Public Figure Profiles

Bette Davis

Ruth Elizabeth "Bette" Davis (April 5, 1908 – October 6, 1989) was an American actress with a career spanning more than 50 years and 100 acting credits. She was noted for playing unsympathetic, sardonic characters, and was famous for her performances in a range of film genres, from contemporary crime melodramas to historical films, suspense horror, and occasional comedies, although her greater successes were in romantic dramas. A recipient of two Academy Awards, she was the first thespian to accrue ten nominations.

After appearing on Broadway in New York, the 22-year-old Davis moved to Hollywood in 1930. After some unsuccessful films, she had her critical breakthrough playing a vulgar waitress in Of Human Bondage (1934) although, contentiously, she was not among the three nominees for the Academy Award for Best Actress that year. The next year, her performance as a down-and-out actress in Dangerous (1935) did land Davis her first Best Actress nomination, and she won. In 1937, she tried to free herself from her contract with Warner Brothers Studio; although she lost the legal case, it marked the start of more than a decade as one of the most celebrated leading ladies of U.S. cinema. The same year, she starred in Marked Woman, a film regarded as one of the most important in her early career. Davis's portrayal of a strong-willed 1850s southern belle in Jezebel (1938) won her a second Academy Award for Best Actress, and was the first of five consecutive years in which she received a Best Actress nomination; the others were for Dark Victory (1939), The Letter (1940), The Little Foxes (1941) and Now, Voyager (1942).

Davis was known for her forceful and intense style of acting and gained a reputation as a perfectionist in her craft. She could be combative and confrontational with studio executives and film directors, as well as with her co-stars, expecting the same high standard of performance and commitment from them as she expected from herself. Her forthright manner, idiosyncratic speech, and ubiquitous cigarette contributed to a public persona that has been often imitated.She played a Broadway star in All About Eve (1950), which earned her another Oscar nomination and won her the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actress. Her last Oscar nomination was for What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962), which also starred her famous rival Joan Crawford. In the latter stage of her career, her most successful films were Death on the Nile (1978) and The Whales of August (1987). Her career went through several periods of eclipse, but despite a long period of ill health she continued acting in film and on television until shortly before her death from breast cancer in 1989. She admitted that her success had often been at the expense of her personal relationships. She was married four times, divorcing three and widowed once, when her second husband died unexpectedly. She raised her children largely as a single parent. Her daughter, B. D. Hyman, wrote a controversial memoir about her childhood, 1985's My Mother's Keeper.Davis was the co-founder of the Hollywood Canteen, a club venue for food, dancing and entertainment for servicemen during World War II, and was the first female president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. She was also the first woman to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Film Institute. In 1999, Davis was placed second behind Katharine Hepburn on the American Film Institute's list of the greatest female stars of the classical Hollywood cinema era.

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Some of their strengths

Bette Davis has many admirable traits.

Based on spiritual traditions from around the world, they are someone who can be described as Generous, Energetic, Passionate, Charming, Intelligent, Intense, and Charismatic.

Independent and Brave

According to Mysticism’s Astrology tradition, Bette Davis is someone who is an independent, brave, and honest person who approaches life with energy, intuition, passion, and generosity. A person who is known for being diligent and strong.

Active and Precise

Based on Daoism’s Ba-Zi or ‘Chinese Zodiac’ tradition, people who know Bette Davis well know them as someone who can be tough, active, and sharp, like a sword.

Courteous and Easygoing

According to Hinduism’s Jyotisha or ‘Vedic Astrology’ tradition, many would also describe Bette Davis as someone who is polite, modest, and diplomatic.

A person who tends to be socially popular, who loves intellectual or creative activities, who has a talent for communicating with and understanding the needs of others, and who seems to have a knack for getting recognized for their efforts.

Intelligent and Leadership-oriented

Based on the Mayan Tzolk’in or ‘Mayan Astrology’ tradition, Bette Davis is someone who is able to see things that others don't, and who can be an effective guide or mentor to others.

They are also someone who is calm, comforting, and stable, and who loves stability and being a good friend and loyal partner.

Independent and Dynamic

According to Judaism’s Kabbalah tradition, Bette Davis tends to be someone who is independent, dynamic, and courageous. Who can be positive, energetic, self-reliant, and adventurous, and who can make friends easily.

Some of Bette Davis's challenges

While Bette Davis has many strengths, nobody is perfect. They also have some challenging traits they need to manage.

For example, Bette Davis can be Self-centered, Short-tempered, Impulsive, Hypocritical, Complicated, Brusque, and Indecisive.

Short-tempered and Impulsive

One of Bette Davis's key challenges is that they are someone who can come across as short-tempered and impulsive.

Indecisive and Materialistic

Bette Davis is someone who can be indecisive, indulgent, and materialistic, who can have difficulty focusing on a single career or profession, have difficulty following orders or respecting authority, and who can suffer from "analysis paralysis".

Aggressive and Domineering

Finally, Bette Davis also can be aggressive, impatient, impulsive, and short-tempered.

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