Bette Davis
A Hollywood titan who fought the studio system and redefined screen acting with her electric, unapologetically complex portrayals of difficult women.
1908–1989 (age 81)·American actress·Birthday: April 5·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Bette Davis arrived in Hollywood with blazing eyes and a New England work ethic, quickly chafing against the bland ingenue roles the studios offered. Her career became a battle for artistic control, famously suing Warner Bros. to break a restrictive contract—a nearly suicidal move that ultimately empowered other actors. Davis didn't just play characters; she attacked them, whether as a spoiled southern belle in 'Jezebel,' a fading Broadway star in 'All About Eve,' or a psychologically unraveled former child actor in 'What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?' Her technique was unmistakable: a rapid-fire delivery, punctuated by cigarette smoke and those famously expressive eyes, which she used as weapons. She created a gallery of women who were ambitious, neurotic, and fiercely intelligent, forever changing how audiences perceived female characters on screen.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Bette was born in 1908, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Bette Was Born
The biggest hits of 1908
Bette's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1908Born
Ford Model T goes into production
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1913Started school
The Federal Reserve is established
President: Woodrow Wilson
1921Became a teenager
First commercial radio broadcasts
President: Warren G. Harding"My Man" — Fanny Brice
1924Could drive
First Winter Olympics held in Chamonix, France
President: Calvin Coolidge"It Had to Be You" — Isham Jones
1926Could vote
Robert Goddard launches the first liquid-fueled rocket
President: Calvin Coolidge"Baby Face" — Jan Garber
1929Turned 21
Wall Street crashes, triggering the Great Depression
Gas: $0.21/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Singin' in the Rain" — Cliff EdwardsBest Picture: The Broadway Melody
1938Turned 30
Kristallnacht and the escalation toward WWII
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $2,850Min wage: $0.25/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Begin the Beguine" — Artie ShawBest Picture: You Can't Take It with You
1948Turned 40
Israel declares independence; Berlin Blockade begins
Gas: $0.26/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Twelfth Street Rag" — Pee Wee HuntBest Picture: Hamlet
1958Turned 50
NASA founded
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Volare" — Domenico ModugnoBest Picture: Gigi
1968Turned 60
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1978Turned 70
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1988Turned 80
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1989Died at 81
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
Key Achievements
- Won the Academy Award for Best Actress twice, for 'Dangerous' and 'Jezebel.'
- Became the first female president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
- Was the first actor to receive ten Academy Award nominations for acting.
- Delivered one of cinema's most quoted lines, 'Fasten your seatbelts, it's going to be a bumpy night,' in 'All About Eve.'
Did You Know?
She actively campaigned for the role of Scarlett O'Hara in 'Gone with the Wind' but was not seriously considered.
The song 'Bette Davis Eyes' was inspired by her, and she wrote a letter to the singer Kim Carnes to thank her.
She and Joan Crawford's infamous feud peaked during the filming of 'What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?'
“Attempt the impossible in order to improve your work.”
