1982) as Self
- A Piano for Mrs. Cimino (1982) as Esther McDonald Cimino
- Little Gloria... Happy at Last (1982) as Alice Gwynne Vanderbilt
- Oops, Those Hollywood Bloopers! (1982) as Self (archive footage)
- Showbiz Ballyhoo (1982) as Self (archive footage)
- Family Reunion (1981) as Elizabeth Winfield
- Family Reunion (1981) as Elizabeth Winfield
- The Watcher in the Woods (1980) as Mrs. Aylwood
- White Mama (1980) as Estelle Malone
- Skyward (1980) as Billie Dupree
- Strangers: The Story of a Mother and Daughter (1979) as Lucy Mason
- The Horror Show (1979) as (archive footage)
- The Kennedy Center Honors (1978) as Self
- Death on the Nile (1978) as Marie Van Schuyler
- Mickey's 50 (1978) as Self
- Return from Witch Mountain (1978) as Letha Wedge
- Death on the Nile: Making of Featurette (1978) as Marie Van Schuyler
- The Dark Secret of Harvest Home (1978) as Widow Fortune
- Laugh-In (1977) as Guest Performer
- Burnt Offerings (1976) as Aunt Elizabeth
- The Disappearance of Aimee (1976) as Minnie Kennedy
- Dinah! (1974) as Self
- Hello Mother, Goodbye! (1974) as Mother
- Miss Moffat (1974) as Miss Moffat
- Hello Mother, Goodbye! (1974) as Mother
- The American Film Institute Salute to ... (1973) as Self
- Scream, Pretty Peggy (1973) as Mrs. Elliott
- The Men Who Made the Movies: King Vidor (1973) as Self (archive footage)
- Bette Davis (1972) as Self
- The Scopone Game (1972) as 'A vecchia
- Madame Sin (1972) as Madame Sin
- The Judge and Jake Wyler (1972) as Judge Meredith
- Film '72 (1971) as Self
- V.I.P. Schaukel (1971) as Self
- Bunny O'Hare (1971) as Bunny O'Hare
- Connecting Rooms (1970) as Wanda Fleming
- The Dick Cavett Show (1968) as Self - Guest
- It Takes a Thief (1968) as Bessie Grindel
- The Anniversary (1968) as Mrs. Taggart
- The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour (1967) as Self
- The Nanny (1965) as Nanny
- The Decorator (1965) as Liz
- The Hollywood Palace (1964) as Self
- Where Love Has Gone (1964) as Mrs. Gerald Hayden
- Hush... Hush, Sweet Charlotte (1964) as Charlotte Hollis
- Dead Ringer (1964) as Margaret DeLorca / Edith Phillips
- The Empty Canvas (1963) as Dino's Mother
- The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962) as Self
- The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962) as Self (archive footage)
- The Merv Griffin Show (1962) as Self
- The Virginian (1962) as Celia Miller
- What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962) as Baby Jane Hudson
- The Mike Douglas Show (1961) as Self - Co-Host
- Pocketful of Miracles (1961) as Apple Annie
- The DuPont Show with June Allyson (1959) as Sarah Whitney
- The Scapegoat (1959) as Countess
- John Paul Jones (1959) as Empress Catherine the Great
- Perry Mason (1957) as Constant Doyle
- Wagon Train (1957) as Ella Lindstrom
- Wagon Train (1957) as Madame Elizabeth McQueeny
- Suspicion (1957) as Mrs. Wilfred Ellis
- Tony Awards (1956) as Self - Presenter
- The Dinah Shore Chevy Show (1956) as Self
- Telephone Time (1956)
- The Catered Affair (1956) as Agnes Hurley
- Storm Center (1956) as Alicia Hull
- Gunsmoke (1955) as Etta Stone
- Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955) as Miss Fox
- The 20th Century Fox Hour (1955) as Marie Hoke
- The Virgin Queen (1955) as Queen Elizabeth I
- Reflets de Cannes (1954) as Self
- The Oscars (1953) as Self
- General Electric Theater (1953) as Miss Burrows
- General Electric Theater (1953) as Christine Marlowe
- The Ford Television Theatre (1952) as Dolley Madison
- Phone Call from a Stranger (1952) as Marie Hoke
- The Star (1952) as Margaret Elliot
- Hallmark Hall of Fame (1951) as Mrs. Minnie Kennedy, Aimee's mother
- Schlitz Playhouse of Stars (1951) as Irene Van Buren
- Payment on Demand (1951) as Joyce Ramsey (nee Jackson)
- Another Man's Poison (1951) as Janet Frobisher
- What's My Line? (1950) as Self
- All About Eve (1950) as Margo Channing
- Breakdowns of 1949 (1949) as Self
- Beyond the Forest (1949) as Rosa Moline
- June Bride (1948) as Linda Gilman
- Winter Meeting (1948) as Susan Grieve
- A Stolen Life (1946) as Kate Bosworth / Patricia Bosworth
- A Stolen Life (1946) Producer
- Deception (1946) as Christine Radcliffe
- The Corn Is Green (1945) as Miss Lilly Christabel Moffat
- Golden Globe Awards (1944) as Self - Presenter
- Mr. Skeffington (1944) as Fanny Trellis
- Hollywood Canteen (1944) as Self
- Breakdowns of 1944 (1944) as Self
- Show-Business at War (1943) as Self
- Watch on the Rhine (1943) as Sara Müller
- Old Acquaintance (1943) as Kit Marlowe
- Stars on Horseback (1943)
- The Voice That Thrilled the World (1943) as Self (segment 'Dangerous') (archive footage)
- Thank Your Lucky Stars (1943) as Self
- A Present with a Future (1943) as Mother
- Breakdowns of 1942 (1942) as Self
- Now, Voyager (1942) as Charlotte Vale
- In This Our Life (1942) as Stanley Timberlake Kingsmill
- Breakdowns of 1941 (1941) as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
- The Little Foxes (1941) as Regina Hubbard Giddens
- The Bride Came C.O.D. (1941) as Joan Winfield
- Shining Victory (1941)
- The Man Who Came to Dinner (1941) as Maggie Cutler
- The Great Lie (1941) as Maggie Patterson Van Allen
- The Letter (1940) as Leslie Crosbie
- All This, and Heaven Too (1940) as Henriette Deluzy-Desportes
- Cavalcade of the Academy Awards (1940) as Self
- If I Forget You (1940) as Bette Davis
- Juarez (1939) as Empress Carlotta von Hapsburg
- Dark Victory (1939) as Judith Traherne
- The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939) as Queen Elizabeth
- Breakdowns of 1939 (1939) as Self
- The Old Maid (1939) as Charlotte Lovell
- Breakdowns of 1938 (1938) as Self (archive footage)
- Jezebel (1938) as Julie Marsden
- The Sisters (1938) as Louise Elliott Medlin
- It's Love I'm After (1937) as Joyce Arden
- Kid Galahad (1937) as Louise 'Fluff' Phillips
- That Certain Woman (1937) as Mary Donnell
- Breakdowns of 1937 (1937) as Self
- Marked Woman (1937) as Mary Dwight Strauber
- A Day at Santa Anita (1937) as Bette Davis (uncredited)
- Satan Met a Lady (1936) as Valerie Purvis
- The Petrified Forest (1936) as Gabrielle "Gabby" Maple
- Breakdowns of 1936 (1936) as Self
- The Golden Arrow (1936) as Daisy Appleby
- Dick Powell and Joan Blondell home movies: "No. 1, From beginning" (1936)
- Screen Snapshots (Series 16, No. 1) (1936) as Self
- Front Page Woman (1935) as Ellen Garfield
- Special Agent (1935) as Julie Gardner
- Dangerous (1935) as Joyce Heath
- A Dream Comes True (1935)
- Bordertown (1935) as Mrs. Marie Roark
- The Girl from 10th Avenue (1935) as Miriam A. Brady
- Housewife (1934) as Patricia Berkeley
- Jimmy the Gent (1934) as Joan Martin
- Fashions of 1934 (1934) as Lynn Mason
- Fog Over Frisco (1934) as Arlene Bradford
- The Big Shakedown (1934) as Norma Nelson
- Of Human Bondage (1934) as Mildred Rogers
- Just Around the Corner (1933) as Ginger
- Parachute Jumper (1933) as Patricia 'Alabama' Brent
- The 42nd Street Special (1933) as Self (uncredited)
- Bureau of Missing Persons (1933) as Norma Roberts
- The Working Man (1933) as Jenny Hartland alias Jane Grey
- Ex-Lady (1933) as Helen Bauer
- The Dark Horse (1932) as Kay Russell
- So Big! (1932) as Miss Dallas O'Mara
- The Rich Are Always with Us (1932) as Malbro
- The Man Who Played God (1932) as Grace Blair
- The Menace (1932) as Peggy Lowell
- 20,000 Years in Sing Sing (1932) as Fay Wilson
- The Cabin in the Cotton (1932) as Madge Norwood
- Hell's House (1932) as Peggy Gardner
- Three on a Match (1932) as Ruth Westcott
- The Bad Sister (1931) as Laura Madison
- Waterloo Bridge (1931) as Janet Cronin
- Way Back Home (1931) as Mary Lucy Duffy
- Seed (1931) as Margaret Carter