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Feb. 13, 2005 NOTE: This is the final article in a series on stars of the film noir era. Betty Davis was born Ruth Elizabeth Davis, April 5, 1908 in Lowell, Massachusetts, USA When she attained stardom at age 26, it was not just for her acting acumen. She was best known for her wide eyes, which were immortalized in the Kim Carnes’ number 1 hit “Bette Davis Eyes” (1981). She made her film debut in 1931’s “The Bad Sister” and usually played characters with tough exteriors, but who were vulnerable. Her characters usually were smart-mouthed and many of them smoked cigarettes, behavior which wasn’t considered very lady-like. According to the Unofficial Bette Davis website, “she was described by one critic as ‘a force of nature that could find no ordinary outlet’." Yet, she was immensely popular, later becoming known as “The First Lady of the Screen.” However, she wanted the lead in 1939s “Gone With the Wind,” but the role went to Vivian Leigh. Her most famous role would come some 11 years later, as that of actress Margo Channing in 1950s “All About Eve,” earning her another Best Actress nomination. Ironically, her career waned shortly thereafter. Her filmography boasts such classics as, “Dangerous” (1935) and “Jezebel” (1938), for which she received her first two Best Actress Oscars. “Now, Voyager” (1942); “The Bride Came C.O.D.” (1941, with James Cagney); “Deception” (1946); “The Corn Is Green” (1945); “Mr. Skeffington” (1944); “What Ever Happened To Baby Jane” (1962), playing alongside her rival, Joan Crawford and winning an Oscar for Best Actress for her portrayal of an out to lunch, washed-up child star. “Baby Jane” was also that year’s top grossing film.. Her number of Oscar nominations—10, is second only to Katherine Hepburn (11). Her other nominations include her turns in, “The Star” (1952) ; “Mr. Skeffington” (1944); “Now, Voyager” (1942); “The Little Foxes” (1941); “The Letter” (1940); “Dark Victory” (1939) and “Of Human Bondage” (1934). In 1977, Davis became the first woman to receive the American Film Institute's Lifetime Achievement Award. Three of her movie quotes are among the American Film Institute’s 100 greatest. They include, (No. 7, from “All About Eve”) “Fasten your seatbelts. It's going to be a bumpy night,” (No. 60, from “Beyond the Forest”) “What a dump.” and (No. 45) “Oh, Jerry, don't let's ask for the moon. We have the stars. (from, “Now, Voyager”5) Perhaps her most memorable line was from the movie, “Of Human Bondage“ (1934), where she co-starred with Leslie Howard. It was the role that catapulted her to stardom as she delivered the line, “You cad! You dirty swine! I never cared for you--not once! I was always making up to love ya. Ya bored me stiff. I hated ya. It made me sick when I had to let ya kiss me. I only did it because you begged me--ya hounded me and drove me crazy! And after you kissed me, I always used to wipe my mouth. Wipe my mouth!" Along that same tenor, In “Cabin In The Cotton” (1932) she uttered the line, “I'd like ta kiss ya, but I just washed my hair." Then again as Joyce Arden in, “It’s Love I’m After” (1937), she quipped: “Dearest, I think you're the lowest thing that ever crawled, but as long as I can reach out and get my hands on you, no other man will ever touch me." As for her feud with Joan Crawford, in her 1962 autobiography, “The Lonely Life,” Davis wrote, “I do not regret one professional enemy I have made. Any actor who doesn't dare to make an enemy should get out of the business.” She made her final film appearance in 1989, playing the role of Miranda Pierpoint in, “Wicked Stepmother.” She died that year on October 6, 1989 in Neuilly, France from breast cancer. Sources: Bette Davis, imdb profile Bette Davis profile, Wikipedia The Unofficial Bette Davis Homepage Bette Davis profile, “Reel Classics” ------------ About the author: Timothy Stelly is a 46-year old California native with a wide variety of interests-from fishing to politics, which have a lot in common: Both require you to deal with worms and most of your time is spent idling. He is a former Democrat, believing that Party represents outdated ideas. He is officially registered as an Independent, choosing to keep his options open. Timothy is also the author of more than 80 screenplays and novels, two of which have been "published": "Tempest In The Stone" and "The Malice Of Cain", both available through PublishAmerica. He defines his writing style as "Hip-hop fiction; a cross between Richard Pryor and Richard Wright." His UK columns is written in a hard-edged style, but he is not yet a curmudgeon or a conservative. (Is that redundant?) After all, one of his favorite movies is "The Adventures of Milo and Otis." stellbread0.tripod.com Email: stellbread@yahoo.com Tell a friend about this site! ------------ All articles are EXCLUSIVE to Useless-Knowledge.com and are not allowed to be posted on other websites. ARTICLE THIEVES WILL BE PROSECUTED! |
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